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

2nd Release - EP
Click here to go to Scott Smith - Down to Memphis


Igniting the Flame
Release Date - 11/01/17

This is the third release in two years for the up and coming songwriter Scott Smith. Featuring: David Laflamme, Nina Gerber and Horn Section.

Smith returns to the spirit of the first album of a more Driving Rock Sound. This time adding a top notch Horn Section, lead by Mike Rinta on trombone, Paul Branin on Saxophone and Ryan Scott on trumpet. Mike Rinta has toured with Jimmy Vaughn. Paul Branin played for years with Levon Helm and Ryan Scott plays in the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Smith also brought in producer Julie Wolf from Fantasy Studios in Berkeley California. Where the vocals were recorded along with the post production of editing and mixing. Julie Wolf brought in long time friend Vicki Randle as the back up vocalist. Vicky was a member of the Tonight Show Band for 18 years, when Jay Leno was host. She now performs with Mavis Staples. The instrumental tracks were performed at Studio E with the slamming rhythm section of Jeff Martin, Vic Carberry and Dan Ransford. Smith again called upon San Francisco 60's icon David Laflamme of "It's a Beautiful Day" to perform coincidentally on Igniting the Flame. Along with Virtuoso, powerhouse guitarist Nina Gerber. Local favorite Spencer Burroughs laid down a great feel on Hammond Organ.

The Band:
Scott Smith - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Vicky Randle - Backing Vocals
David LaFlamme - Violin
Nina Gerber - Lead Guitar
Spenser Burroughs - Hammond Organ
Victor Carberry - Drums
Jeff Martin - Bass
Dan Ransford - Percussion

Produced by: Jeff Martin and Scott Smith
Co-Producer: Julie Wolf
Recorded@ Studio E - Sebastopol, California
Fantasy Studios, Berkeley California
Album Photography : Ron Wood
Cover Design by Greg Scherer
Publishing: Eclipsing Moon Music (ASCAP)

1. Drop Kick it - (4:03)
I came up with this song after having one of those days.It's a pounding Country Rock song with the horn section.I had the image of someone drop kicking a beer bottle off the back porch. Seemed like a good thing to write a song about.

2. Igniting the Flame - (3:04
This song was initially recorded with the tracks of the first album, but was left off. I wrote it the night in-between the sessions and presented it the band on the last day of recording . It was not rehearsed and was totally spontaneous. It created a fun spirit to the song, which continued until the end. I decided at the time of laying down the back-up vocals, I would change the melody line on my vocals. Julie, the producer was apprehensive but I won her over. Then Vickie was able to perform it unrehearsed. So much fun!
Oh, it has the most amazing solo from David LaFlamme! Right back to the ol' Fillmore days.

3. My Soul to Keep - (3:10)
This song has a happy, Ska feel and is the other track with the horn section. It's a spiritual one, loosely about the principles of the Law of attraction. The sax solo is reminiscent of something from Pink Floyd.

4. Bulls Eye to My Heart - (3:06)
I came up with the words for this song, from images of TV. It just gravitated toward a love song. It's one of the best Rock songs that I have written. But I'm bias.

5. Rolling Home - (2:50)
Rolling Home is a blues shuffle. It's not a 1-4-5 though. I was listening to some blues and thought, I should write one of those. It's about a touring musician who's missing home. It's not depressing, don't worry. Spencer Burroughs plays a great Hammond solo.

6. Eating Like Hippies - (3:51)
Well, what can I say? I hope nobody's offended by this? It's a silly, Punk Rock song with a little Beastie Boys. I was poking fun at my wife and I, about how our diet has changed, now that we are older. From main stream to way more health conscious. I'm really a Hippie at heart. I did manage to take a shot at GMO foods, and came up
with one of my favorite all time lines " It's getting to the point, life's killing me.


Biography

The critical raves for Scott Smith’s 2016 debut album The Sum of Life found the emerging Americana country rocker earning praise for his “strong homage to rock and roll” and “vocals that call to mind Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan.” Vocal comparisons are great, but let’s also pay respect to the thoughtful poetry of his lyrics. On “My Soul to Keep,” the high energy, horn fired track that lays the spiritual foundation of his latest EP Igniting the Flame, the singer/songwriter waxes poetic's about his own burgeoning career – and by extension, ponders just where all of us are headed. He sings, “God bless the light that shows the way/There’s some black and white then some grey/Invest in your future, plant some seeds/It wouldn’t be a journey if you know where it leads.” Then there’s the extreme addictiveness of his songs, which, just like music did in the old days, makes you want to listen over and over.

Thus far, Smith’s journey as an indie artist has taken him to places – and opened the door to exciting collaborations – far beyond where he dreamed growing up in the Bay Area absorbing the insights of 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.

The Sum of Life featured guest performances by virtuoso classical and rock violinist David LaFlamme (Dr. John, The Doors), acoustic guitarist Nina Gerber (Kate Wolf), boogie woogie pianist Mitch Woods (John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite), among others. For his more Americana driven follow-up EP Down To Memphis, Smith invited legendary mandolinist David Grisman, a longtime friend of Jerry Garcia, to play on a rollicking tribute to the Grateful Dead.

Likewise, Igniting the Flame finds Scott upping his musical game with LaFlamme, keyboardist Spencer Burroughs (who also played on Down To Memphis) veteran “Tonight Show” and Mavis Staples backup singer Vickie Randall, veteran trombonist and horn arranger Mike Rinta and saxophonist Paul Branin (Levon Helm). To help him with his vocal production, Smith turned to producer Julie Wolf (Bruce Cockburn, Ani DiFranco) at the legendary Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, where CCR and Santana, among other legends, have recorded.

Other key tracks on the new EP include another rambunctious horn-drenched rocker “Drop Kick It,” Smith’s whimsical, upbeat response to a bad day, featuring the line “Wondering where it all went wrong/How did your life become a country song?”; the edgy rocker “Bulls Eye to my Heart,” which blends images from TV with a romp about falling hard for someone; and “Rolling Home,” which finds Smith rising to the challenge of writing a highly memorable traditional blues song.

In addition to stronger vocals, Igniting the Flame reflects my progress as a songwriter who can write about meaningful things but keep everything fun and catchy, Smith says. “This EP is definitely a step up from my previous projects. While I’m honoring the great artists that have influenced me, I’m also staying on the fringe. I like being on the outside of the mainstream. On the edge. I like giving a positive message, even in downer songs. I like rock because it lifts my spirits, takes me out of my funk and reminds me to let go of fears and just live.”