Since the 2003 release of his debut album, Undertones, singersongwriter
Corey Smith has been flying high under the radar, attracting an
enthusiastic grassroots following with an
Americana
sound that is all his own.
Drawing heavily from the blues, country, and rock traditions of the South, he
applies the back-porch twang of an acoustic guitar, a soulful singing voice, and
well-crafted lyrics to the task of creating music that is at once distinct and
familiar. Audiences are certainly responding - proving that a genuine,
unpretentious approach to songwriting and live performance has mass appeal.
At twenty-eight years old, after nearly a decade of honing his craft,
Corey is thrilled to finally taste the fruits of his labor. Growing up in a family of musicians in the small, rural setting of
Jefferson
,
GA (a short drive from the famed
Athens
music scene), he has been singing, playing guitar and performing for as long as he can
remember. However, he traces his professional musical endeavors back to his college years when he began learning the ropes as a
working musician, taking classes in voice and guitar during the day and gigging at night. Corey made extra money in local bars,
restaurants, and coffeehouses, covering popular tunes and earning a reputation as an up-and-coming original artist with songs such
as "The Basement," "When the Sun Goes Down in ," and "The Bottle."
After graduating from the
University
of
Georgia
in 2001 and marrying his college sweetheart, Shannon, he took a two year
hiatus from professional performance and focused on his career as a social studies teacher at
North
Gwinnett
High School
in
Suwanee, GA.
He continued studying music in his spare time and used songwriting as a way to cope with the pressure of settling
down and transitioning from the college life. Songs such as "In Love with a Memory," "What Happened," and the college anthem,
"Twenty-One," were penned during this tumultuous period and poetically convey the emotional struggles that often characterize the
end of adolescence.
In the spring of 2003, Corey began easing back into the
North Georgia
music scene, showcasing his original music at openmics
around the region and playing regularly at local watering holes. He was warmly accepted by audiences at venues such as the
legendary Eddie's Attic in
Decatur
and Cheetah Marie's Cafe in
Monroe
, where he won a songwriting competition that allowed him to
record his first album, Undertones. Although the unpolished, debut record was originally intended as a demo and sold primarily to
friends and family, it effectively captured the raw emotion of Corey's music and served as a fitting demonstration of his songwriting
ability. The popularity of Undertones made Corey a hot commodity in venues across
North Georgia
, especially in the college towns
of
Athens
and Dahlonega, where his energetic and highly entertaining live performances added to his appeal and earned him a
reputation among students seeking a good time.
Encouraged by the positive response, Corey wrote busily and compiled enough material to produce a new album, entitled In
the Mood, in September of 2004. Although it differed in style and production from Undertones, the songs contain the sincerity and
attention-to-detail which characterize all of Corey's work. Tracks such as "It's Over," "Drinkin' Again," and "In the Mood" showcase a
wide array or musical and lyrical styles and are striking testimonials of a musician who is learning to "make it big" on his own terms.
2005 was a year of growth and opportunity for Corey Smith. The March birth of his first son, Aden Ryan, (followed by the
birth of his second son, Noah Guthrie, in September 2006) has provided a powerful new source of motivation and inspiration that is
greatly affecting all of his endeavors, and the success of his albums has opened important doors in the rough-and-tumble music
business. In the fall of 2005 Corey began touring in support of his latest album, The Good Life. One listen and it's easy to hear why
the album has been met with great acclaim and continues captivating audiences since its release.
January 2006 found Corey back on the road as a full time musician. His status as a "party-in-a-song phenom" is rapidly
growing and is largely due to an extraordinary Internet presence.
TOURING
- sold out 71 shows since January 2006
MYSPACE STATS AS OF MARCH 2007
- 2.5 million+ plays
- 44,000+ friends (adding over 200 a day)
- TOP ARTIST RANKINGS #1 unsigned country
#5 unsigned acoustic
#11 unsigned rock
#30 ALL Myspace artists (any genre)
DIGITAL RETAIL/DOWNLOADS SINCE MAY 2006
- sold 200,000 downloads/streams
- over 70,000 of those on iTunes
- total of 113,000 songs sold
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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW, CONTACT:
Julia Price
Mountain Entertainment
Press@CoreySmith.com
