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Singer/guitarist Billy Smith carries the repertoire of most of the first generation bluegrass music pioneers around in his head and heart, the natural result of growing up onstage and performing with artists like the Father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt and Jimmy Martin. Billy's mother, Hazel Smith is a well-known country music journalist and television cooking show host and brother Terry Smith plays bass for The Grascals, IBMA's reigning Entertainers of the Year, but Billy himself is most known for his soulful, impassioned live performances, as well as being an award-winning songwriter.
Smith's compositions have been recorded by Bill Monroe, The Del McCoury Band, Dan Tyminski, The Osborne Brothers, The Lonesome River Band, IIIrd Tyme Out and The Lewis Family, among others‚ more than 80 cuts so far. The hit song, "Hobo Blues‚ recorded by The Lonesome River Band on their Carrying the Tradition album (named Bluegrass Album of the Year in 2001), was Smith's first major cut.
Billy grew up near Reidsville, North Carolina, playing music with his dad, Pat Smith, a popular old-time fiddler. When he sings Billy brings to mind genre-defining, lonesome-edged vocalists like Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley and Del McCoury‚ with a twist uniquely his own. Smith has a natural ability to connect with an audience and a free-wheeling sense of humor that translates well at different venues‚ everywhere from large concert halls and social events to clubs, musical programs at a local shelter for the homeless and special music at his church, where he leads the music when he's not on tour.
Although Smith's songs are deceptively simply, rarely utilizing more than two or three chords, they shoot straight from the heart and pack a powerful emotional punch. They often sound very old. "Music is more fun when it's simple Smith believes. "More people can play a song when it's simple, of course, but at the same time it can be harder to write. I just think I'm blessed right now with the energy to do it.
Smith's compositions have been recorded by Bill Monroe, The Del McCoury Band, Dan Tyminski, The Osborne Brothers, The Lonesome River Band, IIIrd Tyme Out and The Lewis Family, among other's more than 80 cuts so far. The hit song, Hobo Blues, recorded by The Lonesome River Band on their Carrying the Tradition album (named Bluegrass Album of the Year in 2001), was Smith's first major cut.
Billy grew up near Reidsville, North Carolina, playing music with his dad, Pat Smith, a popular old-time fiddler. When he sings Billy brings to mind genre-defining, lonesome-edged vocalists like Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley and Del McCoury with a twist uniquely his own. Smith has a natural ability to connect with an audience and a free-wheeling sense of humor that translates well at different venues everywhere from large concert halls and social events to clubs, musical programs at a local shelter for the homeless and special music at his church, where he leads the music when he's not on tour.
Although Smith's songs are deceptively simply, rarely utilizing more than two or three chords, they shoot straight from the heart and pack a powerful emotional punch. They often sound very old. Music is more fun when it's simple, Smith believes. More people can play a song when it's simple, of course, but at the same time it can be harder to write. I just think I'm blessed right now with the energy to do it. |
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