Cathy Smith, ex-backup singer who spent 15 months in jail for John Belushi’s death, dies at age 73
John Belushi with a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine in 1986, has died on 18 August aged 73.Smith, who also inspired Gordon Lightfoot’s hit song “Sundown”, had been on oxygen for the past few years, according to Canada’s The Globe and Mail newspaper.In 1986, Smith was convicted of involuntary manslaughter over the death of the Saturday Night Live star four years prior, having pleaded no contest to the charge, as well as several others drugs charges.After her conviction, she served a 15-month prison sentence at the California Institute for Women.Following her release, Smith was deported to Canada, where she was born, reportedly finding employment as a legal secretary.Before Belushi’s death on 5 March 1982, Smith was known as a back up