A diverse composer who began his career writing Tin Pan Alley songs and music for the theatre, he later had a prolific output of published band and orchestral works; both arrangements and original pieces.
He published music not only under his own name, but also under numerous pseudonyms, including Calvin Grooms, Maurice Lee, Leon Obrero, José Santos, Leopold Lamont, and François Chevalier.
[2] Smith's experience in Indianapolis theaters re-oriented his career away from teaching, and he became a conductor and composer for several touring opera and musical theatre troupes for a 15-year period.
This included the music for Charlotte Blair Parker's 1901 play Under Southern Skies,[3] a work which was staged at Broadway's Theatre Republic in addition to touring the United States.
[6] After his career as a theatre conductor ended, Smith worked for more than two decades as the managing editor of the band and orchestra department in the music publishing firm of Leo Feist.