Biography

Contact: Scott Smith
info@ScottSmithBand.com
707.975.5961


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



2nd Release - EP
Click here to go to Scott Smith - Down to Memphis
3rd Release - EP
Click here to go to Scott Smith - Igniting the Flame

The Sum of Life
Release Date - 12/01/15


The debut album of Scott Smith
Featuring: David Laflamme, Mitch Woods, Nina Gerber, and Giovanna Imbesi.


An Eclectic Mix of Original - Instrumental, Ballad, Rock and Country Rock songs.This album takes you on a journey that you won't soon forget. Starting with a beautiful instrumental ( the title track) into a slamming Blues Rocker. Then some Roadhouse and Country to a Rich Ballad, then back to rock all the way to the climax, "Messing With Reality". With an All Star Band, Scott Smith delivers a new, edgy take on classic modern music.


The Band:
Scott Smith - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar
Gailene Elliott - Backing Vocals
David LaFlamme- Violin
Nina Gerber - Lead Guitar
Mitch Woods - Piano
Giovanna Ibesi - piano and organ
Accordion - Ron Stinnet
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 : Ron Woods
Cover Design by Jeanette Robsahm
Publishing: Eclipsing Moon Music (ASCAP)

1. The Sum of Life - (3:19)
This the first song that I wrote just messing around, long before I started writing songs with lyrics. It reminds me of all the times in
my life. It was wonderful to have it made into a full production.

2. Eclipsing Moon - (3:57)
This song is a rocker from the word go.Inspired from the first night I met my wife to be. There was an lunar eclipse and that particular year had many,along with a comet in the sky every night. Pretty magical!

3. Blues Guitar Slinger - (3:27)
This one is written about the late great Johnny Winter. He was so amazing with all of the different blues styles he played. There will never be another like him.
It's a powerhouse rock song with a great repeating guitar riff.

4. Over it Soon - (3:13)
A Southern Rock song that never lets up. Great guitar solos from Nina Gerber,with duet vocals with Gailene Elliott. It's a real crowd pleaser!

5. Payday - (2:53)
A Bakersfield/Roadhouse tune.
I wrote this as a tribute to all the working folks. It was at the time when job market was down and I wanted to do something inspirational. It features Mitch Woods on the piano solo.

6. Bad Dreams - (4:00)
I wrote this to inspire anyone who's having a bad day. It's a country song featuring David LaFlamme and myself for the solo.

7. Best Gift - (5.23)
A ballad I wrote about my kids. It's calls on memories from some of the treasured moments. One of the best times of my life.It also features David Laflamme.

8. Determination - (4:41)
This one is about when I was dating my wife to be. It's a smokey, blues, slow rock song.

9. The World is Strange - (2:52)
The song that inspired the album cover, for the line "the Lords gona away and he ain't coming back. He's on his way to Vegas in a new Cadillac". It's an off shoot of "Summertime Blues". With Mitch Woods on piano.

10. Turn Out the Lights - (2:46)
This is a song I wrote about a friend that was having some marriage problems and couldn't get enough time with his wife. They eventually broke up. Oh well.It has a sweet guitar solo.

11. Messing with Reality - (3:36)
I wrote this about Carl Rove. It's a twisted rocker with distorted vocals. With Nina Gerber performing a smoking guitar solo.

Biography

If ever a song summed up America’s state of mind in 2016, it’s Scott Smith’s piano stomping rocker “The World is Strange.” Aiming to convey the overall concept of his infectious debut album The Sum of Life in its cover art, the Bay Area based Americana, country and blues influenced singer/songwriter hit upon a piercing lyric on that track: “The Lord’s gone away, he ain’t comin’ back/He’s on his way to Vegas in a new Cadillac.” So, on the album cover, the Almighty, silver hair and beard whipping in the breeze, rolls carefree on the I-15 – about to pass by a hitchhiking Smith, as if to say, “You’ve lived it, you’re a rocker, write some songs, you figure it out.”

Over the course of the acoustic instrumental title track and the spirited mix of 10 edgy rockers and soulful ballads that follow, he does just that – with, to paraphrase the Beatles, a little help from his legendary Bay Area musical friends. The Marin County native, who had performed in cover bands for a number of years, got serious about songwriting and recording original material about four years ago. To continue the cover image metaphor, he set his intent on becoming a solo artist, and as things fell into place, it was like an unseen force was taking the wheel. Once he had the perfect mix of material, he began to make some phone calls, with the help of Jeff Martin the owner of Studio E, to musicians he knew could help flesh out his vision.

Smith first tapped David LaFlamme, a virtuoso classical and rock violinist who was the founder of the iconic San Francisco band It’s A Beautiful Day and toured back in the day with Dr. John and The Doors. LaFlamme put his signature sound on the free-flowing acoustic instrumental opening title track, the uplifting and encouraging old school country/Americana tune “Bad Dreams” and “The Best Gift,” a graceful ballad Smith penned for his teenage son and daughter. Smith also invited Nina Gerber, who became famous for playing with the late folk artist Kate Wolf, to play acoustic guitar on the title track.

Mitch Woods, a boogie woogie pianist who has played with John Lee Hooker and Charlie Musselwhite, contributes his inimitable vibe to “The World is Strange” and the rollicking “more to life than work” anthem “Payday.” Also featured are Tommy Tutone drummer Vic Carberry; pianist and keyboardist Giovanni Imbesi, who has played with Yanni and Andy Summers; and Smith’s vocal coach Gailene Elliot, who sings backup on The Sum of Life in addition to creating beautiful vocal harmonies with him; Elliot has worked with many famous artists such as Keith Richards. Smith’s follow-up album, currently in progress, will feature another Bay Area legend, bluegrass mandolinist David Grisman, notable for his work with Jerry Garcia.

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.

“I also play old time fiddle more as a hobby, but I do draw from it in my guitar playing and song writing,” Smith adds. “Americana/blues is part of my genetics. Americana, because it is hard to classify my music. Blues, because I am mainly a bluesbased player. I’ve heard my songs described as old done in a new way. I like that, because I think the old music should be revisited and new vibrancy could come from it. I like writing stuff that gets your energy up and shake it. It’s all about having a good time, and we need more of that. The songs on The Sum of Life inspire me to reminisce about everyone I’ve known and experiences I’ve had. I think the final product really delivered that.”