British Blues Photographer Brian Smith Dies at 82
A British blues photographer who captured iconic images of American music legends has passed away at the age of 82. Brian Smith's contributions to the genre were instrumental in popularizing American blues musicians in Britain during the 1960s.
Smith's photography career began when he attended a Chris Barber gig at the Manchester Free Trade Hall as a teenager, where he saw Lonnie Donegan perform. The encounter sparked his interest in blues music and led him to start taking photos of artists like T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee.
The 1962 American Folk Blues festival at the Manchester Free Trade Hall marked a pivotal moment for Smith's photography career. He was present at numerous other concerts and festivals featuring blues, R&B, and rock 'n' roll artists, including Little Richard, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf.
Smith also became an unofficial in-house photographer at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester, where he cultivated relationships with promoters and club owners to secure artist interviews and back-stage passes. This strategy proved valuable for Smith, who claimed it saved him a significant amount of money on concert tickets.
As the blues scene expanded globally, Smith supplied photos to record companies for their reissue programs. His work appeared on numerous albums, including Chuck Berry's 16-disc box set by Germany's Bear Family records in 2014. The photographer also published his book, Boom Boom, Boom, Boom – American Rhythm & Blues In England 1962–1966, featuring 176 pages of photos and stories.
Born in Prestbury, Cheshire, Smith attended school and later worked for the Inland Revenue before retiring in 2007. He is survived by his wife Shirley, children Gabrielle, Angela, Anthony, and Peter, and sister Val.
A British blues photographer who captured iconic images of American music legends has passed away at the age of 82. Brian Smith's contributions to the genre were instrumental in popularizing American blues musicians in Britain during the 1960s.
Smith's photography career began when he attended a Chris Barber gig at the Manchester Free Trade Hall as a teenager, where he saw Lonnie Donegan perform. The encounter sparked his interest in blues music and led him to start taking photos of artists like T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee.
The 1962 American Folk Blues festival at the Manchester Free Trade Hall marked a pivotal moment for Smith's photography career. He was present at numerous other concerts and festivals featuring blues, R&B, and rock 'n' roll artists, including Little Richard, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf.
Smith also became an unofficial in-house photographer at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester, where he cultivated relationships with promoters and club owners to secure artist interviews and back-stage passes. This strategy proved valuable for Smith, who claimed it saved him a significant amount of money on concert tickets.
As the blues scene expanded globally, Smith supplied photos to record companies for their reissue programs. His work appeared on numerous albums, including Chuck Berry's 16-disc box set by Germany's Bear Family records in 2014. The photographer also published his book, Boom Boom, Boom, Boom – American Rhythm & Blues In England 1962–1966, featuring 176 pages of photos and stories.
Born in Prestbury, Cheshire, Smith attended school and later worked for the Inland Revenue before retiring in 2007. He is survived by his wife Shirley, children Gabrielle, Angela, Anthony, and Peter, and sister Val.
just heard about Brian Smith's passing at 82 
, what a legend! I mean, can you even imagine the iconic pics he captured of blues legends? Like T-Bone Walker & John Lee Hooker? The man was a master behind the lens 
. He basically helped bring American blues to Britain back in the day 
. And it's crazy that his photography career started at just 16, after seeing Lonnie Donegan live 
. I wish I could've seen some of his work in person 
. Anyway, RIP Brian Smith 
, your legacy lives on through those amazing photos 
.
. It's crazy that more people don't know his name, considering how iconic his photos are 
. Anyway, his passing at 82 takes us back to a time when blues music was still relatively unknown in the UK, but Smith's work helped change that forever 
.
. I was just browsing through some old blues records on Discogs the other day and came across a few of his photos - they're still mind-blowing today! 1962 was like, my dad's era... I mean, he was born in '43, so that was like, right before my grandpa's time 
. It's crazy to think about how this guy just happened to be at some of the most iconic blues gigs of all time and captured them on camera. His book, Boom Boom... I've gotta check that out!
My school's history club has been trying to get us to learn more about blues and American music, but this just shows how cool it is to actually see the people behind the music 
Smith must've had some epic photoshoots at Twisted Wheel, I wish he'd shared more of them online! Anyway, my grandma used to play a lot of old blues records when I was younger, and that's where I got into it in the first place 
Smith's legacy is still out there, so let's keep the blues alive 
So a British blues photographer is dying at 82? That's nice, I guess. But who exactly was he, you know? I mean, I've seen his photos online but never really learned much about him beyond that he took pictures of some American music legends back in the day. What made these concerts and festivals so special for him? Was it just because they were blues or what? And how did he manage to get those behind-the-scenes shots with all the artists? 
. I've been listening to some of those blues classics lately and it's amazing how much life and energy they still bring. Smith's work really captured the essence of that era... did you know he even got to meet Little Richard in person? Talk about a highlight reel for any music lover! Anyway, it's nice to see his legacy living on through his photos and the books he left behind 
.
his story is so inspiring from that gig at the manchester free trade hall as a teen he knew he had found his calling 
and i love how he used his photography career to get access to all these legendary artists 
like little richard and sister rosetta tharpe 
smith's work is still super influential today and it's crazy that he published a book back in 2006 
. And can we talk about how his career was basically all about networking? Like, yeah, getting interviews and back-stage passes saved him money on concert tickets, but it also sounds super cringeworthy 
. Still, I guess you gotta give the dude props for capturing some awesome pics of Chuck Berry and all that jazz. RIP, Brian Smith 
. I mean, he was instrumental in getting blues music to the masses in Britain during a time when it was still relatively unknown here. His photos of legendary artists like T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters are iconic 
Just heard about Brian Smith's passing at 82... what a legendary blues photographer 
. He must've had some serious skills & connections to have gotten away with it for so long 
. Anyway, RIP Brian Smith 
Still sad that he's gone, but at least we've got his work to look back on. Too bad more people don't value photography like this anymore... it's all about the selfies these days 
, a blues photographer who lived through some wild times 
. His work at the American Folk Blues festival in '62 was super iconic 
. It's a shame we won't get to see more of his photos and insight into the blues scene 
.
Smith was a pioneer for American blues musicians in Britain and his work still holds up today 
he was a legend in his own right! The way he captured the essence of American blues music on camera is truly inspiring 
.
. His legacy lives on through the countless artists he captured on camera 
