ONE HOUSE was produced, engineered and mixed by Blue Miller (who’s
recorded and toured with several music legends to include Bob Seger,
Albert King, Peabo Bryson and Isaac Hayes, and who co-produced Grammy
winner India Arie’s breakout album, Acoustic Soul) and mastered by Jim
Lightman. ONE HOUSE features 10 original songs (including co-writes
with Mike Willis/Jackie Kavan, Lori Shropshire/Deanna Walker, Dean
Madonia, Tom Favreau, and Mike Willis) and is filled with old friends,
mentors and collaborators. Joining Smith (acoustic guitar/vocals) in
the studio were Doug Kahan (bass), Jon Fletcher (drums), Blue Miller
(percussion, electric/acoustic guitar, keyboard, papoose, kalimba,
background vocals), Edward J Smith and Joe Robinson (electric guitars),
Jelly Roll Johnson (harp), John Catchings (cello), Larry Franklin
(fiddle, chin cello), Denny Hemingson (steel guitar, lap steel), AND
Mitch Fletcher, Alicia Michilli, Chantae Cann and Mary Gauthier
(background vocals).
Real life stories drive David G Smith's songs. The album opens with the
title cut, “One House” a call to action for anyone who lives on planet
earth. Smith’s storytelling shines in “Jesus Is In Prison” a surprising
story of death row redemption, and “Angels Flew” celebrating the
spontaneous armada that rescued people in Lower Manhattan on 9/11. In
each, the stories unfold effortlessly over strong rhythms and
unforgettable melodies. Gauthier, once again, makes an appearance. Inda
Arie backup singer, Chantae Cann lends her angelic voice.
Raised in a musical family in the hills of northeastern Iowa’s
Mississippi Valley, David G Smith dropped out of college to form the
band, Clay Mills, with his brother, Ed. The group mixed reliable bar
covers with Smith’s original material for a while, until a return to
college ended the run. But only briefly!
The new graduate headed to Denver, Colorado where he helped to create a
touring group that could focus on creating new music. For 10 years, he
toured the Rockies with several groups, including Robin Banks, an
all-original rock band managed for a time by Ed Cassidy, drummer for the
60’s band, Spirit.
Finally, his passion for songwriting combined with a leap of faith
compelled him to move his young family to Nashville for the first time.
"The old story about: I didn't choose writing, it chose me.... it was
like that. After a couple of test run trips to Nashville, off I went to
learn from the best."
Five years of day jobs and songwriting in Nashville created a network of
friends and musicians still influencing him today. But family
transitions called him back to Iowa, a surprising catalyst to his
songwriting.
First came family – helping to raise his daughter, Calista. Then came an
unexpected storytelling opportunity. Smith worked as a medical
investigator, examining complaints against physicians most often made by
real people in life-changing situations. The work required extensive
interviews, observation and note-taking, nurturing the kind of
specificity that makes his songs absolutely unique.
While living in Storm Lake, Iowa Smith helped create Pangaea, a four-piece band that stretched his writing voice in new directions.
Following his daughter’s high school graduation in 1997, Smith returned
to Nashville, visiting monthly as a student bent on “learning to write
the best song I can.” He soaked in technique and advice from mentors
Hugh Prestwood, Angela Kaset and Rick Beresford. In a succession of
songwriter retreats and sessions, Smith co-wrote with some of
Nashville’s best writers including Barry Dean and John Schweers. Smith
enjoyed a successful string of cuts with other artists.
Along the way he developed a writing process. "I read a lot. Jot down
ideas. Get things simmering subconsciously. Then I show up to work every
day and wait for the muse to speak."
His song catalog began to explode, but at a price. "I started losing my
soul writing material that didn't speak to me in the name of writing
songs for others to sing. It was an insidious process and eventually
the muse was not showing up and I didn’t know why. “
He ventured on a song-writing retreat to Costa Rica with Americana
all-stars Darrell Scott, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Mary Gauthier. He
recalls both Darrell and Mary looking him straight in the eye and
challenging him to stop writing songs to pitch to others. Their advice:
To stop chasing the Nashville music scene and start performing his own
songs. But their real challenge cut to the bone: Write the truth!
A few months later, with the help of friends and producers, Miles
Wilkinson and Buddy Mondlock, Smith created his first full-length album
titled Non-Fiction at Bolton Farms Studio in Nashville, with a special
guest appearance by Gauthier. The national debut drew raves. Smith
debuted the CD with sold-out release shows at The Redstone Room in
Davenport, Iowa and the Bluebird Café in Nashville.
Taking his mentors’ advice to heart, Smith followed the release with
heavy touring including radio stops and interviews: clubs, cafes,
taverns, auditoriums, house concerts, solo and with bands. His national
tour included opening spots for Justin Townes Earle, Bruce Robison and
Kelly Willis, Rory Block, and performing with Rissi Palmer, Jelly Roll
Johnson and Buddy Mondlock. He remains a regular performer at The
Bluebird Café.
Following Non-Fiction, Smith released two EPs: From the Ellen Kennedy
Fine Arts Center (his opening set for Justin Townes Earle) a
digital-only release; and Live From Nashville joined by his musical
family, brothers Ed J Smith, Danny Ray Smith and nephew Dillon T Smith
recorded at the famed Third & Lindsley club.
His songs have been featured on Fox Network’s “Saving Grace”, Travel
Channel’s “Rissi Palmer’s Country”, and Lifetime’s “Chasing Nashville”.
He earned First Place in the 2008 International Song Competition,
country category for "Made for You". A new song Smith wrote with Roxie
Randle, "No One To Anybody", (about a teenage girl who seems invisible
to everyone around her), has just been released by Randle as a single.
A major component of Smith’s career is “give-back” which includes
donating time and/or money to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Boys
Town and others who are in need.
"To have a good life we can build on/To Have a future for our
children/It takes a place that is safe and sound/Can we live in One
House?/Can we live in One House that's built on higher ground?"
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