Joseph Smith was a Tango and Apache dancer in the early 1900s as well as a Violinist. It has been written that it was he and Francis Demerest who introduced the Tango to the United States, danced the Apache dance with Louise Alexander as well as promoting new dances of the time. Since a new era was emerging in dance forms, Smith would become a musical pioneer as well as a dancer (similar to Perry Bradford) helping to displace the marching bands with 'dance bands' by creating his own dance Orchestra.

   Smith's Orchestra began recording for the Victor Talking Machine Company on September 25, 1916 and Brunswick around 1923. Mr. Smith had been an important factor in Metropolitan dancing circles. Smith paved the way for Paul Whiteman and Isham Jones Orchestra's, and others of the 1920's. Joseph C. Smith's music was to became out of fashion though by February 1922.

   The 1915 movie entitled 'the Apaches of Paris' portray him dancing the infamous Apache dance with Laura Hamilton. Smith lost his savings in the Wall Street crash of 1929 and spent his last years in Florida.