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Grant Maloy Smith
Background information
Born (1957-08-28) August 28, 1957 (age 67)
Jacksonville
GenresAmerican Roots music
Occupation(s)singer, songwriter, musician
Years active1981–present
Labels
  • Small Dog Records
  • Chinese Sock Puppet Records
  • Suburban Cowboy Records
Websitegrant-maloy-smith.com

Grant Maloy Smith (born August 28, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and former businessman from Jacksonville, Florida.

Early life

[edit]

Smith was born in Jacksonville, Florida and started playing songs of The Beatles with the guitar at an early age.[1] He attended the Rhode Island School of Design but did not complete his tenure there, opting to focus on music.[citation needed]

Early music career

[edit]

Smith's first band was called Britannia (1981-1984). In 2008, he and his band opened for the national acts like Elvin Bishop, Steppenwolf, and The Guess Who. Britannia played all original music, written by Smith; one Smith's songs "I'm A Loaded Gun" was included on the 1981 album "Southern New England's Best Rock From JB 105".[2]

Smith was married in 1985 and he continued writing music. The family moved to California in 1991, and Smith joined the Songwriters Guild of America, attending song pitching meetings at their Hollywood offices.[citation needed]

Filmography

[edit]

Film scoring

[edit]

After returning to Rhode Island in 1995, Smith began scoring indie films, including "Code Of Ethics" starring Melissa Leo, an Academy Award-winning actress. He also scored "Pray for Power," starring Lisa Boyle. He worked frequently with directors Christian de Rezendes and Dawn Radican Natalia.[3]

Acting

[edit]

In 2019, Grant appeared in the feature film "Oildale", playing the character Brady Cooper, a musician. In the film he performed one of his original songs "I Come From America", which was sung by character in the film.[4]

Full-length movies

[edit]
  • 1997 Night of the Beast
  • 1998 Boxed Man
  • 1998 Code of Ethics
  • 2001 Serial Intentions
  • 2003 Extra Credit
  • 2008 Solitaire
  • 2010 The Rich and the Poor Are Naked
  • 2011 Pledging Allegiance

Short films

[edit]
  • 2008 PC Noir
  • 2010 Thinking Through the Drink
  • 2010 Duet
  • 2012 Nijinsky's Room
  • 2012 Cat Scratch

Video feature-length films

[edit]
  • 2001 - Pray for Power
  • 2002 - Hope High

As an actor

[edit]
  • 2003 - Extra Credit (feature film) as Jake Lawrence[5]
  • 2019 - Oildale (feature film) as Brady Cooper[4]

Television

[edit]
  • 2009 Mythbusters (Season 7, ep 1) as himself[6]

Pop/rock album period

[edit]

From 2008 to 2012, Smith wrote and self-produced with his own label, Small Dog Records, several albums of pop/rock music. The first was Already August, (2008),[7] which blended elements of folk and Americana music with pop and rock ballads.

In 2010 Smith released Big Bowl of Courage,[8] with songs that were generally more rock and roll than the previous album.

The next album was American Merman (2011),[9] where Smith experimented with reggae structures in several tracks.

His final pop/rock album came in 2012, Mister Sparklepants.[10]

Americana music period

[edit]

In 2012 Smith transitioned to Americana, or American roots music, a subgenre of country music. He wrote and produced the album "Yellow Trailer"[11][12] originally released on Smith's own Chinese Sock Puppet Records in 2013, but was remastered and re-released in 2015 on Suburban Cowboy Records. That album was entered into the Grammy Awards the year.

In 2014 Smith was asked by producer Art Greenhaw to sing on several tracks of a Roots Gospel album. He contributed with lead vocals and with one original song of his own "Where Main Street Ends," a gospel version of a song that he had written. This album was entered into the roots gospel category of the Grammys in 2014.[13]

At the end of 2014, Smith was invited by New York producer Perry Margouleff to travel to England and assist him in several shows that singer Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free) was doing at the Royal Albert Hall. Smith worked behind the scenes on the entire tour.[1][14]

In 2015, Smith was asked to narrate a song on a spoken word album that was being produced by Hawaiian-based DJ Cindy Paulos, called Arise Above Abuse: Artists Speak Out for Women. He co-narrated the track "One in Five" with Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.[15] He also provided the music for this track and contributed an original song about the kidnapping of women and girls in Africa called "She Would Not Bow Her Head." (from Smith's 2012 Album "Mister Sparklepants").[16]

His next album, "Dust Bowl - American Stories,"[17][18] was released on Suburban Cowboy Records in 2017 and features bassist William Wittman of Cyndi Lauper, and drummer Skoota Warner, as well as keyboardist Tommy Mandel, formerly of Bryan Adams and Dire Straits,[citation needed] who performed on the basic tracks of the album. Production then moved to Nashville, where additional tracks were recorded by IBGMA award-winning dobro player Rob Ickes, fiddle player Steve Stokes of Alabama, cellist Tim Lorsch of Keith Urban, Percy Sledge,[19] accordion player Jeff Taylor of The Time Jumpers, percussionist and drummer Matt Burgess of Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jewel,[20] pedal steel player Mike Johnson, of Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton, violinist Lorenza Ponce of Bon Jovi, Adele, Sam Smith, and violinist Rocio Marron of The Voice, under the supervision of co-producer Jeff Silverman.[21]

Because "Dust Bowl - American Stories" is a theme album related to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, Smith was invited to perform the album at the Kern County Museum, which he did on January 14, 2018.[22] He also performed the entire album for the Bakersfield High School on January 17, 2018,[23] and at the Centennial Rodeo Opry in Oklahoma City in August 2017.[24]

Smith toured the United States, Europe[25][26][27] and Mexico.[28] Although primarily a headliner, he sometimes opened for other artists during 2015-2016, including Rita Coolidge,[27] Jon Pousette-Dart,[29] and John Ford Coley.[30] He has performed at The Bitter End[31] in New York, The Clive Davis Theatre at The Grammy Museum,[32] the Troubadour in Hollywood,[33] The National Sylvan Theatre in DC,[34] and The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.[35] In April 2018, Smith performed on Song Of The Mountains,[36][37] which is recorded before a live audience and also syndicated on PBS television[38] throughout North America.[39][40] In August, he performed on Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour,[41][42] which is carried by more than 500 radio stations and also broadcast on PBS television.[43]

In 2018, Smith's original song "Man Of Steel" was named the official theme song of the National Veterans Foundation.[44]

In the same year, Smith appeared as one of the performers at The Indie Collaborative's debut public performance at Carnegie Hall.[45] The Indie Collaborative, a community of independent musicians and industry professionals, was co-founded by Smith and Eileen Bluestone Sherman.[46]

In 2022, Smith performed a cover of Michael Stephenson’s "My Prison" to raise funds. All funds were donated to the National Veteran's Foundation.[44]

Later in 2022, Smith again performed at Carnegie Hall for the "Celebrating Earth Day in Song" presented by The Indie Collaborative. The event featured award-winning Emmy, Grammy, and Billboard top 10 musical artists.[47]

As an author

[edit]

In September 2018 Smith released a Christmas single[48] and children's book that he wrote, called "Fly Possum Fly."[49][50][51] He enlisted country prodigy EmiSunshine to be the featured vocalist on the song.[52][53]

Before his music career

[edit]

Before focusing on his musical career, Smith worked in the scientific measuring equipment industry in various positions.[54] He eventually started his own company, Dewetron America, Inc, which he sold to Dewetron GMBH of Austria, leaving completely in 2017.[14][27] Smith and his company provided numerous systems to NASA for the Constellation Program.[55] The company won the NASA Tech Briefs Product of the Year Award four times under his leadership, in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015.[56][57][58][59] In 2016 he was requested by MEDICAL DESIGN BRIEFS to write an article outlining his perspective on the future of measuring instruments.[60]

Achievements

[edit]
  • 2017: named the Best Male Americana Artist at the Indie Music Channel Awards, and performed during the awards ceremony at the Troubadour In Los Angeles.[61]
  • 2017: won two Grammy participation certificates[62] for his work as co-producer on the Grammy-award-winning album "Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom," by jazz artist Ted Nash.[63]
  • 2016: named the Best Folk Artist, and won for the Best Americana Roots Song (Old Black Roller)[64] at the Indie Music Channel Awards, and performed during the awards at The Clive Davis Theatre at The Grammy Museum
  • 2015: winner of the Singer Universe "Best Vocalist of the Month" competition.[65]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
Heat
[66] 		US
Folk
[67] 		US
Indie
[68]
American Merman[9]
  • Released: January 28, 2001
    September 20, 2011[69]
  • Label: Small Dog
 — — —
Already August[7]
  • Released: January 28, 2008
  • Label: Small Dog
 — — —
Big Bowl of Courage[8]
  • Released: December 1, 2009
  • Label: Small Dog
 — — —
Yellow Trailer[70]
  • Released: August 16, 2013
  • Label: Chinese Sock Puppet
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — — —
Dust Bowl: American Stories[71]
  • Released: June 1, 2017
  • Label: Suburban Cowboy Records
  • Format: CD, Digital download, streaming
 2 22 10
Appalachia: American Stories[73]
  • Released: June 25, 2021
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Grant Maloy Smith: Man of Many Small Horses". www.shadesofsolveig.com. April 2, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  2. ^ "Various - Southern New England's Best Rock From JB 105". Discogs. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  3. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith". IMDb. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Musbach, Julie. "Music Heals War Wounds In New Movie OILDALE". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  5. ^ Extra Credit (2003), retrieved June 25, 2017
  6. ^ "MythBusters" Demolition Derby Special (TV Episode 2009), retrieved June 25, 2017[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ a b "Already August - Grant Maloy Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Big Bowl of Courage - Grant Maloy Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "American Merman - Grant Maloy Smith | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  10. ^ "Album Mr. Sparklepants — Grant Maloy Smith 2012". mp3red.me. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  11. ^ "Yellow Trailer - Grant Maloy Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  12. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith: Yellow Trailer". The Aquarian. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  13. ^ "The Light Crust Doughboys & Grant Maloy Smith - Roots Gospel 'Round The USA: From Texas To New York". Discogs. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Grant Maloy Smith: Man of Many Small Horses". Solveig Whittle. April 2, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  15. ^ TuneGenie. "One in Five by Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard & Grant Maloy Smith". B103 FM. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  16. ^ "Artist & Sample Tracks". Arise Above Abuse. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  17. ^ "Expressive Original Songs Steeped In the Dirt & Reality of the Dust Bowl-Depression Era". No Depression. May 22, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  18. ^ BWW News Desk. "Grant Maloy Smith's New Album 'Dust Bowl - American Stories' Celebrates the Nation's Resilience". Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  19. ^ Billboard Charting Americana Artist Grant Maloy Smith celebrates his roots with video "I Come From America", retrieved December 30, 2017
  20. ^ "HOME". Matthew Burgess | Percussionator.com. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  21. ^ "Dust Bowl: American Stories - Grant Maloy Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  22. ^ Californian, CESAREO GARASA For The. "CESAREO GARASA: Performer pulls Dust Bowl out of the history books, onto the stage". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  23. ^ PIERCE, HAROLD. "Dust Bowl singer offers Bakersfield High students a musical lesson of their town's history". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  24. ^ "Singer-songwriter Grant Maloy Smith breathes new life into history on Dust Bowl: American Stories". okgazette.com. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  25. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith". Eventful. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  26. ^ Bess, Porgy en. "Herman Brock Jr & Friends - Grant Maloy Smith" (in Dutch). Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  27. ^ a b c Touhey, Helena. "Back to his roots". The Independent. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  28. ^ "CROSSING THE BORDER ~ Grant Maloy Smith". allevents.in. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  29. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith- Jon Pousette- Dart". Eventful. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  30. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith- John Ford Coley". Eventful. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  31. ^ "Sunday, July 12 – Geena Renee, Kelly Barber, Martha Reich, Grant Maloy Smith, The Galactic Cats, The Bitter End All Star Jam!NY Singer Songwriter Sessions. Be Seen. Be Heard". nysongwriters.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  32. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith @ Clive Davis Theatre at the Grammy Museum". Bandsintown. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  33. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith". Boston.com. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  34. ^ "Commercial Artist". Lois Bliss Herbine. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  35. ^ Grant Maloy Smith (May 12, 2015), "Your Fire" - Grant Maloy Smith at the Bluebird Cafe, retrieved January 24, 2018
  36. ^ "Song of the Mountains". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  37. ^ Desk, TV News. "Jesse McReynolds, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley to Headline SONG OF THE MOUNTAINS April 14". Retrieved October 5, 2018. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  38. ^ "Public Television Affiliate Stations - Song of the Mountains". Song of the Mountains. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  39. ^ COURIER, TOM NETHERLAND SPECIAL TO THE HERALD. "Grant Maloy Smith performs at the Lincoln Theatre on April 14". HeraldCourier.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  40. ^ "Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley live in Marion, VA - April 14". allevents.in. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  41. ^ "WoodSongs: The Farm Hands/ Grant Maloy Smith". Smiley Pete Publishing. July 30, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  42. ^ Hour, WoodSongs Old-Time Radio. "WoodSongs O.T. Radio Hour- Grant Maloy Smith, The Farm Hands - 6 August 2018". Evensi. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  43. ^ BWW News Desk. "WoodSongs To Present The Farm Hands And Grant Maloy Smith". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  44. ^ a b Foundation, National Veterans (October 29, 2018). "Grant Maloy Smith's 'Man of Steel' is New Theme Song for National Veterans Foundation". National Veterans Foundation. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  45. ^ Musbach, Julie. "The Indie Collaborative Comes To Carnegie Hall". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  46. ^ "Eileen Sherman & The Indie Collaborative Musically Celebrates Earth Day at Carnegie Hall Next Month - Times Square Chronicles". t2conline.com. March 25, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  47. ^ "Celebrating Earth Day in Song". www.carnegiehall.org. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  48. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith - Fly Possum Fly (feat. EmiSunshine) - Daily Play MPE®". Daily Play MPE®. September 24, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  49. ^ "Fly Possum Fly". Headline Books. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  50. ^ Smith, Grant Maloy (September 17, 2018). Fly Possum Fly. S.l.: Headline Books. ISBN 9781946664341.
  51. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "Fly Possum Fly". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  52. ^ "Fly Possum Fly - song and children's book from Grant Maloy Smith and Emi Sunshine - Bluegrass Today". Bluegrass Today. August 23, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  53. ^ "New Christmas Song 'Fly Possum Fly' to Feature EmiSunshine and Grant Maloy Smith - Guitar Girl Magazine". Guitar Girl Magazine. August 15, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  54. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith: Best Vocalist Of The Month Winner". Singeruniverse. January 8, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2017. ...after college he landed a fulltime job at a company which made data recording equipment. Smith did sales and marketing, and eventually started his own data recording company which became successful, with 20 employees.
  55. ^ "Data Acquisition System Captures Machine Performance". spinoff.nasa.gov. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  56. ^ Group, Techbriefs Media. "2006 Product of the Year Awards and Design Contest Winners". www.techbriefs.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  57. ^ Group, Techbriefs Media. "2009 Product of the Year Winners". www.techbriefs.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  58. ^ Group, Techbriefs Media. "NTB Readers Select 2012 Products of the Year". www.techbriefs.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  59. ^ "How we developed NASA's Product of the Year for the 4th time - World Usability Congress". World Usability Congress. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  60. ^ Group, Techbriefs Media. "Executive Perspectives: Data Acquisition & Sensing - Tech Briefs :: Medical Design Briefs". www.medicaldesignbriefs.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  61. ^ "imca5americananoms". The Indie Music Channel. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  62. ^ "Ted Nash Big Band - Presidential Suite: Eight Variations On Freedom". Discogs. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  63. ^ "Ted Nash Big Band - Presidential Suite: Eight Variations On Freedom". Discogs. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  64. ^ "imca5americananoms". The Indie Music Channel. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  65. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith: Best Vocalist Of The Month Winner". Singeruniverse. January 8, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  66. ^ "Grant Maloy Smith: Chart History: Heatseeker Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  67. ^ "American/Folk Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 29, 2017.
  68. ^ "Independent Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 29, 2017.
  69. ^ "American Merman CD: Grant Maloy Smith". CD Universe.
  70. ^ "Yellow Trailer". CD Universe.
  71. ^ "Dust Bowl by Grant Maloy Smith". Major Hit Records.
  72. ^ Bjorke, Matt (October 24, 2017). "TOP 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: October 24, 2017". Roughstock.
  73. ^ "Appalachia American Stories - Grant Maloy Smith". Bluegrass Today. July 2, 2021.
[edit]
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