Fred Smith, Television Bassist, Dead at 77

"long and hard these last few years."

"If you are a lover of melodic bass lines and counterpoint, you could go to school on what Fred created so effortlessly,"

"He was a natural - never flashy, always essential - always serving the song in ways that only the greatest musicians can..."

Fred Smith died at 77 after a prolonged illness. He was the original bassist for Angel and the Snake, the precursor to Blondie, and spent less than a year with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein before leaving to replace Richard Hell in Television. Smith was a core member of Television through their initial 1978 breakup, appearing on Marquee Moon (1977) and Adventure (1978). He joined Television for reunions in the early 1990s, producing a third self-titled album, and again in the 2000s. Jimmy Rip confirmed Smith's passing and praised his melodic, song-serving bass playing.

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