Official Obituary of
Michael Glenn Smith I
November 26, 1956 ~ May 5, 2019 (age 62) 62 Years Old
Michael Glenn Smith I Obituary
Michael Glenn Smith I was born on November 26, 1956 to Franklin Smith and Mary Smith in Cincinnati, Ohio at General Hospital. At four years old, he played in the kitchen day and night using large spoons to beat on pots and pans. Soon he started growing and developing a skill to beat with a purpose and rhythm. By the age of seven years old, he was playing drums and was taken under the wing of a man who was gifted, talented and artistic with a purpose, named Charles Spurling.
Charles danced with James Brown as one of his famous flames and wrote for him. Mike Smith and Charles soon began a journey into the world of music together as teacher and student, from places like Chess Records, King Records in Cincinnati, Golden World and Motown in Detroit, wherever sessions for recordings were given where Mike could play as a drummer.
Mike grew and became a songwriter, producer, music arranger and eventually landing a spot with his own band, the biggest in the Midwest, the Python Band. At this time, he played on many songs like Jermaine Jackson’s “Let’s Get Serious”, Jackson 5’s “Lookin’ Through the Windows”, Al B. Sure’s “Night and Day” and “Mother Popcorn” for James Brown, at age nine.
The music began to change, life changed and so does one’s circumstances. He began work for Burns and Securitas Security for 19 years. Outside of work, he was a family man. He helped his children, Erica Nance with projects, taught his son, Michael Smith music lessons, helped his second daughter, Alisha Nance with homework and studies that soon helped to stand the test of time. There was even a time where he saved his wife, Gwendolyn from certain death giving her aid during her rare radiation treatment, but she later died. He was also very active in the community, teaching kids to play drums at the Boys and Girls Club and even joined the Black Panthers in 1968 as a community once threatened.
Michael leaves to cherish his memory: his youngest daughter, Michelle, his daughters, Erica and Alisha Nance and his son, Michael Glenn Smith II, who he always hoped would be successful, following in his footsteps; Judy Smith who will now represent the family name; as well as a host of musicians, friends and family.
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