bar on West Street in Newark. His half-brother Melvin lived on Mulberry Street in Manhattan. Smith had no idea what became of his other two half-brothers, Norman and Ralph. His other siblings died as children, ranging from ages of three to seven. As a boy, Smith delivered clean clothes to his mother's clients, who included a prosperous Jewish family who invited him to sit in on Hebrew lessons on Saturday mornings. Willie made his bar mitzvah in Newark at age thirteen. Later in life he worked as a Hebrew cantor for a congregation in Harlem. Death In his later years, he received frequent honors for his life's work including a Willie "The Lion" Smith Day in Newark, New Jersey. Smith died at the age of 79 on April 18, 1973, in New York. Legacy The liner notes his 1958 LP The Legend of Willie "The Lion" Smith (Grand Awards Records GA 33-368) state: "Duke Ellington has never lost his awe of the Lion's prowess." It quotes Ellington as saying, "Willie The Lion was the greatest influence of all the great jazz piano players who have come along. He has a beat that stays in the mind." This LP's cover, features a painting of the Lion by Tracy Sugarman. Ellington attested to his admiration when he composed and recorded "Portrait of the Lion" in 1939. Orange County (NY) Executive Edward Diana issued a proclamation declaring September 18 Willie "The Lion" Smith Day in Orange County, the date of the first Goshen Jazz Festival. Discography Accent On Piano (Urania, 1957) The Lion Roars (Dot, 1958) The Legend of Willie "the Lion" Smith (Grand Award, 1959) Luckey & the Lion: Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz, 1960) Memorial (Vogue, 1960) Piano Solos by Willie Smith, the Lion of the Piano: Original Compositions (Commodore, 1961) Piano Solos by Willie Smith, the Lion of the Piano: Show Time (Commodore, 1962) A Legend (Mainstream, 1965) Music On My Mind (SABA, 1966) The Lion (Vogue, 1966) Grand Piano: Virtuoso Duets by Willie Smith & Don Ewell (Swaggie, 1966) Willie the Lion and His Washington Cubs (Fat Cat's Jazz, 1971) Willie "the Lion" Smith (GNP Crescendo, 1972) Pork and Beans (Polydor, 1972) Dixieland All Stars (Roulette, 1973) Live at Blues Alley (Chiaroscuro, 1973) Relaxing (Chiaroscuro, 1977) See also List of ragtime composers Notes References External links Willie Smith recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings. 1893 births 1973