Her terrific technique combined with a good dash of showmanship gave her a long career in American showbusiness, and she was still giving performances in the 70s and 80s.  She died in 1996.  Her recording of Tico Tico sold over a million records. Here it is, shoe-horned into one of her movies Bathing Beauty (1944).

She started out playing the piano in the pit of a local theatre, but was offered a job accompanying a singer on the organ –she dropped into the local music store to practice and within a few days customers were flocking around to hear her.  From then on she became one of Hammond’s stars, promoting the instrument, and producing hundreds of Hammond arrangements through her own publishing company throughout the 40s and 50s.

Her repertoire exploited the possibilities of the B-3 Hammond organ to the hilt, full of entertaining arrangements of standards and classics, and Latin American rhythms.
True classical music was not her forte -“If you don’t practice, a Bach Fugue can be the worst mishmash you ever heard,” she cheerfully announced to the audience at a summer Symphony concert in 1954 -and it was.  The Washington Post reviewer noted that when the fugue fell apart spectacularly half way through, Miss Smith blamed it on the shoes, and suggested they all go backaways and start again. So they did.  I wish I’d been there.

Picture of Ethel from FANPIX.net  If the YouTube link doesn’t open, just search YouTube for Tico Tico.

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