John R. Smith

John R. Smith and his wife, Valerie Day, formed the 1980s pop band Nu Shooz, which charted several hits and helped established the synth sound of that decade.  As a kid, John played guitar and dreamed of being a rock star.  He soon discovered that he had a talent as an arranger and songwriter, which he put to good use when Nu Shooz was established in the late 1970s.  The band continues to tour and record, and in fact released a funk album in 2016 entitled Bagtown.