Early studies with his first music teacher, J. Carl Borelli, included clarinet and saxophone pieces from the classical and jazz repertoire.
At Mr. Borelli's urging Smith auditioned for and was offered a scholarship to attend Ithaca College as a clarinet major, and at age 22 he received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Music Education from Ithaca College, then going on to the University of Illinois where he received his master's degree in 1968 (also in Music Education).
As a freelance musician Smith composed and produced commercial jingles for radio and television between 1966 and 1972, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s toured with Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Bob Crosby, Warren Covington and Les Elgart, among others.
He returned to Australia in January/February 1979 as part of a group that came to Sydney and Melbourne with Jamey Aebersold, and again in May of the same year with his quartet (with Steve Erquiaga, Bob Bowman and Ed Soph).
Howie Smith has presented an annual "Concert in Progress" in Cleveland every year since 1980, each one an evening of solo and ensemble performances of original compositions.
Salvatore Martirano: L's G. A., Polydor 245001 (1969) Jazz Co/op: Jazz Co/Op, Philips Phonogram 6641 225 (1974) (Re-released 2008 by Votary Records Australia) Kerrie Biddell: Only the Beginning, EMI Australia EMA 314 (1975) Ross Ryan: After the Applause, EMI Australia EMA 313 (1975) Jazz Co/op: Live at the Basement, 44 Label 6357 706 (distributed by Philips Phonogram) (1976) Phil Wilson: Live and Cookin', Outrageous Records #3.K (1977) The Cleveland Jazz All-Stars: Live at Peabody's Cafe, North Coast Jazz NCJ-1 (1982) Frank Mantooth: Suite Tooth, Optimism OP CD 3217 (1989) Frank Mantooth: Per-se-vere, Optimism OP CD 3229 (1990) William Cavanaugh: Works, Cyborg 81848 (1992) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: Sound Encounters, GM Recordings GM2039CD (1993) Midwest Composers: Music for Winds, Opus One CD 154 (1993) Jack Schantz Quartet: Speechless, Azica AJD-2201 (1993) Various Artists: Music of Cleveland Composers, Truemedia Records, D90121 (1993) Frank Mantooth: Dangerous Precedent, Sea Breeze SB-2046 (1993) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: Auricles Apertures Ventricles, New World Records 80477-2 (1995) Frank Mantooth: Sophisticated Lady, Sea Breeze SB-2074 (1995) Morgan Powell: FoRay FroMorgan, Einstein Records 009 (1995) Morgan Powell: Morgan Powell, New World Records 80499-2 (1996) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: The New American Scene, Albany Records Troy 298 (1998) Salvatore Martirano: O, O, O, O, That Shakespeherian Rag, New World Records 80535-2 (1998) The Jazz Unit: Choices, Go-Bop 21459 (1998) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: The New American Scene II, Albany Records Troy 303 (1998) Frank Mantooth; A Miracle, Sea Breeze Jazz SB-2094 (1999) Morgan Powell: The Morgan Powell Jazz Album, Chicago Lakeside Jazz CLJ-605-2 (1999) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: The Music of Edwin London, Albany Records Troy 595 (2003) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: Volume 2, Troppe Note/Cambria TNC/Cambria CD-1510 (2005) The Cleveland Chamber Symphony: Volume 5, Troppe Note/Cambria TNC/Cambria CD-1513-14 (2005) Charles McPherson: Charles McPherson with Strings: A Tribute to Charlie Parker, Clarion Jazz #90501 (2005) Helen Welch: One Dream, BigWOW BWP25 (2006) Some information about recordings and scores by Howie Smith can be found at Music Australia, an online service developed by the National Library of Australia A complete listing of Howie Smith's compositions can be found at *BMI Bissett, Andrew (1979).