Lloyd Fatman

By Marv Goldberg

© 2026 by Marv Goldberg

Lloyd "Fatman" Smith had a varied career: singer, musician (trumpet, sax, bass), bandleader, master of ceremonies, comedian, and Philadelphia disc jockey for 30 years.

Lloyd Allen Smith was born on October 4, 1921, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to Leo Smith and Posie McKinney. He also had a sister, Mary Frances Smith. He set up his Social Security account in 1939 as Lloyd Allen Smith, but it was later changed to "Lloyd F. Smith".

By the time of the 1930 census, the family had moved to Logan, West Virginia, but this is the last time I can find Lloyd in any census.

In November 1939, by which time he'd moved to Philadelphia, Lloyd married Ruby Dell Goins. They'd have two daughters: Barbara Jeanne and Phyllis Ann.

Lloyd's 1942 WW2 registration showed him as 5'8" and 202 pounds (it would blossom to nearly 300 pounds later).

The first time Lloyd showed up as a performer was in a December 23, 1944 article in the Baltimore Afro-American, reporting on a show given for soldiers at Fort Dix (New Jersey) by the cast of Philadelphia's Cotton Bowl. "Lloyd (Fat Man) Smith" was mentioned as an impersonator.

[NOTE: In the mid-1940s there was an alto sax player named Lloyd Smith with Earl Hines (he was also with Duke Ellington for a while). That one ended up owning a lounge in St. Louis.]

The January 26, 1946 Philadelphia Tribune talked about the show at Tropical Gardens. One of the acts was the St. Louis Four (whom you probably know better as the Caldwells). It said:

Floyd [sic] "Fat Man" Smith is still a main attraction with his magnetic personality while singing such jump tunes as "Don't Worry About That Mule" and "Daddy-o".

On March 19, he was one of the acts entertaining wounded servicemen at the Elk's Lodge. At the time, he was appearing at the Powelton Bar.

The May 6, 1946 Down Beat said he'd recently been at the Elate Ballroom in Philadelphia. By this time, he was pretty much always known as "Lloyd Fatman" or "Lloyd Fat Man".

A September 24, 1946 ad places him at the Cotton Bowl in Philly. He was advertised as "Lloyd Fat Man & His Band".

He was back at the Elate Ballroom on November 16, 1947, as MC for a swing concert. He sang and impersonated bassist Slam Stewart (who'd been half of Slim & Slam).

On January 2, 1948, somewhere in Philadelphia, there was a contest to find out who was the best MC. Lloyd came in third, behind Leroy Watts and Ramon Bruce.

In early March of that year, he appeared at the Circle Bar in Wilmington, Delaware. The March 24 Down Beat said he was at the Hotel Douglas (Philadelphia), with Danny Turner's Fourtimers.

The February 5, 1949 Philadelphia Tribune said:

Lloyd Fatman wowing houses up around Pittsburgh. Still feel that if the Fatman would form his own 7 piece unit, he would be one of the most shoutsational outfits stateside. With his ride on songs, people just don't keep still and that is entertainment at its best.

He'd spend a lot of time in Pittsburgh.

His first record (as "Lloyd Fat Man") was released on Gotham, around November 1949. With the Doc Bagby Orchestra, he'd recorded "Roll On, Mule" and "Little Leg Woman. "Roll On, Mule", which he wrote, was a pretty useless tune, seemingly thrown together to take advantage of Frankie Laine's up-and-coming "Mule Train".

On January 28, 1950, he was at the Auditorium in Pittsburgh for the finals of the Bernie Washington (WLOA DJ) Talent Search. Presumably he was an entertainer on the program, not one of the contestants.

Lloyd doesn't appear in the 1950 census. Wife Ruby, with children Barbara and Phyllis, is there, living with her parents. She said she was "separated". Don't worry; they'll get back together.

In February 1951, the Fatman was at the Pine Room in Pittsburgh. After that, he had a second session for Gotham in March, along with Frank Motley's Orchestra, but the two tunes ("Fat Man" and "Fat Man's Scat") were unreleased.

On April 6, he entertained at a dance in Pittsburgh sponsored by the Hill City Department Of Welfare.

A new career. By August 1951, he'd joined Louis Jordan's orchestra, mostly billed as "Fatman Lloyd". (Once, Jordan's unit was the "Tympany Five"; it now had 14 pieces.) At the same time Jordan added femme singer, Valli Ford, who'd been with Duke Ellington, as "Sarah Forde". They appeared, with Jordan, in Greenville, Mississippi on August 20, in New Orleans on September 2, and Nashville on September 30.

It just so happened that Louis Jordan was booked by Don Robey's Buffalo Booking Agency. That's why both Fatman and Valli Ford ended up on the Peacock label. Sometime in late 1951, he recorded "Giddy-Up Giddy-Up (All Night Long)" and "I Wonder Why". At the same session, Valli Ford recorded "He's My Kind Of Man" and "All Of Me".

Peacock issued the two tunes, around January 1952, as "Lloyd 'The Fat Man' Smith", with the "Caldonia's Boys Orchestra". The "Caldonia's Boys" are Louis Jordan's touring orchestra.

Note that there's a Peacock publicity photo of Fatman and Jordan that has these captions:

Lloyd "The Fatman" Smith / Peacock Recording Artist / Vocal Louis Jordan Orchestra / Louis Jordan Personal Manager

It's that last part that worries me. I could interpret it as either Fatman is Jordan's personal manager (if it had said "Louis Jordan's Personal Manager") or Jordan is Fatman's (if it had said "Louis Jordan, Personal Manager").

Leonard Feather, in the January 11, 1952 Down Beat, reviewed the Jordan band and said "Fat Man, who is disappointingly moderate in his fatness, sings some good, earthy blues and sells them well. His position in the band, too, is curious, since it would be hard to cut Louis on selling any kind of blues." He said of Valli: "Potentially, she's a fine blues singer, but with Louis himself and the Fat Man in the band, who needs more blues singers?"

That month, Fatman was at Stanley's Lounge in Pittsburgh and Valli (as "Sarah Ford") was at the Hawk's Nest in the same city. Why weren't they still with Jordan? The February 8, 1952 Downbeat had this:

The Louis Jordan orchestra, reviewed favorably in the Jan. 11 issue of the Beat, was forced to disband suddenly last month when the leader, on his doctor's advice, retired to his home in Phoenix, Ariz.

While Jordan would be back by early April, Fatman was never again mentioned as being a member of his aggregation. Additionally, on February 28, Valli was called "former singer with Louis Jordan's band".

Here's what the Pittsburgh Courier of February 16, 1952 had to say about his Peacock release:

Lloyd Fat Man is making his bid for national honors, and with his Peacock waxing of "Giddy-up. Giddy-up", it looks as though the fabulous blues shouter and showman will hit the jackpot. The new number is pulling a lot of nickels into the juke boxes all over the country and Fat Man does a top job in a blues-novelty vein.
The band on this number sounds just like Louis Jordan's, with a nice rolling rhythm. Fat Man recently completed a smash tour of the South with Louis and scored with the mob. [I assume they meant the audience and not the Mafia.]

As a showman, Fat Man is unsurpassed among blues and novelty singers. He injects humor into his work and sings the natural blues. He is worth seeing on any show, and he has the stuff to hit big time and stay.

Among Fat Man's other top tunes are "Little Leg Woman", "Roll on Mule", "Weeping and Crying", "Emmaline", and "They Call Me Fats". Fat Man is a real salesman and his act can be caught at Stanley's Lounge nightly along with the Three Tempos. Votes are beginning to roll in for Fat Man in the Courier Theatrical Poll and he just might end up among the top blues singers of the year.

However, by the time that poll ended, Fatman wasn't even on the list.

"Giddy Up" was reviewed in the March 1, 1952 Cash Box:

A fast moving jump number ["Giddy Up"] is belted out excitingly by Lloyd "The Fat Man" Smith. Smith receives a zestful assist from the Caldonia's Boys Ork who deliver a slick arrangement of this happy item. The result is an ok waxing. [Doesn't that negate the first two sentences?] On the lower disk ["I Wonder Why"], the artists collaborate on a pleasing tune with a slow beat.

Several Pittsburgh appearances. In mid-March, Fatman was at the Elk's Club. On March 26 he ("Lloyd (Fatman) Brown" [sic]) was at a Leap Year dance at the Penn-Shady Ballroom. The next day, he was MC at a "Cavalcade Of Local Stars" at Schenley High School as part of a fight against juvenile delinquency. By early April, Fatman was back at Stanley's Lounge.

Sometime in the summer of 1952, Fatman had another Peacock session, at which he recorded: "No Better For You", "My Clock Stopped", "Emmiline", and "Ain't Gonna Cry No More".

In September, he got together with Eddie Jefferson to record four tunes for Checker Records, in Chicago, as "The Bayou Boys": "Dinah", "Bambalaya", "September Song", and "Sweetheart". Note that "Dinah" is not the famous song by Harry Akst, Sam Lewis, and Joe Young. Although the label credits Akst, only the first line of the standard is used; the rest of the song was "borrowed" from Calvin Boze's "Safronia B". Keep in mind that there were loads of "Bayou Boys" acts around at the time.

On September 2, 1952, the Bayou Boys appeared at the Piccadilly, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. On the 23rd, it was the Crossroads in Kansas City. Their recordings are so wild, I can't begin to imagine what they were like in person.

In November, Checker issued the wonderful (if incomprehensible) "Bambalaya", backed with "Dinah". They were reviewed in the December 13, 1952 issues of Billboard and Cash Box:

Bambalaya (BB; 82): The Bayou Boys deal out a mess of excitement in this all-rhythm effort. Vocal above the rhythm section is just as wild as the backing. An unusual disk that could easily step out, especially on the jukes.

Dinah (BB; 76): The fine, old rhythm standard gets a thoro re-working here by the group. Vocal is a weird mixture of bop and scat singing. Also good for the boxes.

Bambalaya (CB; B+): The Bayou Boys etch an item that takes you right into the jungle. The steady chant and rhythmic drum beats, embellished with wild laughs, paints a picture of swaying bodies. A stirring fast tempo Latin beat treated to a different approach. It gets you.

Dinah (CB; B): Flip is a lively reading of the standard. The boys have that something.

In December, Peacock issued "No Better For You", backed with "My Clock Stopped". They were reviewed in the January 17, 1953 issues of Billboard and Cash Box:

No Better For You (BB; 73): A jump blues receives an okay reading from Smith and a very good gang vocal from the sidemen, while the band comes thru with a swingy beat. A better-than-average side which should pull some coins.

My Clock Stopped (BB; 68): Smith tells how he lost his baby on this routine blues waxing.

No Better For You (CB; B): Lloyd "Fatman" Smith delivers a moderate tempo jump blues in driving style. Smith's smooth performance is assisted by a chorus chant. Standout in the ork backing is a fine saxophone solo.

My Clock Stopped (CB; C): Flip is a change of pace. Smith chants a slow blues movingly as he conveys his sadness to the listener. Standout on this side also, is the moody sax support.

This item appeared in the July 15, 1953 Down Beat; it was repeated, word-for-word, a year later in their July 14, 1954 edition:

Fatman Smith and the Bayou Boys (ABC): 3; Instrumental-vocal; Peacock. Piano-guitar-bass trio features Fatman Smith, formerly with Louis Jordan. Unit now playing the east. ["ABC" is their booking company; the "3" indicates there were three of them (presumably Fatman was the bassist); the Peacock Lounge was in Chicago.]

However, by early 1953, Eddie Jefferson was touring with James Moody's band. So, it seems, Fatman got two more members for the Bayou Boys, but they were never identified.

When Don Gardner and his Sonotones appeared at a benefit at Camden (New Jersey) High School, on May 23, 1954, Lloyd (Fat Man) Smith was present as MC.

Nothing more until December 20, when he appeared at The Village in Lancaster, PA. It had been remodeled, but was still doing business until its grand re-opening on December 23.

He closed out the year at Mattero's "T" Bar in Milmont Park, PA; he was still there in February 1955. For a while, ads called him "The Fatman Mambo". On January 7, at the club at Musician's Union, Local 274, he and pianist Johnny Chickadee (said the January 11 Philadelphia Tribune) "engaged in an impromptu burlesque routine. The daring strippers peeled off their coats and shoes - revealing their 'Rinso' white shirts and 'not-so-but-you-know' socks!"

In late February 1955, he was at the Club Zel-Mar. The February 26 Pittsburgh Courier said:

Lloyd Fatman is a riot at the Zel-Mar in Philadelphia. Fatman is a real blues ace, and a showman. Has some good comic routines. Fatman is doing great now that he has his own band. He needs his own so the musicians can follow his cues.

On April 17, he and his band (never individually identified) appeared at the Citizen's Club in Devon, PA. The April 29 Delaware County Daily Times said:

Lloyd the Fat Man, more widely known as the Fat Man Mambo, and his orchestra, will play at a dance to be sponsored by Marcus Hook AA at its clubhouse [in Chester, PA].... [It would be on May 1.]

By the time he appeared at the Village Night Club, in Lancaster, PA, on June 20, 1955, his orchestra was advertised as "his quartette".


It was back to an "orchestra" when he played Philadelphia's Tippin Inn on March 24-26, 1956. Also present were the Valiants ("No. 1 Vocal Group"). However, they weren't the "This Is The Night" Valiants, who wouldn't surface until late in the following year.

Then, it was an extended appearance at the Rock 'N' Roll Room in Pittsburgh. He was first mentioned there when Otis Williams & the Charms appeared the week of April 9. The April 14 Pittsburgh Courier said: "The Rock and Roll Lounge is rocking to the tunes of Otis Williams and his Charms, youthful singing group, and rollicking Lloyd Fatman and his orchestra." A week later, the Courier said: "Lloyd Fatman, currently appearing in his second week at the Rock 'n' Roll Lounge, is the same Fatman who used to sing as a solo around these parts." So far so good; then they ruined it: "The Pittsburgh native now has his own group, playing out of New York." On April 20, the second act was Big Maybelle. I don't know if he was there continuously, but he was advertised again on June 18, this time with Chuck Berry.

The July 19, 1956 Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph noted that the Fatman was now appearing at the Bar D'Huitres (that's "Oyster Bar" to you) in Quebec City's Marine Room.

Back to Pennsylvania, to appear at the Oakhurst, in Somerset, on August 6 (Lloyd "The Fatman" Smith Quintet). On August 13, it was a week at the Midway Lounge in Pittsburgh. The August 13, 1956 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confused us all with this:

Lloyd Fatman, who has made many Pittsburgh friends through his many engagements at the Rock 'n; Roll, returns tonight for a week's stand at the Midway Lounge. Fatman is now recording on the Modern label and his newest hit is "I Won't Rock And I Won't Roll". Entertainment is continuous on the back bar stage of the Midway.

Fatman never released anything on Modern, nor can I find any trace of a song with that title, by him or anyone else.

However, in mid-September, he recorded four songs for Columbia (to be released on their Okeh subsidiary): "Part-Time Sweetheart", "Where You Been", "Good Gracious", and "Miss Mushmouth". The first two were issued in October and reviewed in the November 3, 1956 editions of Billboard and Cash Box:

Part-Time Sweetheart (BB; 69): An up-beat shouter that builds excitement as it moves along. "Fatman" is hitting hard by the end. The material is not unusual, but the artist's strong sell deserves attention.

Where You Been (BB; 66): Here the singer takes his wife to task for coming home late and looking bedraggled. Material does not stand out, tho "Fatman" tries hard enough.

Part-Time Sweetheart (CB; B+): Lloyd Fatman shouts out a middle beat rhythm piece with an enthusiastic reading. It's a driving jump wax the kids will enjoy and a cute romantic lyric the teen-fems will take to their hearts. Ok deck. [First, you say nice things about it and give it a high rating, then, you finish by calling it "so-so".]

Where You Been (CB; B): 'Fatman' lends his earthy chanting to a rhythm slow beat bouncer. Entertaining and spirits lifter.

In December, The Fatman and his band spent a week at Gleason's, in Cleveland. Said the December 15, 1956 Cleveland Call And Post:

Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, whose hot and heavy music ... comes into Gleason's Musical Bar Monday night, Dec. 17, with his orchestra. His records have sold into the millions [!!!] and his music is especially suited to dancing, which should make his engagement at Gleason's a standout.

Fatman was at Pittsburgh's Rock 'n' Roll Room for New Year's Eve, along with the El Dorados and Annisteen Allen. He was back the week of February 14, 1957, this time with Bo Diddley, after having completed a week at the El Rancho, in Ridley, PA. The ad called Fatman "The Rock 'n' Roll's Favorite Orchestra". This is the only time his band had a name: "The Skinny Six".

March 1957 saw the release of his second Okeh record: "Miss Mushmouth", backed by "Good Gracious". While he uses "mushmouth" to mean a woman who talks all the time, its usual slang meaning is someone with an unclear voice, who's hard to understand. They were reviewed in the March 30 issues of both Billboard and Cash Box:

Good Gracious (BB; 74): Novelty blues, belted out in fine style by Lloyd "Fatman". He's backed with a swingy instrumentation containing sharp rhythm and good tenor sax. Nice.

Miss Mushmouth (BB; 67): Routine blues, Lloyd "Fatman" shouts the lyric to a good beat.

Miss Mushmouth (CB; B+): Lloyd "Fatman" wails a quick beat jump and gives it a solidly commercial individuality. "Fatman" wails in a manner that reminds one of Joe Turner. He's an infectious singer and the deck could pick up a good piece of action.

Good Gracious (CB; B+): Similar comments on another quick beat jump. "Fatman" wails to a mambo beat with a swinging ork supplying plenty of excitement in the background. Two good sides for a "hot" entertainer.

And now, a new career. The April 6, 1957 Pittsburgh Courier said:

Blues singer and combo leader Floyd [sic] (Fat Man) Smith has joined the disc jockey staff at WHAT in Philly. The same radio station recently fired Kae (Loud Mouth) Williams, its top deejay.

Since Fatman had a morning DJ stint at this time, he could still appear at night. The June 1, 1957 Afro-American told us: "Fatman Smith, ex of the Louis Jordan and Count Basie [?] aggregations, is heading his own unit at the Club Carnival, Philly." By July 20, he was at Philly's Club Bel-Aire. September 30 found him at the El Rancho Club in Ridley, PA, and then the Uptown Theater (Philadelphia) the week of October 18. He was the MC (although he probably sang also), introducing Roy Hamilton, the Spaniels, and the Tune Weavers. Every once in a while, something would say he'd been with Count Basie, but there were no contemporary references to that.

In 1957-58, he also managed the Equadors from Philadelphia.

On February 10, 1958, Fatman made a return visit to the "T" Bar in Milmont Park, PA; he hadn't been there since 1954. The week of July 25, he was the MC at the Uptown Theater (Philly), presenting Clyde McPhatter, Bobby Freeman, Thurston Harris, the Chantels, Jo Ann Campbell, the Co-Hearts, Jimmy Clanton, and Don Gardner's orchestra.

On September 5, 1958, he was at Philly's Municipal Stadium for the Hero Scholarship Fund Thrill Show. The main act was Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme; Danny & The Juniors were also there. On October 20, he appeared at a W.T. Grant store for their Monday night drawing (you could win a 16 cubic foot Kelvinator Food-O-Rama).

On May 2 and 3, 1959, he and Kae Williams were at Roberson & Bill Curtis' Mobilgas Service Center ("A Record Album With Every Wash Job").

Note that more than 10% of Philadelphia Inquirer radio listings for 1959 and 1960 called him "Floyd Fatman".

On June 17, 1959, he was one of the radio stars who sold newspapers on the street as part of "Old Newsboy's Day" (for the benefit of handicapped children).

On August 19, he got to present Ray Charles at the Tioga Theater to a standing room only crowd.

By late October 1959, he was on WHAT from noon to 4 PM, opposite Jocko (on rival station WDAS) for part of that time.

As an MC at the North Philadelphia Old Timers Athletic And Social Club, on October 25, he presented Don Gardner and the Sonotones.

On April 17, 1960, he was the MC at a Ray Charles concert at the Club Harlem in Atlantic City. But there was a near riot when Charles showed up five hours late and missed the first show entirely. Police were called and early show customers refused to leave after a short half-hour performance.

But 1960 brought other woes: the Payola investigation was in full swing. The April 28 Philadelphia Inquirer listed payments made to Pennsylvania DJs by Universal Record Distributing Company (Philadelphia) over the prior two years. With Georgie Woods getting $7375 and Joe Niagara receiving $2700, Fatman was a poor relation with only $290.

The June 16, 1960 Los Angeles Sentinel reported that:

Lloyd Fatman, the Philly deejay who calls himself the "Sheriff Of W-H-A-T County", has asked the city's police department for honorary deputy sheriff credentials, which Lloyd hopes will come in time for his western-styled "Rhythm And Blues Roundup Time" show planned for July.

In June, he and Georgie Woods were among the Philly DJs called into the District Attorney's office to be questioned on accepting Payola.

Unperturbed by that, he continued to hold a weekly shimmy contest at the Media Club. The winners would appear on a Georgie Woods show at the Uptown Theater on June 24. The July 5 Philadelphia Tribune said:

Disc Jockey Georgie Woods of WDAS and platter spinner Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, of rival station WHAT, competed against each other in a two-man shimmy contest on stage at the Uptown Theater where Georgie's ten-day rock and roll show was being held. The audience ruled it a draw.

Fatman staged shows at the Media Club in West Philadelphia and, since he played Louis Jordan recordings on his WHAT show, promised to have Jordan perform at the Media in July. I can't find any listings, however.

On August 26, 1960, Fatman was master of ceremonies at the Quaker City Jazz Festival, held in Connie Mack Stadium. Performers included Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross; the Oscar Peterson Trio; Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers; Dinah Washington; and the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

On September 26, Billboard reported that the Philadelphia District Attorney sought an injunction against some distributors and disc jockeys. The DJs all signed a consent decree binding them to whatever court injunctions would be issued, without admitting to any wrongdoing. They were granted immunity from any payola given or received prior to March 1, 1960. (Remember, there was no law against payola at the time.) Fatman signed, as did Kae Williams, Georgie Woods, Sid Mark (Sidney Fleigelman), Jack O'Reilly, Hy Lit, Anthony Mammarella, and Bud Brees. One of the DJs was Thomas Coman (aka Tom Donahue), whom I never heard of.

However, Coman owned a record label (strangely called Coman Records), on which Fatman, backed by Johnny Styles and the Manhattans (a Philly combo), released his version of "Saturday Night Fish Fry" in October. The flip was "Barbara Lee" by the Manhattans, which I imagine is an instrumental (it isn't the Orioles' song).

The Philadelphia Tribune of November 15, 1960 said:

Louis Jordan is well-pleased with Lloyd Fatman's handling of the vocals on "Saturday Night Fish Fry", which the WHAT dee-jay released on wax a short while back.

But, said the November 26 Tribune:

Lloyd Fatman's "Fish Fry" waxing is not available in record stores, although many of his radio fans have attempted to buy it.

And, said the January 7, 1961 Tribune:

Lloyd Fatman's "Fish Fry" waxing is being played by his competitors on rival radio stations.

The May 20, 1961 Pittsburgh Courier had this:

That new ten-gallon hat being worn by deejay Lloyd Fatman, the chubby "Sheriff of WHAT County" in Philly, which was given to him by singer Dakota Staton, who bought it while in Oklahoma after learning that Fatman wanted a genuine Western skypiece like those worn by the sheriffs out west.

Note that a "ten-gallon hat" can only hold about 3 quarts. Note also, that paragraph screams out to be re-written.

The May 29, 1961 Billboard told us that "Lloyd Fatman, WHAT, is staging the floorshows at the Media Inn."

Fatman put on a jazz show at the Underground, in Philadelphia, on July 21. The following week, he and the Spaniels were at the V.P.A. Club, also in Philly.


He and Sid Mark (another WHAT DJ) were the MCs at a "Cavalcade Of Jazz" show at Philly's Academy Of Music on March 4, 1962. They presented Count Basie, Chris Conner, Cannonball Adderly, Maynard Ferguson, and, for some laughs, Slappy White.

An article in the December 15, 1962 Philadelphia Tribune said that Fatman earned over $200 a week at WHAT. That was, of course, in addition to whatever he was paid for his appearances at clubs and theaters. For example, he was the MC at the Media A.A. Club on a regular basis.

By March 1963, he was being called a Jazz jockey.

His last record, released on the New Art label in April 1963 ("No Big Thing, Parts 1 and 2"), was credited to "Loyd [sic] Fatman". Most of part 1 is "I Gotta A New Car", which had been written and performed by Big Boy Groves in 1955 (although Fatman's writer credit went to "M. Levinson"). I've never heard part 2, so it might have continued that song theft or picked on another tune altogether.

A big WHAT ad from November 1963 showed Fatman in his "sheriff" outfit. The caption read:

Currently known as "The Sheriff". This is a sheriff? Word has it he's never been further west than the 69th Street Terminal. Yet he pulls off this farce day after day. Must be his magnetic charm. Fact is, people listen even when the turntables are still. Lloyd "Fatman" Smith is his full name. A professional musician and entertainer (formerly with Basie and Jordan), he features the important music of today and yesterday - with a finesse that comes from knowing the fabulous people who make the music. If you're near a radio today, tune to 1340 - and enjoy the pure entertainment of "The Fatman Show" every afternoon 2 PM to 6 PM.

From March 20-22, 1964, "Lloyd Fatman's Show" was at the Split Level Club.


However, when Billboard printed its Radio Response Rating for Philadelphia (November 25, 1964), the top Philadelphia R&B disc jockeys were Georgie Woods (WDAS), Jimmy Bishop (WDAS), and Jerry Blavat (WHAT).


On February 8, 1965, he was the MC at a Sam Cooke memorial held at The Arena. Sam's songs were sung by his brother, L.C. Cooke, who'd been in the Magnificents.


But things were changing. Around December 1965, Fatman was gone from WHAT. George Wilson, the new program director, replaced Fatman with Sonny Hopson in order to take on rival station WDAS.

The January 29, 1966 Philadelphia Tribune said: "Temporarily out of radio, deejay Lloyd Fatman confirmed reports that he has the 39 Bar on West Market St. and a record shop at 31st and York to keep himself occupied." And, still an MC, he was at the East End Club from March 4-12, with singer Arthur Prysock as the star.

By March 1967, Fatman had replaced George "Sir Lancelot" Johnson on rival station WDAS, hosting the Jazz Workshop.


When he appeared at Nino's on April 7, 1967, he was advertised as "Lloyd Fatman And His Organ Trio". On September 30 and October 1, 1967 Fatman and Sid Mark were "hosts" at the Second Quaker City Jazz Festival. The first one, you'll recall, was held back in 1960.

There was another Jazz Festival on June 22, 1968; once again, he and Sid Mark were MCs. This one was the touring Newport Jazz Festival.

In early 1969, Fatman was back on WHAT. The overnight DJ, Bogary Robinson (1AM to 6AM), had been drafted and the station's owner needed a replacement. Fatman not only was an on-air personality, but, because he seems to have become an actual Philadelphia sheriff (licensed to carry a gun), also acted as the all-night station security guard. He would also, over the years, fill in for vacationing daytime jocks.

Fatman was the MC for a Lou Rawls concert, at the Philadelphia Academy Of Music, on February 23, 1969. A September 1969 WHAT ad for the "Soul Sheriff" managed to print "134 on your dial", instead of 1340.

There was nothing about him in 1970 or 1971, but a March 4, 1972 Tribune blurb said: "Lloyd Fatman, the all-night deejay at WHAT, still likes to carry his horn [trumpet] around and sit in with groups when he's emceeing at clubs."

His ride was the subject of a blurb in the April 11, 1972 Tribune: "Lloyd Fatman, of WHAT night sounds, whose mink-lined Cadillac is always an eye-catcher, held the spotlight at the Garabaldi private club on Chelten Ave. over the weekend." It was described as a white Caddy with white-on-white mink upholstery.

Nothing again in 1973.

On November 23, 1974, he was the MC at Mr. Mann's. Tony Williams was there too, but since he was advertised as "Mr. Sax", I guess it wasn't the one you're thinking of.


Along the way, the management of WHAT had managed to screw things up by converting to a talk format. It became, by the end of 1979, the lowest-rated Philadelphia station. They now switched back to "Black Adult Contemporary" music, with Fatman still on in the midnight to 4AM slot.

The March 8, 1984 Philadelphia Daily News said:

Pals of WHAT's Lloyd Fatman will feel better knowing he's no longer ailing and just completed a gig at Bootsy's Patio Lounge at 930 W. College Ave. with Trenton, N.J.'s Norm Rhythm Band featuring Gigi and the R&B record spinner who once played trumpet with Louis Jordan's unit.

However, he really wasn't an R&B jock anymore; his show was mostly jazz music.

When morning jock Mary Mason switched to WWDB (another Philadelphia station), the September 11, 1986 Philadelphia Daily News had an article titled "Fatman Making Waves In WHAT Morning Slot":

Lloyd Fatman, who landed the choice morning slot on WHAT once held by Mary Mason (now waiting to start her new talk show on WWDB, the Ragan Henry-owned station) has been the biggest surprise of all to radio insiders since taking over the morning prime time 7 to 11 a.m. spot. He has not only expanded the show to include a variety of listeners ranging from teen-agers to senior citizens, but has found a growing number of whites are now among his listeners since he started his "balance programming of music", including such all-time favorites as Frank Sinatra, Arthur Prysock, Billy Eckstine, Tony Bennett, Gloria Lynne, Barbra Streisand, B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland. Still using the nickname "Sheriff of WHAT County" I [columnist Masco Young] gave him years ago, Fatman is also a stand-up comic during off-hours and once toured with Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five. Said WHAT's new staffer former Dixie Hummingbirds gospel singer Joe Williams, "Lloyd Fatman's like a great talent that's been hidden under a bushel all these years, and is now working overtime like a Trojan to get the most out of a morning show he can now call his very own.

But that didn't last too long according to the November 8, 1986 Philadelphia Inquirer:

Look for a new lineup at urban-contemporary WHAT AM (1340), beginning Monday (Nov, 10). Lloyd "Fat Man" Smith is being bumped from the 6-10 a.m. slot to make room for new co-owner/general manager Reggie Lavong. Smith moves to the 2-6 a.m. Dawn Patrol.

On March 29, 1987, Fatman was the MC at a Bobby "Blue" Bland concert at Second Cousins Dinner Theater.

In September 1988, Fatman suffered a stroke, which meant the end of his DJ career. He hung on for another six months, until passing away on March 10, 1989.

The March 16, 1989 Philadelphia Daily News had a very nice obituary:

Services are today for Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, 67, a rotund classic jazz deejay and entertainer who joked his way into people's hearts.

Fatman, who died Friday, worked WHAT'S 2-to-6 a.m. slot until September, when a stroke forced him into retirement. He lived in West Philadelphia.

His girth - 290 pounds in his prime - earned him the nickname Fatman, and it stuck with him even after he slimmed down.

His voice was big and resonant - not deep and low, but full-bodied and soothing to the ear. When he laughed, and that was often, folks laughed with him.

Fatman, WHAT's classic jazz deejay for 30 years, had a wry, sometimes risque comedic style that he lavished on his audience.

"He was a very funny person," said a longtime friend, WDAS talk-show host Georgie Woods. "He made people laugh. I don't know what radio will be without him."

Fatman ("it's the name that's on my paycheck") was born one of two children in Spartanburg, S.C., the son of a mechanic and a housewife.

His family moved north to escape the desolation the Depression had wrought in the South. The family settled in North Philadelphia in the late 1930s in the area of 10th Street and Girard Avenue, and moved into a house across the street from Ruby Goins, a lithe 15-year-old.

Fatman met Ruby through her older brother. They say opposites attract, and it was true with Ruby and Lloyd. He was boisterous and outgoing, the life of the party; she was shy and not much for club life.

Anyone who knew Lloyd knew he would be a great catch for the right woman. Ruby's parents liked him at once.

"He was a jovial person even back then," Ruby said. "He made everyone feel good."

The couple married when Ruby was 19 and had finished high school. The wedding was small and simple, in her father's house.

"We were poor back then," Ruby chuckled. "Things were very bad."

She was his rock, and the house she kept provided a quiet calm that balanced his other life full of parties, cigarettes, jam sessions and stand-up comedy until 2 in the morning almost every night.

The couple had two daughters, Barbara McPherson and Phyllis Stevenson, both of Philadelphia.

Fatman was a born showman. In the earlier years of his marriage, he worked at a men's clothing store at 10th and Girard delivering tuxedos, and later was an electrician at the Navy Yard.

By night, Fatman was a jazz musician and played with Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, which went on tour and sometimes appeared on television. Only one family owned a TV on Fatman's block, so everybody, including his daughters, crammed into the neighbor's living room to watch the show.

Fatman played the trumpet and sometimes the saxophone or bass.

He'd set his cigarette where he could reach for it during the breaks and take a quick drag. Between tunes he'd step to the mike and make small talk.

"He ad-libbed a lot," said his daughter, Phyllis. "He made jokes. It turned into kind of a variety act."

He was frequently asked to emcee special events and schmoozed with big-time stars like Sammy Davis Jr., Ray Charles, and others.

"I remember him introducing Stevie Wonder once, when he was just a little child star who played the harmonica," his daughter said.

Later on, he developed a comedy routine that involved dressing up as a deputy sheriff. He wore a hat, cowboy boots and a holster. He performed at night clubs all over North Philadelphia, including the Uptown, the New Tioga Theater at 17th and Venango Streets, and the VPA on Broad Street.

His automobiles got him there in style.

Never one who strove for anonymity, Fatman drove a '64 Chevy Malibu in two-tone gold with lace trim along the doors. For variety, he drove a Cadillac.

The more he worked, the fatter he got.

"Maybe it was all those meals out, eating at all those greasy spoons," his daughter said.

In 1958, already having made a name for himself, he was wooed by WHAT to be an announcer.

He played the classics and called himself the Sheriff of WHAT County. It's where you tuned in if you wanted to hear the jazz greats - Count Basie, B.B. King, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett and others. Fatman called it "natural music," and they were all his own records.

Through many of his 30 years with the station, he continued working the club scene, usually going straight from his radio swing shift to the clubs, which didn't get rolling until 11 p.m. His hectic career kept him away from home.

"As all entertainers go, he was gone a lot," his daughter said. "I didn't see him very much, but when I did, he was always fun, always trying to make us laugh."

His constant joviality extended to even the most serious occasions, which sometimes drove his family mad.

"Many times we didn't see the humor," his daughter said. "But he had this infectious laugh that would make you laugh even when you weren't in the mood."

Besides his wife and daughters, Fatman is survived by two grandchildren.

And another nice one in the March 14, 1989 Philadelphia Inquirer:

Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, 67, a joking, jovial disc jockey at radio station WHAT (1340) for more than three decades and a popular Philadelphia entertainer, died Friday at Jefferson Park Hospital.

Smith, who was also a comedian, musician, and singer, performed with Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr., Ray Charles, the Louis Jordan Band, and other musicians at many Philadelphia nightclubs during a 30-year career as an entertainer. He also was active in community work.

"He was always trying to make. people feel good," said a daughter, Barbara McPherson. "He was always telling jokes. He was a constant performer."
Mr. Smith was born in Spartanburg, S.C., and moved to the area as a teenager with his family.

He joined the WHAT staff in 1955 and worked as a disc jockey until last September when he suffered a stroke. He played jazz, blues, rock, instrumentals, and other music, sang and filled his broadcasts with humor. His most recent program was broadcast from 2 to 6 a.m.

"He was always very uplifting," said Leslie Rainear, an administrative assistant at WHAT. "He really cared about other people. He always said prayers do work and he would always pray for everybody."

He received his nickname, "Fatman", because he carried 290 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame when he performed in nightclubs in the 1950s. "He used his. weight as part of his comedy act on the radio and the stage," said McPherson. "He later thinned down, but the name stuck." [Note that on his WW2 draft registration he was five feet, eight inches.]

He was also known as "the sheriff", because he wore cowboy boots, a holster, fringed jackets, a badge, and a cowboy hat for more than 20 years, McPherson said. "Everything but a horse, thank goodness," she added.

Surviving are his wife, Ruby Goins Smith; daughters, Barbara McPherson and Phyllis Stevenson; and two grandchildren.

Viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, with services to follow at 11, at the Baker Funeral Home, 2008 N. Broad St. Interment is at Ivy Hill Cemetery.

Lloyd "Fatman" Smith had a varied career that reached a big audience. I regret that I wasn't among them.



GOTHAM (Lloyd Fat Man)
215 Roll On, Mule / Little Leg Woman - Lloyd Fat Man - ca. 11/49
With the Doc Bagby Ork.

UNREL GOTHAM (with Frank Motley's Orchestra)
Fat Man (recorded March 1951)
Fat Man's Scat (recorded March 1951)

PEACOCK (Lloyd "The Fat Man" Smith - Caldonia's Boys Orchestra)
1593 Giddy-Up Giddy-Up (All Night Long) / I Wonder Why - ca. 1/52
The Caldonia Boys are Louis Jordan's touring orchestra

CHECKER (The Bayou Boys - Lloyd Smith & Eddie Jefferson)
765 Dinah / Bambalaya - 11/52

   UNREL CHECKER (The Bayou Boys)
      September Song (recorded 9/52)
      Sweetheart (recorded 9/52)

PEACOCK (Lloyd "Fat Man" Smith)
1611 No Better For You / My Clock Stopped - 12/52

   UNREL PEACOCK
      Emiline (recorded summer 1952)
      Ain't Gonna Cry No More (recorded summer 1952)

OKEH (Lloyd "Fatman")
7073Where You Been / Part-Time Sweetheart - ca. 10/56
7083 Miss Mushmouth / Good Gracious - ca. 3/57

COMAN (The Manhattans, featuring Lloyd Fatman)
C60 Saturday Night Fish Fry / [Barbara Lee - Manhattans (instrumental)] - 10/60

NEW ART (Loyd [sic] Fatman)
1006 No Big Thing Part 1 / Part 2 - 4/63