Kester "Smitty" Smith

Kester "Smitty" Smith

May 14, 1941 - Jan. 15, 2024

ST HELENA - The Life and Legend of Musician Kester "Smitty" Smith.

World-renowned percussionist Kester Winston "Smitty" Smith passed away peacefully on January 15, 2024, surrounded by family and friends in his hometown of St. Helena, CA, where he lived for the past 45 years.

Revered by the community and countless friends, family, and fans from around the globe, Kester brightened every room he entered, stage he graced, and restaurant he frequented. Over the years, he was a regular at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Tra Vigne, and Brasswood where everybody knew his name, his laugh, and his gift for spinning a great story about all the "characters" he met during his travels.

Kester was born on May 14, 1941, to the late Wilmoth and Clarabel (Morris) Smith near St. Vincent, Grenada. From his native island of Grenada to his earliest days in the Sobo Village of Trinidad, where he grew up with his parents and five sisters, he was surrounded by music, including the sounds of Southern Sympathy and Joey Lewis.

Kester's love of music vastly expanded when he moved to the capital city, Port of Spain, where he frequented music houses and absorbed the scene around him. It was there that he first picked up a set of bongos, and with no formal training, started to play. He soon added congas, timbales, and a full drum kit. At a young age, he became part of the band, Andre Tanker and the Flamingos, making three records for RCA and performing regularly at the Trinidad Hilton.

In 1969, with music reverberating in his bones, Kester left for New York City and was quickly immersed in the music scene there. He began playing with Bahamian music impresario Exuma (Tony Mackey), with whom he had a standing gig at a church in Brooklyn, a location Nina Simone would frequently visit to hear the group perform. A career-defining moment came in 1972, when Exuma appeared on the public television show, Soul, and Kester impressed and met rhythm-and-blues musician, Taj Mahal. Kester would go on to become his main percussionist for more than 50 years and was featured on 15 of his albums.

Kester's musical collaborations were many and his drumming finesse legendary. In addition to touring with Taj Mahal, Kester met musician and singer Peter Rowan and became one of the first to play congas and snare drums on the bluegrass scene. Kester toured in all 50 U.S. states and throughout Europe, India, Africa, Russia, and beyond. He became a legend many times over, having played at Carnegie Hall three times, performed on Saturday Night Live, and appeared in the film Six Days, Seven Nights with Harrison Ford. He served as conductor at New York's Lincoln Theater staging of the Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston play, Mule Bone, and was also featured on the soundtrack for the children's film, Follow the Drinking Gourd, narrated by Morgan Freeman.

The list of celebrities and musicians Kester called friends were endless, yet for those who knew him personally, his storied career was just the backdrop for a genuine and authentic life that lived large and touched the hearts of everyone in his orbit. He loved unconditionally, he was fiercely loyal, his laugh was soul touching, and no one could wear a purple dress shirt better than Smitty.

He was a loving father to daughter, Beverly-Ann Thoma; and grandfather to Joya Jewel Thoma; as well as a dedicated brother to sisters: Yvonne Smith, Judith Smith, Merryloue Smith, Barbara Smith (predeceased), Annmarie Charles (predeceased), and Gloria Osborne (predeceased); as well as uncle to numerous nieces, nephews; the Cabenda family from Curacao; and many other extended family members from around the world. He is deeply missed by his beloved, Patrica Gavelda; and close friends: Jeffery Becker, William and Jesse Becker, Dr. Joyce Hansen, Cherie Ford, Dr. Bob and Lindy Bundy, John Herrguth, Nicole Abiouness, Cindy Pawlcyn, John Stierch and BJ Bischoff, Sue Soffe, Christine Julien, Judy LeeSang, Pike Kaksonen, Ken Emerson, Peter Rowan; and his long-time musical partners: Bill Rich and Taj Mahal.

The world will never be quite the same without Kester in it, yet his extraordinary thoughtfulness, timeless words of wisdom, his music, and memory will live and play on for eternity. BLADAM!!!