Johnny Smith's Gibson Electric Guitar: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This guitar was made by Gibson, Inc. around 1962 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is a 6-course (6 x 1) electric-acoustic arch top guitar, Johnny Smith model, serial #897087. This guitar was used by musician, composer, and band leader, Johnny Smith.

The “King of the Cool Jazz Guitar,” Johnny Smith was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1922. Smith began working for the NBC Orchestra in New York in 1947, becoming a highly sought after musician for performances and recordings around the city. Smith played with such diverse figures as Benny Goodman, Arturo Toscanini, Zoot Sims, Art Tatum, Bing Crosby and the New York Philharmonic. He also led his own band, becoming a regular act at the famed Birdland nightclub.

In 1952 he made his first recording as a band leader, the influential “Moonlight in Vermont.” The recording, featuring like-minded saxophonist Stan Getz, was a major statement on the developing, relaxed “cool-jazz” sound, becoming one of the best selling jazz albums of the year.

Smith’s career took off after the album leading to more recording and touring with both the Stan Kenton and Count Basie Orchestras. In 1955 he penned his most well-known original composition, “Walk Don’t Run,” soon to become a Top 10 hit for the surf-rock outfit “The Ventures” in 1960.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: ca 1962
• user: Smith, Johnny
• maker: Gibson Guitar Corp.
• collaborator: Smith, Johnny
• Object Name: guitar
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: plastic (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Measurements: guitar: 42 1/2 in x 17 in x 4 1/2 in; 107.95 cm x 43.18 cm x 11.43 cm
• place made: United States: Michigan, Kalamazoo
• ID Number: 2011.0254.01
• accession number: 2011.0254
• catalog number: 2011.0254.01
• serial number: 897087
• Credit Line: Gift of Johnny Smith
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.