Biography

Contact: Scott Smith
info@ScottSmithBand.com
707.975.5961

USA Publicist: www.Whiplashpr.com
Europe Publicist: www.Hemifran.com

1st Album
Click here to go to Scott Smith - The Sum of Life
3rd Release - EP
Click here to go to Scott Smith - Igniting the Flame


Down to Memphis
Release Date - 10/31/16



Scott Smith's follow up EP to 1st album: The Sum of Life
Featuring: David Grisman, Nina Gerber, and Giovanna Imbesi.


The Story Telling continues with opening track and EP title Down to Memphis. Where Smith pays homage to the birth place of Rock n' Roll.
It's a 50's flavor Americana rock song with a hint of American Indian sound. It Segway's into the raucous, funk rock sound of "Just Another Saturday Night". Toes are still tapping with "Skeleton and Rose", a tribute to Smith's long time influence The Grateful Dead, which features David Grisman on mandolin. The long time friend and cohort of Jerry Garcia. Smith feels that he captured in a bottle a certain period of the iconic band. The EP then takes a diversion to the lush blues, lounge song "Hourglass" and finishes with a come together plea in "Top of the World". Smith covers a lot of ground,expanding the genre of Rock.


The Band:
Scott Smith - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Gailene Elliott - Backing Vocals
David Grisman- Mandolin
Nina Gerber - Lead Guitar
Spenser Buroughs - Hammond Organ
Giovanni Ibesi - Piano
Victor Carberry - Drums
Jeff Martin - Bass
Dan Ransford - Percussion

Produced by: Jeff Martin and Scott Smith
Recorded and Mixed@ Studio E - Sebastopol, California
Album Photography : Rob Galloway
Cover Design by Greg Scherer
Publishing: Eclipsing Moon Music (ASCAP)

1. Down to Memphis - (3:50)
A unique song that blends Old Time music with 50's Rock, Americana and American Indian styles. I become fascinated with the story of the birth of Rock n' Roll in Memphis, Tennessee. There was a radio station, WDIA that had a Country format and decided to change it a new African- American sound. Amazing!

2. Just Another Saturday Night - (4:09)
I was inspired by going to a show of a friends band, along with all the other shows I had seen. It's a fun funky groove tune. Great solos from Spenser Burroughs on Hammond Organ who then hands it off to Nina Gerber on Guitar.

3. Skeleton and Roses - (4:10)
My tribute to one of my favorite bands The Grateful Dead. It was a lot of fun to write and record. David Grisman was working on his new album at Studio E and graciously agreed to play on the track. I felt very fortunate to work him, especially since he had played on some of the classic Dead songs, Friend of The Devil and Ripple.

4. Hourglass - (4.28)
I wrote this about images from a more care free time when I was young and no responsibilities.
It's worth listening through it's entirety. It has amazing piano work by Giovanna Imbesi, who plays with "The Joy of Cooking" and has toured with Yanni and Andy Summers. It's a Jazz / Blues song.

5. Top of the World - (3:45)
I had this idea, what if everyone could agree and get on the same page as a society. So there wasn't all this back and worth. If we could just join on some basic issues and progress. It's been along time coming. This is a ballad, again featuring the beautiful piano work of Giovanna Imbesi.


Biography

On Scott Smith’s debut album The Sum Of Life, the emerging Americana country/blues rocker captured the zeitgeist of 2016 in a perfect nutshell when he sang “The World is Strange.” The critically acclaimed album earned him some inspiring comparisons – including Music Emission’s praise of his “strong homage to classic rock n roll” and “vocals (that) call to mind Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan among others.” His deep insightful lyrics? They “call to mind the Rolling Stones, Johnny Rivers, Rick Derringer, Pink Floyd and Devo.” He also received extensive airplay, including in Europe and Canada, and was the DJ’s choice on some stations.

While gearing up to perform this music live, the singer explores even more diversity on his five track follow-up EP that takes him Down To Memphis – a set that includes legendary mandolinist David Grisman performing on the rollicking, spirited “Skeleton and Roses,” a tribute to the Grateful Dead that includes descriptive nostalgic lines like “They came down from the acid tests/Singing that Americana song/Avalon Ballroom, Family Dog, Fillmore West and Golden Gate Park” and “They’ll be dancing in the streets of Haight and Ashbury, playing music all night.” Smith also recounts a special moment at a long ago Dead concert where Jerry Garcia looked directly into his eyes, giving him a comfortable sense of belonging.

The EP, which Smith acknowledges as preview of the full length follow-up he plans to release next year, also includes a handful of songs that show that Smith’s out there on the cutting edge, showing his increasing diversity as a songwriter and artist. The title track is an infectious and rollicking, old school tribute to early rock and roll that invokes earlier icons like Johnny Cash, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, talking about Memphis like there’s “no place I’d rather be.” While featuring sparkling electric guitar playing and a fanciful beat, its vibe reflects Smith’s history as an accomplished fiddle player. On the nostalgic, mid-tempo pop rocker “Hourglass,” the singer breaks the rules of consistent tempo as he explores the joys of thinking about a time where he had fewer cares and responsibilities.

Growing up in the Bay Area had a deep impact on Smith, who was blessed with a wealth of historical anecdotes and insights from his first guitar teacher, David Nelson of The New Riders of the Purple Sage. “The SF music scene greatly inspired me along with birth of the 60’s music,” he says. “My older brother introduced a lot music to me. I bought my first Grateful Dead album when I was six. But I loved the Stones and Beatles, Cream, all that stuff, too." There was so much happening musically living in the Bay Area at that time. It was very alive. It was great to learn from David and listen to stories of the birth of the Bay Area music scene and legends like Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. What inspired those performers were old time music and old blues.”

Reflecting on the muse that inspired Down To Memphis, Smith adds, “I’m grateful that some good songs came my way to write and that I’m working with so many great people to bring them to life. A lot of creativity is happening. I see this as a step up from my debut album, although it’s definitely riding on the coattails of The Sum of Life, which has thankfully been well received. As an artist I feel more a part of the music world now and not so isolated. My goal continues to be to draw upon the music of the 60’s and 70’s, an era which I think some of the most accomplished music was made, and make it new as I re-open a door to that genre.”