Television Legend Dead at 77: RIP to Fred Smith

Fred Smith, bassist of the trailblazing punk band Television, has died. He was 77.

Television guitar player Jimmy Rip, who joined the band in 2007, was first to announce Smith’s death on social media, breaking the news the day after his bandmate had died on Feb. 5 from cancer, as per The New York Times.

“The legendary bassist for Television, Tom Verlaine and many others, Fred Smith, was not only my bandmate for 46 years — he was my true friend,” Rip wrote on Instagram alongside a collection of memories with Smith. “He was a great running buddy and exactly the guy you wanted around when road life got wearisome.”

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“His sense of humor, much like his musical voice, was dry, subtle, to the point, hilarious and always left you wanting more,” Rip continued. “Yesterday, he left this world, leaving so many who loved him wanting so much more… of him.”

The two musicians met while playing in The Eve Moon Band in 1980, and soon after, the duo, plus drummer Jay Dee Daugherty, “were the NYC version of Holly and The Italians with Holly Beth Vincent.”

Then, when Television frontman Tom Verlaine was preparing to tour for his album Dreamtime, on which both Smith and Daugherty had played, they recommended RIp as second guitar, which led to “very long and rich musical, and personal friendships.”

The guitarist continued, “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…”

Rip wrote that Smith had “fought his illness long and hard” for years, but always remained hopeful. The two even made plans to go on tour this very year, but Rip lamented, “It just wasn’t meant to be.”

“Thankfully, we were able to say goodbye, ‘love you’ were our last words to each other,” he concluded. “I will miss him more than anyone can imagine.”

Smith was born Frederick Edward Lefkowitz in April 10, 1948, and began his musical career as the bassist for Angel and the Snake, which later became Blondie, in 1974. In 1975, Smith left the band to replace Television’s founding bassist, Richard Hell, and he would go on to perform alongside Verlaine, guitarist Richard Lloyd and drummer Billy Ficca on Marquee Moon, Television’s influential debut album.

The band would release a second album, titled Adventure, in 1978, but split after the debut. Smith did return for the band’s 1992 reunion, however, and continued to perform with them until the 2010s.

Smith also played on solo albums for Lloyd as well as for The Roches, Willie Nile, Peregrine, the Fleshtones and Revelons throughout his career.

He is survived by his wife, Paula Cereghino, and brother, Arthur.