Benjamin Atwood Smith II (March 26, 1916 – September 6, 1991) was a United States Senator from the state of Massachusetts from December 1960 until November 1962.

Smith, who was named for his grandfather Benjamin A. Smith, was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts to R. Russell and Grace Smith. He married Barbara M. (Mechem) of Lake Forest, Illinois and Annisquam, Mass. They had five children, sons, R. Russell Smith 2d and Benjamin A. Smith 3d, an ice hockey player and coach, and daughters, Barbara (Smith) Ramsey, Susan (Smith) Crotty, and Cathleen Smith.

Smith attended the Gloucester public schools. Smith was captain of the 1933 Gloucester High School football team under coach Nate Ross. He later graduated from Governor Dummer Academy and Harvard University. While at Harvard, Smith played fullback on the football team under coach Dick Harlow. At Harvard, Smith was a roommate of John F. Kennedy.

Smith served in the United States Navy for four years during World War II. While he was in the Navy, Smith served in the Pacific as Commander on an anti-submarine, anti-torpedo vessel.

Bennie Smith (October 5, 1933, St. Louis, Missouri - September 10, 2006, St. Louis, Missouri) was a St. Louis blues guitarist, considered to be one of the city's ([1]) patriarchs of electric blues.

His sound was emblematic of a St. Louis blues music that he helped define in over half a century practicing his trade. His contributions to the genre in that city, from the early 1950s and almost until the day of his death, included mentor, performer, and recording artist.

Due to his significant contribution to blues music in St. Louis, in October 2003 he received a proclamation from mayor Francis Slay marking October 5, 2003 as 'Bennie Smith Day' in that city. The board of alderman similarly honored Mr. Smith, recognizing him as the "Dean of St. Louis Electric Guitarists". [2] During the 2006 'Big Muddy Blues Festival' in St. Louis, Mayor Slay honored Bennie once again on September 2 of that year, declaring that day also be known as 'Bennie Smith Day' in St. Louis.

Smith worked as a session man on many recordings over the years, and has three original albums to his name: The Urban Soul of Bennie Smith (Blues Highway - 1993), Shook Up (Fedora Records - 2001)), and The Bennie Smith All Star Session (2006). In a notable 1958 session, Smith was invited to contribute on what would be Tina Turner's first recording, "Boxtop". The song featured Ike Turner with 'Little Ann' on backing vocals, and Smith on guitar. In addition, he has played with such guitar players as Hubert Sumlin, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, B.B. King and Grant Green.