Cathy Smith

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[edit] Cathy Evelyn Smith

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.[1]

Cathy Smith's earliest mention is in the autobiography of Levon Helm of The Band. The book is titled "This Wheel's On Fire."[2] Smith first met Helm in 1963 in Hamilton, Ontario.[3] Helm, with friend and bandmate Rick Danko, was in a band called The Hawks. At one point, the musicians were in Toronto, facing a drug bust. Danko reminisces thus: "So Levon spoke to this chick he was dating. Her name was Cathy and she was the most beautiful girl in Toronto… 16 years old when he met her, and she was a gorgeous, gorgeous lady. She looked beautiful and no one could resist her. Anyway, Levon explained the situation to her, and she kindly gave this cop who was trying to crucify us a blow job. Then she told him she was 14 years old. He was the chief witness against us, but this was some weird shit for him, and he disappeared, we never saw him again. In the end everyone else got off, and I received a year’s suspended sentence on probation."[4]

Smith has been connected to The Band's most famous song, "The Weight," released in 1968.[5]

Cathy Smith became an employee and girlfriend of Canadian Singer-Songwriter Gordon Lightfoot in the early-to-mid 1970's. Smith drove the bus on Lightfoot's tour at one time.

Smith also sang backup on Lightfoot's song "High and Dry," which was on the Sundown album as well.[6] She apparently sang even more backup on the album, but Lightfoot edited most of it out.[7]

Sundown reflects the dark feelings Lightfoot was experiencing at the time. Drinking too much, and married to another woman, he on one occasion broke Smith's cheekbone in a fight.[8] Lightfoot has stated of his three-year relationship with Smith: "I was sometimes crazy with jealousy."[9]

Smith inspired Sundown, Lightfoot's only #1 hit and his most financially lucrative song. Ironically, Smith also cost him a lot of money: shortly after his affair with Smith ended, Lightfoot was the payee in the most expensive divorce settlement in Canadian history.[10]

In a 1975 interview, Lightfoot expanded upon Sundown and hinted at the paranoia he experienced in his relationship with Smith: "All it is, is a thought about a situation where someone is wondering what his loved one is doing at the moment. He doesn't quite know where she is. He's not ready to give up on her, either, and that's about all I got to say about that."[11]

Lightfoot gave another insight into his relationship with Smith in a 2000 interview, when he remarked upon Sundown being "a back-alley kind of tune. It's based on infidelity -- I've seen both sides of that."[12]

Bluegrass musicians Bruce and Brian Good ("The Good Brothers"), who were one of Lightfoot's opening acts during that time, got fired by Lightfoot for "flirting" with Smith.[13]

After her time with Lightfoot, Smith was a backup singer for Hoyt Axton, specifically sang backup on his song "Fearless" (1976), and co-wrote his song "Flash of Fire" (1976).[14]

Smith returned to Levon Helm and the circle who now comprised the group The Band. She has been called a backup singer but has also been described as merely being a groupie of theirs.

In 1976, Smith met comedian John Belushi on Saturday Night Live. The Band were the musical guest, Belushi was a regular performer.[15] On the show, Smith may actually be seen on stage singing with the others.[16]

Cathy Smith is most famously known as the woman who fatally injected John Belushi with a speedball (a combination of cocaine and heroin) at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles in 1982. Robin Williams was on the scene at the time, and was "creeped out" by Smith, whom he thought was a "lowlife."[17] Williams left. Belushi subsequently died of a drug overdose.

Smith later spent 18 months in prison, after being convicted of manslaughter[18][19][20][21] The New York Times alternately says she spent 15 months in prison. [22]

In 1984 Smith (with a co-author) wrote a book entitled Chasing the Dragon [23] which told her life story. The title is an allusion to Smith's heroin addiction. Though out of print, used copies are often available online.

Smith was played by Patti D'Arbanville in the film version of Bob Woodward's book Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi.

Smith was still friendly with Hoyt Axton in 1990.[24]