Claydes "Charles" Smith (born Claydes Eugene Smith;[1] September 6, 1948 – June 20, 2006) was an American musician best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of the group Kool & the Gang.
In the late 1960s, he joined with Ronald Bell (later Khalis Bayyan), Robert "Kool" Bell, George Brown, Dennis Thomas and Robert "Spike" Mickens to become Kool & the Gang.
His cool jazz stylings and octave runs, reminiscent of Wes Montgomery but uniquely his own, enriched the music of the group.
Kool & the Gang blended jazz, funk, R&B, and pop.
In 2024, Smith was posthumously selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Kool & the Gang.