[4] Art Kubera, the owner of a local music store, gave Smith his first organ, a Hammond B3.

[5] Smith's affinity for R&B mixed with his own personal style as he became active in the local music scene.

He moved to New York City in 1965,[6] where he met George Benson, the guitarist for Jack McDuff's band.

[7][8] After two albums under Benson's leadership, It's Uptown and Cookbook, Smith recorded his first solo album (Finger Lickin' Good Soul Organ) in 1967,[9] with George Benson (and guest Melvin Sparks) on guitar, Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax, and Marion Booker on drums.

Numerous prominent jazz artists joined Smith on his albums and in his live performances, including Lee Morgan, David "Fathead" Newman, King Curtis, Terry Bradds, Blue Mitchell, Joey DeFrancesco and Joe Lovano.

[12] Smith's next album Move Your Hand was recorded at the Club Harlem in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in August 1969.

[17] It resulted in four albums, with the music output veering between jazz, soul, funk, fusion and even the odd disco-styled track.

[19] His second Blue Note album All in My Mind was recorded live at "The Jazz Standard" in NYC (celebrating his 75th birthday with his longtime musical associates: guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Johnathan Blake), and released January 12, 2018.

It features Iggy Pop on two studio vocal tracks, "Why Can't We Live Together" and "Sunshine Superman".

His sidemen included Donald Hahn on trumpet, Ronnie Cuber,[7] Dave Hubbard,[21] Bill Easley and George Adams on saxes,[22][23] George Benson,[7] Perry Hughes,[24] Marc Silver,[25] Billy Rogers and Larry McGee on guitars,[26][27] and Joe Dukes,[28] Sylvester Goshay,[27] Phillip Terrell,[29] Marion Booker,[7] Jimmy Lovelace,[30] Charles Crosby,[31][32] Art Gore,[33] Norman Connors,[34] and Bobby Durham on drums.