Few details are available, but it seems that Bronx born soul session singer TONI SMITH died yesterday, 28th January in New York of “causes unknown”.
Though little known, Ms Smith was the lead vocalist on Tom Browne’s classic ‘Funkin’ For Jamaica’. Born Thomassina Carrollyne Smith (and sometimes referred to as “Tonni”), Toni met the trumpeter when she was a latter day member of the Crystals and worked on a number of songs with him. Ms Smith then became an in-demand session singer across genres but she also pursued a solo career – albeit low key.
