Profile of Michael W. Smith on Famous Like Me

Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957 in Kenova, West Virginia), often nicknamed "Smitty", is an American singer, songwriter and keyboardist.

Since his first solo project in 1983, Smith has become one of the most popular artists in the Contemporary Christian music world, while also finding considerable success in the mainstream. Smith has frequently topped both Christian radio and Billboard charts, and is often listed as one of the top keyboardists in rock and roll in Keyboard Magazine. Smith had sold more than seven million records and had 25 #1 hit songs. By 2003, he had 10 gold records and 3 platinum records.

By the time Smith graduated from high school, he had found himself with serious drug and alcohol abuse problems. Nevertheless, he was able to get through a couple of years of college and develop his songwriting skills with various local bands. In October of 1979, Smith suffered an emotional and mental breakdown that awakened a recommitment to the Christian beliefs of his childhood. He cleaned up his substance abuse problem and began playing keyboards for the CCM group, Higher Ground.

In 1981, Smith was signed as a writer to Meadowgreen Music, where he racked up a number of highly successful gospel hits penned for artists like Sandi Patty, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither and Amy Grant. The following year, Smith began touring as a keyboardist for Grant on her Age to Age tour. He would eventually become Grant's opening act, and recorded his first Grammy nominated solo album, The Michael W. Smith Project (which he also produced), in 1983, on the Reunion Records label, a label started by Grant's brother-in-law, Dan Harrell, along with Michael Blanton. This album contained the first recording of his hit Friends which he co-wrote with his wife Deborah.

By the time Smith's second pop album was released in 1984, he was headlining his own tours. In 1986, Smith released the critically acclaimed rock album The Big Picture, with well known record producer Johnny Potoker (Brian Eno, Genesis, Madonna, No Doubt, Talking Heads, etc).

After the release of his 1988 effort, I 2 (EYE), Smith once again teamed up with Amy Grant for her "Lead Me On World Tour". The following year, Smith recorded his first Christmas album.

In 1990, Smith released Go West Young Man, which was his first real mainstream effort, including the mainstream crossover hit Place In This World. That album was followed by 1992's Change Your World (which included the #1 adult contemporary hit I Will Be Here For You), 1995's I'll Lead You Home and 1998's Live The Life. Also in 1998, Smith released his second Christmas effort, Christmastime. In 1999, Smith released This Is Your Time, largely inspired by the Columbine shootings. Smith had been asked to perform at some of the memorial services that were held in honor of the victims, which made a huge impression on him.

In 1996, Smith opened his own record label (although he does not record on it), Rocketown Records, named for a song on The Big Picture. He states the label is driven by the artists, and the first artist signed was Chris Rice, who had written Go Light Your World, a #1 hit song by Kathy Troccoli, in 1995.

Nearly all of Smith's albums contain at least one instrumental track, and in 2000, Smith recorded his first all instrumental album, Freedom. The following year, Smith released an all praise and worship album, called Worship, interestingly on September 11th. This album was followed by a sequel, Worship Again in 2002. Both albums were recorded live in concert. A Worship DVD, which comprised a selection of songs from both albums, was released in 2002 and immediately topped the Billboard video charts.

After two decades, Smith finally won the coveted Male Vocalist of the Year award at the Dove Awards in 2003.

Smith wrote a song entitled There She Stands, prompted by the September 11th terrorist attacks. He performed this song live for the 2004 Republican National Convention. In introducing the song before he performed it, he made remarks about meeting personally with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office in October of 2001, a short time after the attacks. Smith mentioned that the President, a personal fan of the artist, had asked him to attempt to write a song about the attacks. The song is about America's ability to rise from the ashes and remain strong even after such horrific events.

Smith's latest album, Healing Rain was released in 2004. It combines the pop style of his previous recordings with the praise and worship feel of his two releases in that genre. The title track was the first released as a single, and Smith has recently recorded a music video to coincide with the song.

Smith and his wife have written the theme songs for Kanakuk Camps for the past two decades. The theme songs have birthed such notable hits as Love Crusade, Live the Life, and Straight to the Heart. The Christian youth at this camp give Smith access to a steady, young audience even as his original fans age.

In 1994, Smith opened a teen club, named Rocketown, in Franklin, Tennessee. Later in early 2003, the club was moved to a new location--a renovated warehouse in downtown Nashville. The venue offers a large dance floor, extensive indoor skate park, and a cafe hosting live acoustic music. Rocketown is located on 401 6th Ave. S. Quoting a Christian Activities article, Rocketown's mission is to create culturally relevant environments that foster vital relationships between disenfranchised adolescents and Christian mentors in order to meet their physical, social, and spiritual needs.

Discography

• Healing Rain (2004)

• The Second Decade (2003)

• Live in Concert – A 20 Year Celebration (DVD) (2003)

• Worship Again (2002)

• Worship (DVD) (2002)

• Worship (2001)

• Freedom (2000)

• This Is Your Time (1999)

• Christmastime (1998)

• Live the Life (1998)

• I'll Lead You Home (1995)

• The Wonder Years (1993)

• The First Decade (1993)

• Change Your World (1992)

• Go West Young Man (1990)

• Christmas (1989)

• i 2 (EYE) (1988)

• The Live Set (1987)

• The Big Picture (1986)

• Michael W. Smith 2 (1984)

• The Michael W. Smith Project (1983)

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Michael W. Smith