Toby Smith

Toby Grafftey-Smith (29 October 1970 – 11 April 2017), known professionally as Toby Smith, was an English musician, most famous for being the keyboardist and co-songwriter for Jamiroquai[1] from 1992 until his departure in 2002.

For other people named Toby Smith, see Toby Smith (disambiguation).
Toby Smith
Smith in the 1990s
Background information
Birth nameToby Grafftey-Smith
Born(1970-10-29)29 October 1970
OriginLondon, England
Died11 April 2017(2017-04-11) (aged 46)
Genres
Occupation(s)
InstrumentsKeyboards
Years active1992–2017
LabelsEMI (1993–2017)
Associated acts

Background and personal life

Son of John Jeremy ("Jinx") Grafftey-Smith, a merchant banker, and his wife Lucy, Smith was educated at Marlborough College, where he developed his musical skills.[2][3] His grandfather, Sir Laurence Grafftey-Smith, was a distinguished diplomat who served as High Commissioner for the U.K. in Pakistan from 1947 to 1951 and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1945 to 1947.[4][5]

Smith was married to Gabriella, daughter of David Offley Crewe-Read; they had three children.[6]

Career

Having been with the band since 1992, Smith left Jamiroquai on 29 April 2002 during the Funk Odyssey tour due to family commitments.[7]

He was the music producer and manager for the English pop rock band, The Hoosiers.[8] Smith produced the 2009 album Caught In The Headlights for the British band Absent Elk.[9] In 2013, he co-produced Matt Cardle's third album Porcelain, as well as providing writing contributions to several songs.[8]

He owned Angelic Recording Studios based near Banbury.[8]

Smith died on 11 April 2017. He had been diagnosed with cancer six years earlier.[10] He was 46 years old.[8]

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References
  1. "For The Record". MTV. 1 May 2002. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  2. "Toby Grafftey-Smith". Thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  3. "Toby Grafftey-Smith, co-founder of Jamiroquai – obituary". Telegraph.co.uk. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 2003, vol. 3, p. 3160
  5. "Sir Laurence Barton Grafftey-Smith - National Portrait Gallery". Npg.org.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  6. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 2003, vol. 1, p. 992
  7. "Jay Kay needs new man on (key)board". New Musical Express. 29 April 2002. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  8. Welsh, April Clare (13 April 2017). "Original Jamiroquai keyboard player Toby Smith has died aged 46". Fact. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  9. Norway - My Mark:. Eurovision 2015 booklet. 2015. p. 27.
  10. Toby Grafftey-Smith, co-founder of Jamiroquai – obituary Telegraph.co.uk, accessdate 22 January 2018
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