1063. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Professional Songwriter and Country Artist?

“I remember my first ‘AHA moment’ regarding my love of music. I was only five years old and my mother was playing an episode of Austin City Lights. One of my favorite bands–Nitty Gritty Dirt Band–was playing one of their biggest country hits: ‘Fishin’ in the Dark’ and band member Jimmy Ibbotson was center stage. He had this energy about him, like a radiant light that surrounded him. I thought: Man, whatever it is that’s making him feel that way–it was utterly infectious–I want to do that! I watched that video hundreds of times and it wasn’t until many years later I realized this was the moment in my life when music made me deeply feel something–emotional energy and excitement that I passionately wanted to be around. My love of every aspect of music continued to grow and expand from then on.”

Drew Smith is an RIAA-Gold award-winning professional songwriter and country artist based in Nashville, TN. He is the owner of Gray Sound Recording LLC, working as a producer and senior mixing engineer and the creator of “The Before You Record Course,” for new artists. Drew’s work has been recorded in many countries by legends like Merle Haggard, Nashville powerhouse Randy Houser, Rob Snyder, Jason Charles Miller, Kevin Denny and Australian-Canadian country singer, Gord Bamford. Drew has toured coast to coast and shared the stage with Merle Haggard, Don Williams, Big & Rich, Lee Brice, Lady A and many others.