Corey Smith

Corey Smith's rise to fame was not a traditional one. Growing up in the small town of Jefferson, Georgia, Smith only had one dream and that was to get out of his little town. He struggled to identify with any one group because he wasn’t a jock or into academics and felt like he didn’t fit in.

 It wasn’t until his senior year of high school that Smith finally discovered his calling. He picked up a guitar and played at any party that he could find. After graduation Smith went to the University of Georgia and spent a summer studying abroad in Paris, but within a few weeks Smith missed the one place he had been trying to get out of his whole life.

Smith graduated from UGA, married his college sweetheart and settled within a mile of his childhood home. He found a teaching job but continued to play shows around Georgia even selling out the Georgia Theater in 2005 where the Zac Brown Band was his opening act. In 2007, Smith decided to leave teaching behind and become a full time singer/songwriter. Like many other red dirt artists, Smith decided to remain independent instead of signing with a record label and in the past 5 years he has released 6 albums that have sold over 250,000 copies.

He has played over 700 shows all across the country and sold over 700,000 tickets. While some of Smiths songs may border on the inappropriate at times, he also has songs that show how devoted he is to his family and his Georgia roots. Smith says that music has been a part of his life from the beginning, first for recognition then as a sort of therapy and now it is a way to provide for his family while doing something that he loves.

In my opinion, Smith is one of the most relatable red dirt artists there is because in each of his songs there is something that strikes a chord. Whether he’s singing about the loss of a loved one, graduation and uncertainty, or just a fun song that reminds us to let loose every once in awhile, he speaks to everyone. 

After being a pretty big fan for a couple years now, I finally got to see Corey in concert this summer and he was just as awesome as I thought he would be. If you're not a Corey Smith fan feel free to check out some of his stuff and jump on the bandwagon. Don't worry, no one will judge you for being late to the party.

For more information on upcoming tour dates I would encourage you to visit Corey's website at http://www.coreysmith.com/tour.