Introduction
Aaron "The A-Train" Smith (born September 3, 1950) is a Nashville-based drummer and percussionist.
At the age of 21, Aaron Smith played drums on The Temptations' megahit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (which was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and won three Grammy Awards in 1973). Although not formally a member of the Funk Brothers, he performed on several Motown albums with them as a part of the rhythm section. These records include "Sky's The Limit" (Temptations 71), " Solid Rock" (Temptations 71), "All Directions" (Temptations 72), "Face To Face With The Truth" (The Undisputed Truth 72), "Masterpiece" (73), "The Temptations In Japan (Temptations 73), "Keep On Trucking" (Eddie Kendricks 73), "Me And Rock And Roll Are Here To Stay" (David Ruffin 74). Aaron has also recorded on "Renaisance" (Ray Charles 76), 'Prime Time" (Grey And Hanks 80), "A Girl In Trouble" (Romeo Void 84), "All Fall Down" (The 77's 84), "The 77's (The 77's 87), "Sticks And Stones" (The 77's 90), "88" (The 77's 91), "Simple House" (Margaret Becker 91), "Love Life" (Charlie Peacock 91), "Pray Naked" (The 77's 92)' "Drowning With Land In Sight" (The 77's 94), "Listen"(Cindy Morgan 96), "The Loving Kind"(Cindy Morgan 98), "Brother's Keeper" (Rich Mullins 95), "Hope Is Born Again" (Jim Brickman/Point of Grace 97), "The Jesus Record" (Rich Mullins 98),"Prayers Of A Ragamuffin" (A Ragamuffin Band), "A Long Way Back" (Kim Richey 20) and many more.
In his career, Aaron has done many live tours as well with artists he has recorded with: Chuck Jackson, The Undisputed Truth, The Temptations, Mirosla Vitous, Club Nouveau, Miroslav Vitous, The 77's, Michael Card, Englebert Humperdinck, Michael W. Smith, Charlie Peacock,Rich Mullins and Kevin Max.
An autographed pair of Aaron's drumsticks can be found in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, next to a pair of sticks used by Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. This collection, which is owned by Peter Lavinger, is now in the "Drumstick Hall of Fame", New York City.
Jimmy Abegg, Michael W. Smith, Margaret Becker, Vector, dc Talk, Rick Elias, Mitch McVicker, Riki Michele, Cindy Morgan, Sixpence None the Richer, Engelbert Humperdinck, Charlie Peacock, Romeo Void, and Steve Scott.
Selected discography
- Sky's the Limit, The Temptations, 1971 album
- Solid Rock, The Temptations, 1972 album
- All Directions, The Temptations, 1972 album
- Boogie Down!, Eddie Kendricks, 1972 album
- Masterpiece, The Temptations, 1973 album
- Mannequin Virtue, Vector, 1983 album
- Instincts, Romeo Void, 1984 album
- All Fall Down, The 77s, 1984 album
- The 77s, The 77s, 1987 album
- 88, The 77s, 1988 album
- Special The Temptations, 1989 album
- Sticks and Stones, The 77s, 1990 album
- Pray Naked, The 77s, 1992 album
- Drowning with Land in Sight, The 77s, 1994 album
- Emperors of Soul The Temptations, 1994 boxed set
- Brother's Keeper, Rich Mullins, 1995 album
- The Jesus Record, Rich Mullins, 1998 album
- Prayers of a Ragamuffin, A Ragamuffin Band, 2000 album