Huey “Piano” Smith Dies: New Orleans Rocker Behind “Rockin’ Pneumonia And Boogie Woogie Flu,” “Sea Cruise” Was 89

Huey “Piano” Smith, the R&B pianist and composer whose 1950s hits “Don’t You Just Know It” and “Rockin’ Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu” a New Orleans flavor to early rock ‘n’ roll -recipe, died about his home in Baton Rouge on February 13. He turned 89.

His death was announced by his Acquelyn Donsereaux. A cause was not given.

Originally from New Orleans, Smith began his career as a session pianist in his teens, eventually working with Little Richard, Lloyd Price and Smiley Lewis (“I Hear You Knocking”). Smith formed his band Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns in 1957 and soon had a hit with “Rockin’ Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu,” a song that returned to the charts over the decades.

The following year brought another hit, “Don’t You Just Know It,” a catchy song with a call-and-response chorus of nonsense words and screaming outbursts.

But perhaps Smith and the Clowns’ most famous song caused the musician his greatest professional heartbreak: “Sea Cruise,” which features the now-classic refrain “Oo-ee, oo-ee Baby / Won’t ya let me take you on a . seafaring?”‘ was composed and recorded by Smith’s band, but his label Ace Records added vocals by white singer Frankie Ford. Smith later told a biographer that if Smith could “sell a million on this record,” the label owner argued that Frankie could sell 10 million.

The record, credited to Ford, became a million-seller and one of the best-known and most widely distributed hits of the pre-Beatles rock ‘n’ roll era. It has been used in numerous TV and film soundtracks.

Smith was embroiled in legal battles over Sea Cruise royalties and credit for decades. While subsequent generations of rock musicians referenced his New Orleans R&B stylings — “Rockin’ Pneumonia” was covered by a long list of artists, including Johnny Rivers, Aerosmith and Deep Purple — Smith struggled financially for years and declared bankruptcy in 1997. He later recovered at least part of the license fee through numerous lawsuits.

He largely stopped acting in the 1980s.

Smith is survived by his wife Margrette Riley, 10 children, 18 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren, his daughter Acquelyn Donsereaux told the Associated Press.