David G. Smith
Songwriter/Musician
Workshops: 1. Writing YOUR Song. 2. Singing YOUR Song.
Internationally acclaimed Songwriter-Artist David G Smith is an acoustic roots solo performer with a lyric intensive style featuring guitars, resonator, music and a voice that range from dirt-funk to intimate. His music is a blend of Folk, Americana, Country & Blues. His most recent album Witness Trees finished in the #1 position of the Roots Music Report Chart (RMR) Top 200 For 2025 in both Folk and Alt-Folk. David is set to release his 12th album, HERO STREET. This title track is part of a 9-part film series of the same name created by Emmy Award winner filmmakers, 4th Wall Films as seen on PBS.
David was recently accepted as a Juried Artist with Noel Paul Stookey’s (Peter, Paul & Mary) Music To Life Org.
He is a 2008 International Song Competition 1st Place Winner, a Robert Oermann DISCovery Award recipient, and two-time ISC semifinalist. He performs at the prestigious Bluebird Cafe/Nashville where his shows are regularly sold out. Mary Gauthier and Keb Mo make appearances on 4 of his albums to include a duet with Mary called “Shine”.
David has shared the stage with Justin Townes Earle, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Kelly Willis + Bruce Robison, 5-time WC Handy Award winner, Rory Block, Rissi Palmer, Buddy Mondlock, Jelly Roll Johnson, Chuck Pyle, Dave Moore, Catfish Keith, Kevin Gordon and others.
He has five nationwide #1 singles and four nationwide #1 albums via the RMR Chart. His single “River Gonna Talk” was a 2023 #1 add on the NACC chart and reached #1 in the nation on Radio Guitar One’s Top 30 Americana Chart.
David has been featured in American Songwriter and his songs have appeared on TNT, Lifetime Network, Travel Channel, and several PBS-affiliate shows. He has a string of indie & major-indie song-cuts to include with Rissi Palmer, only the 3rd black female country artist to chart on Billboard, in 2007. His last 4 albums have been accepted for Grammy consideration.
His Give-Back Series donates time and raises money and awareness for a variety of charitable causes. David, his voice and his songs are authentic.
- Lifetime member NSAI & Songwriter Workshop Pro (Nashville Songwriters Association, Int)
- NARAS member (Grammy’s)
- Featured in “American Songwriter”
- Folk Alliance International Member
- 20 year Host @ Bluebird Cafe/Nashville
- 2026 “Hero Street” album title track appears in “Hero Street” film on PBS
- 2008 International Song Competition 1st Place Winner***
“Like Mary Gauthier and Sam Baker, Smith cuts through…to find essential phrases and words to represent the ache of living”. (Fervor Coulee)
“I have walked beside David G Smith for many, many years, and I am in awe of his body of work. David’s brand new record, ‘Witness Trees’, produced by Neilson Hubbard, contains groove, story, great singing and great songs. The pairing of my two friends, Neilson and David, has generated beautiful art, just like I thought it would. Bravo!” (Mary Gauthier)
To learn more about David, please visit: davidgsmithmusic.com
Workshops
“Writing YOUR Song: The Mystery of Songwriting! For all ages and stages.” Everything has been written! So what is going to make your song unique? We will answer that question and explore craft as needed—structure, rhyme schemes, good vs. great ideas, the power of images, set up, set up, set up, and trusting the process. The mystery? Well, that’s where you find the fun … and the challenge! There will be plenty of time for Q&A!
“Singing YOUR Song: The Performing Indie Songwriter!” Where can a song take you? We’ll talk a little bit about the music biz with a focus on the independent songwriter-artist and what day-to-day operations look like. No magic bullet here. We’ll explore what “success” looks like, copyright issues, sync license opportunities, and what a ‘song pitch’ is. We’ll discuss realistic goals, art vs. commerce, and the fact that no one is coming to save you! Don’t care to perform but are still compelled to write? That’s ok, there is still lots to talk about! There will be plenty of time for Q&A!