Byron J. Smith is a native of Los Angeles and received his degrees from California State University, Long Beach. He is an associate professor of music at Los Angeles Harbor College where he specializes in commercial music, teaching music industry courses such as "The Business of Commercial Music", Song Writers Workshop and Commercial choir, piano and voice. Byron freelances as music director, studio musician, arranger and producer; working with numerous artist such as Wynton Marsalis, Barbra Striesand, Clifton Davis, Sue Ann Piner, Dionne Warwick, Larnelle Harris, Tony Terry, Barbara McNair and Daryl Coley.  He has received rave reviews for his music direction of both theatrical and live productions. Byron is also the composer of the musicals "Shades", "Black Pearls" and the award winning musical, "Children of the Night" where he won the NAACP Theater Image Award for best original score and best music direction. Mr. Smith's choral works have sold thousands of copies throughout the country and the world. He is the resident orchestrator for numerous community orchestras in southern California. Byron is the owner of the Pro Pianist Entertainment Group and Onyx Music Publishing Co.; a musicians contracting organization which both performs and publishes outstanding music of African-American Composers young and old. Byron is the Music Coordinator, organist and director of the Grant A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles. He is a member of many performance organizations including AFM, AFTRA, ASCAP, SAG, and ACDA. He currently holds the office of National President of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc.