Mindy Smith
Encyclopedia
Mindy Smith is an American
singer-songwriter
. Her music
can be classified as all of the following: folk
, country
, Americana
, bluegrass
, pop
, rock
, and even alternative. Her voice and music have been compared to that of Shawn Colvin
, Patty Griffin
, Norah Jones
, and Alison Krauss
.
and his wife. She has a brother and two sisters (Shannon, Kim and Don), and she grew up on Long Island, where she developed a passion for music and began singing at an early age. After her mother's death from cancer in 1991, Smith moved to Cincinnati
for two years and then to Knoxville, Tennessee
and, in 1998, she moved to Nashville
to pursue a career in music.
when she was asked to contribute to the Dolly Parton
tribute album
Just Because I'm a Woman by her label, Vanguard Records
. Her contribution to the project was a cover of Parton's classic "Jolene
". Dolly Parton
followed by adding backing vocals to a new mix of the song, which was then featured on Smith's debut album that was released in January 2004
, One Moment More
. The pair also performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
"Come to Jesus" was Smith's second single and biggest hit, receiving airplay on country music
, Christian
, AAA
and adult contemporary radio. The song charted at #32 on Billboard
s Adult Top 40 chart. "One Moment More" was the album's final single.
In 2004 Smith appeared at the long-established Cambridge Folk Festival
in the United Kingdom
, which was broadcast nationally on BBC radio
.
During her tour supporting One Moment More, Smith regularly sang a cover of Susan Ashton
's song "No One Knows My Heart", which Smith has not yet released on an album.
. On January 10, 2007, she performed "Please Stay" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Smith included Buddy Miller
as a duet vocalist for "What If the World Stops Turning".
album, My Holiday
. In addition to several standards, Smith wrote six original Christmas-themed songs. A song Popmatters
describes as "standout", "I Know the Reason" includes duet vocals by Thad Cockrell
.
. She appeared on The Early Show
on August 15, 2009 to perform the first single, "Highs and Lows". On September 29, 2009, while promoting the album on the syndicated radio show World Cafe
, Smith disclosed she had dealt with obsessive compulsive disorder.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. Her music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
can be classified as all of the following: folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
, bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and even alternative. Her voice and music have been compared to that of Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Childhood and early career:Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. Her formative years were spent in the town of Carbondale, Illinois, where she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She learned to play guitar at the age...
, Patty Griffin
Patty Griffin
Patty Griffin, born Patricia Jean Griffin, March 16, 1964, is an American Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She is especially known for her down-home crafting of songs and her connection to musicians including Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, and the Dixie Chicks, who have played with...
, Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
, and Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
.
Biography
Smith was adopted at birth by a pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and his wife. She has a brother and two sisters (Shannon, Kim and Don), and she grew up on Long Island, where she developed a passion for music and began singing at an early age. After her mother's death from cancer in 1991, Smith moved to Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
for two years and then to Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
and, in 1998, she moved to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to pursue a career in music.
Rise to fame
Smith gained popularity in 20032003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
when she was asked to contribute to the Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Just Because I'm a Woman by her label, Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
. Her contribution to the project was a cover of Parton's classic "Jolene
Jolene (song)
"Jolene" is a song written and performed by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene , produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-History:...
". Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
followed by adding backing vocals to a new mix of the song, which was then featured on Smith's debut album that was released in January 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
, One Moment More
One Moment More
One Moment More is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2004.-Track listing:#"Come to Jesus" – 4:14#"Falling" – 3:35#"Raggedy Ann" – 4:55#"Fighting for It All" – 3:19#"Train Song" – 3:22#"It's Amazing" – 3:40...
. The pair also performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
"Come to Jesus" was Smith's second single and biggest hit, receiving airplay on country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, AAA
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
and adult contemporary radio. The song charted at #32 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Adult Top 40 chart. "One Moment More" was the album's final single.
In 2004 Smith appeared at the long-established Cambridge Folk Festival
Cambridge Folk Festival
The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is renowned for its eclectic mix of music and a wide definition of what might be considered folk. It occurs...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which was broadcast nationally on BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
.
During her tour supporting One Moment More, Smith regularly sang a cover of Susan Ashton
Susan Ashton
Susan Ashton is a best-selling and award-winning American Contemporary Christian Music and country music artist who topped the Christian charts throughout the 1990s...
's song "No One Knows My Heart", which Smith has not yet released on an album.
Back to Long Island Shores
In October 2006, Smith released "Out Loud", the first single from her second album.. The song was well-received by AAA rock radio and CMTCountry Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
. On January 10, 2007, she performed "Please Stay" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Smith included Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee...
as a duet vocalist for "What If the World Stops Turning".
My Holiday
In October 2008, Smith released a ChristmasChristmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
album, My Holiday
My Holiday
My Holiday is the third album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2007. This is Smith's first holiday record.-Track listing:#"My Holiday" - 3:43 #"The Christmas Song" - 3:48...
. In addition to several standards, Smith wrote six original Christmas-themed songs. A song Popmatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
describes as "standout", "I Know the Reason" includes duet vocals by Thad Cockrell
Thad Cockrell
Thad Cockrell is an American singer-songwriter. He has released three solo albums, along with a collaborative album with Caitlin Cary. Cockrell often writes emotional songs, and is frequently associated with his goal to "put the hurt back in country"....
.
Stupid Love
In August 2009, Smith released her fourth studio album, Stupid LoveStupid Love
Stupid Love is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2009.-Track listing:all songs written by Mindy Smith except where noted.#"What Went Wrong" - 3:24#"Highs and Lows" - 2:55...
. She appeared on The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
on August 15, 2009 to perform the first single, "Highs and Lows". On September 29, 2009, while promoting the album on the syndicated radio show World Cafe
World Cafe
World Cafe is a two-hour long, nationally syndicated music radio program that originates from WXPN, a non-commercial station licensed to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The program began in 1991 and was originally distributed by Public Radio...
, Smith disclosed she had dealt with obsessive compulsive disorder.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
US Rock |
||
| One Moment More One Moment More One Moment More is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2004.-Track listing:#"Come to Jesus" – 4:14#"Falling" – 3:35#"Raggedy Ann" – 4:55#"Fighting for It All" – 3:19#"Train Song" – 3:22#"It's Amazing" – 3:40... |
|
143 | 2 | 6 | — |
| Long Island Shores Long Island Shores Long Island Shores is the second album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2006.-Track listing:#"Out Loud" – 3:28 #"Little Devil" – 3:56... |
|
167 | 6 | 15 | — |
| Stupid Love Stupid Love Stupid Love is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2009.-Track listing:all songs written by Mindy Smith except where noted.#"What Went Wrong" - 3:24#"Highs and Lows" - 2:55... |
|
122 | 1 | — | 45 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Holiday albums
| Title | Album details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||
| My Holiday My Holiday My Holiday is the third album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2007. This is Smith's first holiday record.-Track listing:#"My Holiday" - 3:43 #"The Christmas Song" - 3:48... |
|
8 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Adult |
|||
| 2003 | "Jolene Jolene (song) "Jolene" is a song written and performed by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene , produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-History:... " (with Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk... ) |
— | One Moment More |
| 2004 | "Come to Jesus" | 32 | |
| "One Moment More" | — | ||
| 2006 | "Out Loud" | — | Long Island Shores |
| 2007 | "Please Stay" | — | |
| 2009 | "Highs and Lows" | — | Stupid Love |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Jolene" | Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy is a country music and pop music video director. Fanjoy has directed over 150 major label music videos. Her videos have appeared on CMT, VH-1, GAC, The Nashville Network, CMT Canada, and MTV.-Music videos:... |
| 2004 | "Come to Jesus" | Sophie Muller Sophie Muller Sophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:... |
| 2005 | "One Moment More" | |
| 2006 | "Out Loud" | Traci Goudie |
| 2011 | "Taking You with Me" (with Daniel Tashian) |
Special appearances
- Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton (2003) - Track: "Jolene"
- Sweetheart 2005: Love SongsSweetheart 2005: Love SongsSweetheart 2005: Love Songs is a compilation album, released under Starbucks' Hear Music label in January 2005 in the United States. Sold in stores, the album features contemporary musicians covering classic love songs.-Track listing:...
(2005, Hear MusicHear MusicHear Music, also known as StarCon is the brand name of Starbucks' retail music concept and record label. Hear Music began as a catalog company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1990 before being purchased by Starbucks in 1999.-Concept:...
) - Track: "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareA Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (song)"A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a romantic British popular song written in 1939 with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Manning Sherwin.-Setting:...
" - This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber SoulThis Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber SoulThis Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul is an indie tribute album by a variety of artists that commemorates, as the title suggests, the fortieth anniversary of the release of The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was released on October 25, 2005 by Razor & Tie...
(2005) - Track: "The Word" - Stronger Than Before - Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
(2005) - Track: "Phenomenal Woman" - Those Were The DaysThose Were the Days (Dolly Parton album)-Charts:The album sold 57,000 copies in its first week of release.-External links:* at dollyon-line.com...
- Dolly PartonDolly PartonDolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
(2005) - Track: "The Cruel War"
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Americana Music Association Americana Music Association The Americana Music Association is a trade organization developed to provide professional support and to promote awareness of Americana music. Toward these ends the organization works with artists, radio stations, record labels, publishers, and others to create networking opportunities and to... |
Best New/Emerging Artist of the Year | |