The British music world has lost a pivotal visual chronicler with the death of Brian Smith at the age of 82. A passionate fan turned unofficial documentarian, Smith played a crucial role in capturing the faces and energy of the American blues and R&B artists who ignited the UK scene in the 1960s.
From Skiffle Fan to Front Row Photographer
Smith's musical journey began in 1954 at Manchester's Free Trade Hall. As a schoolboy, he witnessed Lonnie Donegan's skiffle group perform as an interval act for Chris Barber. This experience ignited a lifelong passion, first for Donegan and then for the blues roots from which skiffle sprang.
Armed with an Ilford Sportsman camera, his big break came at the seminal 1962 American Folk Blues Festival, again at the Free Trade Hall. This legendary concert, attended by future rock icons like Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, and Jimmy Page, allowed Smith to photograph pioneers including T Bone Walker and John Lee Hooker.
Defining the Era's Iconic Imagery
Throughout the 1960s, Smith became a ubiquitous presence at clubs and concerts. He served as the unofficial in-house photographer at Manchester's famed Twisted Wheel club and co-founded R&B Scene magazine in 1964. By cultivating promoters for advance access, he built an unparalleled archive.
His lens captured a who's who of American music royalty visiting the UK. His portfolio includes powerful images of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Little Richard, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry. These photographs graced album sleeves, magazines, and later became essential for CD reissues and lavish box sets.
A Lasting Legacy in Print and Pixel
Smith's day job was with the Inland Revenue, where he worked from 1960 until his retirement in 2007. His photography, however, was his driving passion. From the late 1970s, record labels on both sides of the Atlantic sought his work to illustrate reissue programmes. His photos featured on releases from labels like Chess, Ace, and JSP Records.
His contribution was monumental. For instance, a 2014 16-disc Chuck Berry box set by Bear Family Records contained approximately 50 of Smith's photos. He was also a key contributor to Blues & Rhythm magazine, providing both reviews and his invaluable archive images.
In early 2023, he published his photographic memoir, Boom Boom, Boom Boom – American Rhythm & Blues In England 1962–1966, a 176-page testament to the era he helped define. Born in Prestbury, Cheshire, and raised in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Brian Smith is survived by his wife Shirley, their four children, and his sister.
