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Cathy Smith

Cathy Smith was a Canadian backup singer, groupie, drug dealer, and legal secretary best known for her involvement in the 1982 death of actor and comedian John Belushi.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Cathy Smith was a Canadian backup singer, groupie, drug dealer, and legal secretary best known for her involvement in the 1982 death of actor and comedian John Belushi. Born Catherine Evelyn Smith in 1947, she was associated with several figures in the rock music world and later served prison time in California. She died in British Columbia in 2020 at the age of 73.

Early life

Catherine Evelyn Smith was born on April 25, 1947, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Sources describe her later life as closely tied to the Canadian and American rock music scenes.

Music scene connections

Smith worked as a backup singer and became known as a groupie and social figure around musicians in the 1960s and 1970s. Accounts link her to Gordon Lightfoot and people associated with The Band.

John Belushi case

Smith is best known for admitting to injecting John Belushi with a heroin and cocaine mixture in 1982, which led to his death. She later served 15 months in prison for her role in the incident.

Death

Smith died on August 16, 2020, in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. She was 73 years old.

Key facts

  • Smith was a Canadian music scene figure who worked as an occasional backup singer and legal secretary.
  • She was widely known for injecting John Belushi with a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine in 1982.
  • She served 15 months in the California Institution for Women for her role in Belushi’s death.
  • She was associated with musicians including Gordon Lightfoot and people around The Band.
  • Smith died in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, in 2020 at age 73.
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Canadian context

Smith was Canadian by birth and spent her final years in British Columbia, making her a figure of Canadian interest in both music history and true-crime coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Cathy Smith?
Cathy Smith was a Canadian backup singer, groupie, drug dealer, and legal secretary best known for her role in the 1982 death of John Belushi.
What was Cathy Smith’s birth name?
Her birth name was Catherine Evelyn Smith.
Where was Cathy Smith born?
She was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
What was Cathy Smith convicted or jailed for?
She served 15 months in prison for her role in injecting John Belushi with a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine.
When did Cathy Smith die?
She died on August 16, 2020, in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, at age 73.
Was Cathy Smith a musician?
She worked as an occasional backup singer, but she is better known as a figure in the rock music scene and for her involvement in the Belushi case.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathy_Smith
    Supports: Birth name, birth and death dates/places, occupation, nickname, and summary of Belushi case
  2. Wikipedia (French) — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathy_Smith
    Supports: Canadian identity, birthplace, and prison sentence for involvement in John Belushi’s death
  3. The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/us/cathy-smith-dead.html
    Supports: Death date, age, and identification as the woman who injected John Belushi with fatal drugs
  4. Oxygen — https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/cathy-smith-singer-linked-to-john-belushis-death-dies-at-73
    Supports: Backup singer role, prison sentence, and associations with Gordon Lightfoot and other music figures