Paul Tillman Smith

Paul Tillman Smith (Bay Area Music Legend)
In his own words. 
1. You have been a musician for decades. How did you get started?

 2. What kept you going?

3. Your father was a drummer. How did he influence you growing up?

4. What was it like growing up? Your  fonddess .memories?

5. You said that early in your career that you went to New York City with Sonny Simmons. What was that like?

6. Tell us about the musicians you knew in those days when you were in New York City on the lower  East Side.  Who were some of them? What were they like?

7. What was Oakland's music scene like when you left for New York City?

8. Your thoughts and experiences working with and knowing; Jimmy Hendricks, Phyllis Hyman, Pharoah Sanders.

9. What was your mother like? Your father? Family life? Community life.

10. Your thoughts on African American 'Love ballots', Jazz, and R&B? Message music, disco, dance music?

11. What do you think were your major achievements?

12. You have worked with and wrote music and lyrics for singers.  Who are the singers you have written for? What was that experience like?

13. You collaborated with Norman Connors. What was that experience like?

14. Your thoughts and experience being a band leader.

15.  Your thoughts and experiences being a side-man? Who did you play with as a side-man?

16.  Your thoughts on the music business; today and in the past.

17. Why are there so few African American music critics? Any thoughts on this.

18. Since we are in a technological information age do you think more African Americans and  Africans in the Diaspora will use new media to write about music specific to their ethnic group?  Blogs, etc. Your thoughts.

19. In the 70s so many music innovations were coming from the West Coast. Your thoughts.

20 . What is it like working with other musicians that play different instruments?

21. What instruments do you use in your band?

22. What advice would you give to other musicians that want to master the craft?

23. What were your steps and stages in your development as an artists?

24. Your fondest memories?

25.  The changes you have seen throughout the years?

26. You were involved in music for over 4 decades. You worked with many artists before they became well known. What were they like before they became famous? Did they change?

27. You mentioned in an interview that Jimi Hendricks asked you to perform with him at Woodstock, and that you declined? Your thoughts then, and now?

28. So much was happening in the 70s and it had some effect on the music. Your thoughts. So many artists just got burned out, on drugs, etc., and died at an early age.
Your thoughts and memories.

29. You mentioned in an earlier conversation that some musicians had fear of success. Elaborate.

30. Your thoughts on some of the early pioneers in music during the decades. And their impact on the world.

31. Describe if you can how you thought and felt about music in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and now.

32. Where do you get your inspiration?

33. Your influences and mentors?

34. How does it feel to have been doing music for so many decades?

35. Your personal experiences thru the decades?

36. What are rehearsals like?

37. You have been active for decades with the Juneteenth festival in Berkeley, California.  Tells us about that experience?

38. What keeps you going?





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