Every collector of 78 RPM records, will certainly have, at one time or another, come upon a Victor (Bat Wing) label or Victor (Scroll) label listing the artist, Jack Smith...The Whispering Baritone.
Every collector of 78 RPM records, will certainly have, at one time or another, come upon a Victor (Bat Wing) label or Victor (Scroll) label listing the artist, Jack Smith...The Whispering Baritone.
Surprisingly, very little information survives regarding this elegant performer...who enjoyed considerable popularity in the United States and especially in Europe during the 1920's and 1930's.
His signature tune..."Whispering" was recorded in 1928 on HMV B-2706 while he was appearing in England as a cabaret performer.
In nearly every musical reference book, he is not even mentioned. Consequently, the following information is intended to furnish enlightenment on one of the earliest crooners.
Jack Smith, born in New York City in 1899, was christened Jacob Schmidt. His parents emigrated from Germany in 1895 and he was their only child. When Jack was 14 years old, his father died and his mother became a laundress in order to support the family and to pay for her son's music lessons.
In 1918, while serving with the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I, he was the victim of a German Gas assault at the battle of Saint-Mihiel. The encounter left him with a permanently injured vocal apparatus thereby giving his voice a soft and gentle, whispering quality which became an instantly recognizable trademark.
Upon his discharge from the Army, he returned to New York City where he performed as a pianist and singer in cabarets and nightclubs. By this time, he had legally changed his name to Jack Smith and shortly thereafter he landed a job as a "song plugger" with Irving Berlin Inc. Music Publishers.
As a tune salesman, he occupied one of the cubicles in the Berlin offices; each accommodating a piano, a piano bench and several chairs for listeners. His primary audiences were musicians, vocalists and orchestra leaders searching for the latest songs that would fit into their stage, screen and radio performances. It goes without saying, that the tunes Jack was expected to showcase were primarily those owned by or affiliated with his employer... Irving Berlin.
Each cubicle housed a pianist who performed the same Berlin songs but in a different style or treatment, in hopes of winning the listener's favor. The audience also included distributors of sheet music plus amateurs buying sheet music for their households...which made for a very popular form of home entertainment, dominant during the 20's and 30's.
Smith soon became one of the most auditioned song sellers on Song Pluggers Row. The year was 1926 and it was then that T. D. Kemp, Jr. * entered into Smith's life.
T. D. Kemp, Jr. was a promoter of talented musical performers and was known in the music business simply as "TD." He was a year and a half older than his famous brother, Orchestra Leader, Hal Kemp.
In 1926, TD was busily scouting for available musical talent in New York City when the manager of the Strand Theater summoned him to his office. The manager stated that his wife was an avid radio listener and had heard a singer who greatly impressed her. The singer was introduced to the radio audience simply as, "The Whispering Baritone." The Strand Theater Manager asked Kemp to search out this performer, determine if he had stage poise and if so, would he be interested in playing the Strand.
After making inquiries, Kemp located Smith at the Irving Berlin offices and introduced himself. He found Smith to be a handsome fellow, in his late 20's with an outgoing personality and devoid of bluster and braggadocio. TD asked Smith if he would be interested in appearing for a week or two at the Strand Theater. Smith replied in the affirmative...but stated that he would need Berlin's approval because he was on Berlin's payroll at a salary of $100.00 per week.
Kemp asserted that there might be a possibility of programing him into the Theater Circuit at $600.00 per week...a statement that Smith viewed with great astonishment. TD realized that any further discussion needed to be pursued away from the Berlin facilities and asked Smith to come to TD's office later that day.
Smith appeared at the appointed time and after less than an hour's discussion; it was agreed (with a handshake only) that Kemp would become Smith's manager. Following this meeting, Kemp contacted the Manager of the Strand Theater and Smith was booked into the Strand Theater for a two-week stay at $ 650.00 per week.
Jack Smith's engagement at the Strand was an outstanding success wherein he received tremendous applause at each and every performance. Additionally, he earned rave reviews from the trade papers especially Variety, the most widely read journal of the entertainment industry.
Variety was also highly respected in England and in short order a cablegram arrived from the Princess Hotel in London offering Smith...$1000.00 per week to appear in their cabaret for a four-week engagement.
Smith agreed to the London booking but he emphatically insisted that Kemp accompany him for the entire four-week stay in England. In order to honor Smith's stipulation, it meant TD would have to be away from his New York office for a period of nearly six weeks. A hiatus of this length of time, by being absent from the daily business of recruiting and managing performers presented Kemp with a genuine dilemma. Even though this fact was pointed out, Smith, would not budge from his stated position.
However, after a good deal of discussion, Smith and TD finally worked out the necessary financial arrangements and contractual agreements and then they set sail for England.
Smith's London debut proved to be another resounding success and soon he had offers from France, Germany, Denmark and other European capital cities all clamoring for his appearance. His fame was enhanced, still further, as a result of his recordings, which were already receiving a considerable amount of favorable attention in Europe.
Smith's trademark style was to rest his left hand on the piano and play entirely with his right hand...seldom did his left hand ever touch the keys. To the audience he presented a nonchalant appearance and with his performing experience he was able to make a one-man show, a sellout performance, time after time.
Jack Smith's diction was so very clear and perfect that the audience could hear his remarkable projection of every word in the very back of the room. Boisterous London audiences, many times including the Prince of Wales and his entourage, would be brought to a complete hush during his performance.
Those fortunate enough to have attended Smith's shows, attest that he was unsurpassed and unrivaled, when performing, in an intimate venue of perhaps 250 persons. His smooth vocalizing, complete with the rolled R's had a most appealing quality, even suggesting a bit of mystery. His soft, singing style was especially well suited to slow, haunting tunes. During his show, he formed such an intimacy with his audience that they were held completely spellbound; a phenomenon which never failed to generate commentary among patrons, as they departed the show place.
After the completion of every show, he was always available to his fans readily signing autographs and engaging them in sparkling conversation. He was a charming man of great dignity and much charisma.
During the 20's and early 30's, he traveled extensively between Europe and the United States in order to satisfy his bookings on both sides of the Atlantic.
While his performances invariably met with high acclaim, a darker side of him (off-stage) began to emerge. When he was not performing, he was an extremely melancholy individual who became more and more dependent on alcohol.
Soon he began to show up for his performances too incapacitated to function. When word got around, in the trade, that he had a "drinking problem", it became more and more difficult to get him the higher paying contracts that once were so readily available to him.
In one incident, Smith climbed out onto the window ledge of a skyscraper hotel, bent on his own self-destruction. Only with great effort and difficulty were TD and Smith's German valet finally able to grab him and pull him back to safety.
Ultimately, Kemp and Smith's valet were sharing around-the-clock vigil over Smith in an effort to insure his sobriety. Repeatedly, many foreboding and bizarre episodes were reduplicated causing his previous high quality, on-stage offerings to suffer serious impairment. Many performances were cancelled at the final moment because he was physically and mentally unable to carry on.
Resultant entanglements with various theaters and disgruntled patrons who were stood up by his performance cancellations; soon became a manager's nightmare. After each incident, Smith promised faithfully to mend his ways but unfailingly each pledge was broken. In despair, TD was ultimately compelled to bring to an end his relations with Smith and they went their separate ways.
Their split was to be a very sorrowful chapter in Kemp's life. He realized that he had been an important part of Jack Smith's career and success but beyond all of that, they had developed a friendship. Now to see it all come to such a sad end was heartbreaking. The year was 1931 and they would never see each other again.
While his total recorded output is only slightly more than 100 songs, the record companies pressed huge quantities of each of his records; thereby accounting for their significant appearance in the used record markets.
On several records, made in London, he is accompanied by the marvelous Bert Ambrose Orchestra. One of their very finest recordings being, "Afraid of You" on HMV B-2718, recorded in April 1928. Another classic example of his expertise with the slow tempo is, "Glad Rag Doll" on Victor 21882 recorded in February 1929.
After 1931, Jack Smith's career faded into obscurity and in 1940 he attempted a comeback but it was unsuccessful. That same year he recorded four sides for Decca. These would be his last commercial recordings.
Jack Smith died in New York City in 1951. He was only 52 years old.
* TD Kemp Jr. was the informational source for the majority of this story. Many delightful visits with him plus his privately published Autobiography, "People, Places and Perceptions" uncovered a plethora of interesting data relating to The Golden Era of Music.
TD Kemp Jr. passed away in Charlotte, North Carolina on April 13, 1996. He was 93 years old.
Kenn E. Vitek - September 1, 2004