Biography

Damon grew up in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma working in the family owned business: a funeral parlor. This unique upbringing instilled in him a steadfast work ethic, taught him to respect others, revealed the value of life and, consequently, exposed him to country music. "On many occasions when I was a young boy, I'd go with my father to pick up the deceased,"recalls Damon. "He would do his work and I would listen to country music. I vividly remember hearing him singing The Auctioneer by Leroy Van Dyke as he worked."

Consistent with the values of teamwork and dedication that he was taught, Damon pursued the sport of wrestling. Years of commitment and hard work paid off when Damon earned a wrestling scholarship to Oklahoma State University where he became a member of the 1994 NCAA National Championship Team. As an OSU sophomore, Damon received his first guitar for Christmas. "I took it with me to college, taught myself a few chords and then taught myself to sing." Damon eventually became a performing member on the Oklahoma Opry and formed a band that entertained throughout the Texhoma region. Upon graduation, with his guitar and a marketing degree in hand, Damon moved to Music City to pursue his musical dreams.

"I realized I wasn't ready to compete when I first moved to Nashville. I was green and I knew I had to grow as a performer," he said. " I also knew people would only take me seriously as an artist if I was persistent enough to show them I wasn't joking around." So Damon dedicated years to playing the national circuit of honky tonks and building a loyal fan base. He graduated from doing small gigs on the local scene to impressing fans internationally while headlining a ten city tour in Brazil, selling out venues with a capacity of up to 10,000 people. Damon continuously appears at the CMA Country Music Festival. In 2008, he completed his seventh and most successful year at the famed festival, greeting fans who stood in line in excess of two hours to meet this young sensation.

Damon has further honed his craft by writing with Nashville songwriters and recording new music any time his schedule allows. Damon's true passion for the genre is evident in his music. He released his first independent recording (Jesus Runs With a Rough Crowd) in January 2006 under his own imprint, Nomad Records. Originally recorded as a country ballad, the single took on a life of its own and crossed over to the Christian Country and Inspirational/Positive genres. Knocking out prominent acts competing for the top spot (Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and Rodney Atkins), the single became a #1 hit on the Power Source Top 20 and Christian Music Weekly charts, receiving airplay on more than 900 radio stations including Armed Services Radio.

Today, Damon continues to follow his passions. You can catch him headlining at notable country bars and roadhouses, as well as performing at fairs and festivals across the country. You might even catch him in action coaching the Father Ryan High School wrestling team in Nashville, as he has done for the past two years.

Damon credits his success to date to being dedicated, persistent and knowing how to lead a team; skills he obtained working in a close-knit family business and competing at the collegiate level as a member of the wrestling team. Asked if he is satisfied with all of his accomplishments to date, Damon smiles and replies "No way. You haven't seen anything yet!" And based on his track record, anyone who meets Damon Smith will wholeheartedly believe that statement.