Richard Jon Smith

Richard Jon Smith (born 6 September 1951) is a South African pop singer who transcended the racial segregation of apartheid and became known nationally and internationally with the success of his 1973 hit "That's Why I Love You". He released his first single, "Candlelight", in 1972, followed by winning double gold record awards for "That's Why I Love You", "Michael Row the Boat Ashore", "Happy and Gay", "Sweet Mama", "Dayo-Island" and others. Before becoming a superstar in South Africa at the age of 23, Smith was a porter at Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital. He was known as "Mr. Knockout" by his fans, in reference to his chart-busters songs. Smith was a local megastar in 1972 when he was described in the Sunday Times as an "ad man's dream", at the time he was the centrepiece of a brandy promotion. Smith, along with his wife Glenda, moved to the United Kingdom in 1981, where he began working as a songwriter-producer-recording artist in England with Jive Records, having produced the album Whodini, among others. In 1983 Smith had a minor hit on Jive Records called "Stay with me tonight". He returned to South Africa only in 2012, to perform as a guest artist at the three-day Zane Adam Tribute Concert, at GrandWest Arena, where he was received with great enthusiasm by the public. Superstar Smith Sewlall, Harry (2017). "Cape Town, its Musical Spatiality and Apartheid: The Case of Zayn Adam, Richard Jon Smith and Jonathan Butler". Journal of Literary Studies. 33 (2): 1–17. doi:10.1080/02564718.2017.1334859. Retrieved December 9, 2025 – via ResearchGate. Landsberg, Ian (September 7, 2021). "Unforgettable Richard Jon Smith". The Star Late Edition. Retrieved December 8, 2025 – via PressReader. "Whites Missing Out". The Leader-Post. August 8, 1975. p. 56. Retrieved December 9, 2025. Mathe, Sam (August 3, 1964). "Birth of a reggae superstar". South African History Online. Retrieved December 9, 2025. Nugent, Paul (March 28, 2024). Race, Taste and the Grape: South African Wine from a Global Perspective. Cambridge University Press. p. 218. ISBN 978-1-009-20405-7. History of Contemporary Music of South Africa. South Africa: Toga Pub. 1994. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-620-18121-1. "Willesden Dodgers discography, Nigel Green, Pete Q. Harris, Richard Jon Smith". Hip Hop Be Bop. May 5, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2025. Capitano, Ethan (June 19, 2024). "Touchdowns and turntables: Collecting vinyl in South Africa | Column". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved December 9, 2025.