Did you nod off and miss the punch line to one of Jay Leno’s jokes? Maybe “Smitty” Smith’s rim shot will wake you and remind you to laugh.

Born June 24, 1961, in Waukegan, Ill., Marvin “Smitty” Smith was exposed to percussion at an early age; he is the son of a drummer. He started receiving formal training at the age of 3, and later studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Smith has made plenty of connections in the music world, and demand for his work is high. He’s appeared on more than 200 albums with various artists, and has cut two solo albums. He’s a former member of the Ron Carter Quartet, The New York Jazz Quartet and the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazzet. And, he has toured with acts as diverse as Sting, Willie Nelson and sonny Rollins.

Since Jan. 30, 1995, Smith has been the drummer on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” a group led by fellow Berklee alum Kevin Eubanks. Sometimes, “Smitty” finds his way into the show’s sketches.

In addition to his steady gig on “The Tonight Show,” Smith is a member of both Steve Coleman’s Five Elements and The Dave Holland Quartet.

He’s also an educator and clinician, conducting seminars and jazz workshops in both the United States and Europe. Smith’s work as an educator also extends to his position on the staff of the jazz program at the Banff Centre of Fine Arts in Canada, and the Drummers Collective in New York City, where he lived before moving to Los Angeles.