Chris Smither

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Chris Smither.

Chris Smither (born November 11, 1944 in Miami, Florida) is an American folk/blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He grew up mainly in New Orleans and attended the University of the Americas in Mexico City, planning on becoming an anthropologist, but transferred to Tulane University after a year, during which time he discovered the music of Mississippi John Hurt. While in Paris for a junior year abroad, he spent his time playing guitar rather than attending classes and was kicked out of college as a result. In 1965, he left for Florida to meet Eric von Schmidt, another musical hero of his. von Schmidt encouraged Smither to move to New York City or Cambridge, Massachusetts, and so Smither moved to Cambridge and when he showed up at Club 47, found von Schmidt performing there, who invited him to play a few songs on stage. His first album, I'm a Stranger, Too was released on Poppy Records in 1970. Chris Smither has been touring since then.

Chris Smither's song "Love You Like a Man" from Smither's first album has been famously covered by Bonnie Raitt, who has made it a signature song of hers under the title "Love Me Like a Man" (published on her second album Give It Up). She has openly expressed admiration for Chris Smither's songwriting and guitarplaying. Raitt's version of the song has been covered by The Dixie Chicks and Diana Krall.

The protagonist of Linda Barnes's series of "Carlotta Carlyle" mysteries is a fan of Smither's music and several of her books mention it.

In 2006, Chris Smither's song from Leave the Light On, Origin of Species, ranked 42nd in the Rolling Stones top 100 songs of 2006.

[edit] Discography

Main Article: Chris Smither discography

1970 - I'm a Stranger, Too
1971 - Don't It Drag On
1973 - Honeysuckle Dog
1984 - It Ain't Easy
1991 - Another Way To Find You
1993 - Happier Blue
1995 - Up on the Lowdown
1997 - Small Revelations
1999 - Drive You Home Again
2000 - Live As I'll Ever Be
2003 - Train Home
2006 - Leave the Light On

[edit] Live Recordings and Compilations

Blues Live From Mountain Stage (Plays "The Devil's Real") (1995)
Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt (Plays "Frankie and Albert") (2001)
Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop (2004)
Raise the Roof - A Retrospective (Plays "Winsome Smile") (2004)
A Case for Case: A Tribute to the Songs of Peter Case (Plays "Cold Trail Blues") (2006)
Tales from the Tavern, Vol.1 (Plays "Train Home") (2006)
True Folk (Plays "Step It Up and Go" with Jorma Kaukonen) (2006)