Snuffy Smith

**Fretbear** · Feb-05-2012, 12:20pm

Noted North Carolina banjo picker and celebrated luthier Snuffy Smith passed away today; condolences to family and friends.

http://bluegrasstoday.com/37247/snuffy-smith-passes/

**Ivan Kelsall** · Feb-06-2012, 3:39am

Sad news indeed. Snuffy Smith was a true legend, & hoards of folk use his highly innovative instrument parts on their instruments to good effect - R.I.P. Snuffy,
Ivan

**Wolfboy** · Feb-06-2012, 4:01am

Very sorry to hear this. I got to hear Snuffy a number of times with his band Wood and Steel - a fine musician and a gentleman. He'll be missed.

**grassrootphilosopher** · Feb-06-2012, 5:29am

Originally Posted by Fretbear

Noted North Carolina banjo picker and celebrated luthier Snuffy Smith passed away today; condolences to family and friends.

http://bluegrasstoday.com/37247/snuffy-smith-passes/

His banjo bridges are great. Who will take care of Tony´s "antique" now? I´m just glad that he didn´t have an overly long time of severe suffering. Bless his heart and may he rest easy. Sad news indeed.

**AlanN** · Feb-06-2012, 7:32am

Condolences to Snuffy's family and friends. I was fortunate to see him perform and have him work on my mandolins. He was a skilled craftsman and a kind and gentle man.

**AlanN** · Feb-06-2012, 2:18pm

Here he is just a year ago, doing what he loved to do...

**Russ Jordan** · Feb-06-2012, 3:34pm

When I promoted concerts in Valdese NC, it was amazing the number of times Snuffy would show up because who ever was playing there needed him to check out their banjo. JD Crowe also liked Snuffy's talents on the mixing board, so I would get him to run the sound whenever New South played.

One funny incident--Jr Sisk was opening for JD at one of these shows, when the late Eugene Crabtree was playing banjo with Rambler's Choice. Snuffy was doing a sound check with them, and Eugene asked if he could get some of the high end off of his banjo. Snuffy replied that he could put him a new tone ring in. Everyone got a laugh except Eugene.

Snuffy had a similar brief business card to Charles Sawtelle's: Snuffy Smith, Expert

I appreciated Snuffy doing the sound and keeping JD happy. As previously noted, he was a great guy. RIP.

**MandoHog** · Feb-06-2012, 4:36pm

I spoke with Snuffy via email a couple years ago. I was reminding him of when I used to see him playing banjo with Frankie Kelly and High Country in clubs along Dixon Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas many years ago (before he moved to Carolina). I said how cool it was to see him grow into such an inviable profession as he had, being surrounded by the who's who in the bluegrass world and getting paid for it. He said yea, "They all come to me now. Well, all except for Earl. For him I make house calls". What a life. We'll miss you Snuffy.

**MikeEdgerton** · Feb-06-2012, 4:58pm

Janet Davis just sent out an e-mail regarding his passing.

**Fretbear** · Feb-07-2012, 2:03am

Originally Posted by MandoHog

I said how cool it was to see him grow into such an enviable profession as he had, being surrounded by the who's who in the bluegrass world and getting paid for it. He said yea, "They all come to me now. Well, all except for Earl. For him I make house calls".

Now that's a eulogy......