It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Johnny Smith, the composer of ‘Walk Don’t Run’. There is an excellent obituary on the New York Times website, which we are linking below: the article was brought to my attention by Sol Bergelson, a long-time fan from New York and I thank him for doing so. While The Ventures never actually met Johnny Smith, the synergy is obvious. If there had been no ‘Walk Don’t Run’, The Ventures would not be who they are today. Likewise, if The Ventures had not recorded the song in their own style, Johnny Smith would not have been able to live his life the way he did. That their paths crossed musically ensured magic for decades.

Johnny Smith, Venerable Jazz Guitarist, Dies at 90