Fred Smith is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

ist, best known for his work with Television

Television (band)

Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...

. He was the original bassist with Blondie

Blondie (band)

Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...

 until he replaced Richard Hell

Richard Hell

Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...

 when Hell left Television in 1975 to form The Heartbreakers

The Heartbreakers

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, also known as The Heartbreakers, were an American rock & roll band formed in New York in May 1975. The band was part of the first wave of punk rock.-History:...

. At the time, Television played at CBGB

CBGB

CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...

 along with Blondie. According to Smith, "Blondie was like a sinking ship and Television was my favorite band." When Television broke up in 1978, he returned to Blondie, despite the negative reaction that his participation in other projects had caused. Smith also participated in the solo albums of the Television guitarists Tom Verlaine

Tom Verlaine

Tom Verlaine is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.-Biography:...

 and Richard Lloyd, and played with such artists as The Roches

The Roches

The Roches are a female vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, known for their "unusual" and "rich" harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances.The Roches have been active as performers and recording artists since the mid-1970s,...

, Willie Nile

Willie Nile

Willie Nile is an American singer-songwriter. In 1980 Nile released his self-titled debut album which according to one critic remains “one of the most thrilling post-Byrds folk-rock albums of all time”...

, and Peregrins

Peregrins

Peregrins were an alternative rock band. Bassist Fred Smith was a founding member of Blondie and recorded with Television during that band's critical peak in the late-1970s.-Personnel:*Deirdre Steinschneider, lead vocals*Jeffrey Dresher, guitars...

. From 1988 to 1989 he played bass, recorded, and toured with The Fleshtones

The Fleshtones

The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York by Keith Streng and Marek Pakulski The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The...

.

External links

• [ Fred Smith] at Allmusic