Photo: Cavie78 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
With Lonnie Liston Smith, what gives me chills is the pedigree: he traded keys with Miles Davis and Pharoah Sanders before founding the Cosmic Echoes. Out of Richmond, Virginia, he helped shape fusion, smooth jazz, and acid jazz with records now treated as classics, and you can still hear his cosmic, floating warmth echoing through later club culture. Born in 1940 and still a living reference point, he's a rare figure who persuades through atmosphere rather than flash. His is music made for late nights, played softly. I count him among the genuinely essential pianists, and I keep coming back to him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lonnie Liston Smith
- Name (Japanese)
- ロニー・リストン・スミス
- Reading
- ろにー・りすとん・すみす
- Born
- December 28, 1940 (age 85)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Dragon
- Origin
- Richmond, Virginia, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / pianist / jazz musician / singer / keyboardist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Lonnie Liston Smith born?
Born December 28, 1940 (age 85).
Where is Lonnie Liston Smith from?
Lonnie Liston Smith is from Richmond, Virginia, United States.
What does Lonnie Liston Smith do?
Lonnie Liston Smith works as composer, pianist, jazz musician, singer, keyboardist.
Composer — see all → · Pianist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-24
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.