The lights were low and the music was loud. Lonestar was playing the Jefferson Theater in downtown Charlottesville, and one boy up in the balcony was falling in love with the idea that one day that could be him on stage.
Fluvanna County native Nick Smith will turn that dream into a reality this Saturday when he headlines his first show at the Jefferson, performing songs from his latest album.
Smith is billed as a country singer-songwriter, but this is not your grandpappy’s country music. Smith’s sound blends elements of pop, R&B and classic country, a new genre he has dubbed "New South," which also happens to be the title of his 17-track album released this past March.
Smith has been a singer for nearly two decades. When he started out he used to be garbed in the traditional country get-up, cowboy hat included. But now, on stage and in his music videos, Smith is working-class Americana: a white T-shirt, a baseball cap and work boots.
Smith told The Daily Progress that’s what he wore when he wasn’t performing anyway, so "Why not just be that same guy on stage?"
The wardrobe change was about more than a new look; it was part of his move toward the New South sound, toward a more genuine version of himself.
“The sound and the way that I sing them every word is just so 100% what I should have been doing since Day One when I got into music maybe 18 years ago,” Smith said. “But it took half of that 18 years to figure out what style and what sound I actually should have been doing the whole time.”
Beginnings
Growing up in Kents Store, Smith stumbled into a career in music, accidentally signing up for a choir class in his freshman year of high school. He liked it so much that the following year, when he was placed in the more popular wood shop with the rest of his friends, he went to the school’s office and begged to switch back.
“To be in choir wasn’t very cool, you know, but I just couldn’t help myself,” he said. “I loved it so much.”
During his time in choir, he was cast to sing Danny Zuko’s part in one of the songs from the classic musical “Grease.” He said he was ecstatic until his teacher told him that he would be singing in front of the entire school, at which point he turned red with embarrassment. He remembers delivering a shaky performance; it took him several years to overcome his stage fright.
The turning point, he said, was his sister’s wedding when he sang and played his guitar in front of hundreds of guests. At 18, despite his nervousness, he said he felt it was one of his best performances — up to that point.
“Ever since then, I really just felt comfortable on a stage,” he said.
He started playing small gigs in the area, but he had bigger dreams. He followed in his father’s footsteps and started a tree-cutting business through which he was able to save up enough money to move to the country music capital of the world: Nashville, Tennessee.
Leaving his hometown was not easy. Not only did he have to build an entirely new business clientele to continue supporting himself, but he also now lives a time zone away from his Fluvanna family.
Not to mention, adjusting from the slow, sprawling countryside to the bustling, dense city was difficult at first.
He said he still misses the peacefulness of Virginia, but it was a sacrifice worth making for his music.
Finding the sound
When he first moved to Nashville, he was making music in the classic country style, but slowly realized those songs simply were not him.
His journey to reaching the New South sound started when he worked with songwriter and producer Elisha Hoffman, but it was not until 2 1/2 years ago when he began working with Alejandro Medina, that he was able to fully realize his vision.
Medina is a producer and videographer, so he shoots music videos for Smith as well. On top of that, he is a musician himself and incorporates the American and Mexican influences of his upbringing in his recently released album “Tu Carita.”
“He’s so talented, it’s ridiculous,” Smith said.
Medina told The Daily Progress that growing up in a bilingual household made him a good listener, which in turn helped him be a good producer. Smith said he was just glad to finally find someone who could help translate a song from a melody in his head to notes on a page and then sound from a stereo.
Smith started booking 12-hour days in the studio with Medina, and the two worked tirelessly together, perfecting every single song on Smith’s album.
Medina said that Smith’s dedication to ensuring that every last second of a song was flawless neared a full-on obsession. The two sometimes spent full days on a single frequency.
“But the crazy thing is, when we did finish this album, it was like the first time I’ve ever seen him just satisfied,” Medina said.
The tour
If you goNick Smith’s “New South Tour” With Rare Form 8 p.m. Saturday; doors open at 7 p.m. Jefferson Theatre $46-$39 jeffersontheatre.com (434) 245-4980
Going on tour has always been a goal of Smith’s, but because of the cost, he wanted to wait until he had achieved the sound he wanted to make it worth the financial investment.
His album “New South” is worth it to him though, and he said he could not be more excited to play it live.
His new tour includes eight stops, each in a different state, but he said the one he is most looking forward to is the one in Charlottesville, which he considers his hometown show.
Smith’s dream of headlining at the Jefferson is set to come true 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available online at www.jeffersontheater.com/events/detail/nick-smith-new-south-tour.
“I’ll be right where I thought I never could be,” Smith said. “So it should be a real full-circle moment.”
Source: www.dailyprogress.com