Valerie Smith has a new single this month, the second from her next album, accompanied by her touring band, Liberty Pike.
For the past 25 years this veteran singer and songwriter has been recording bluegrass music with her own unique flavor. Prior to becoming a performing pro, Smith obtained a music degree in her home state of Missouri, and worked for several years at a marketing firm in Nashville, giving her the knowledge and experience to go it alone in the music business. These days, on top of recording and touring as a solo artist, Valerie has her own record label, Bell Buckle Music, and her own publicity firm.
Known all these years for singing her own songs, this latest single, I Found, is a cover, which came to her attention after work on this next project had already begun.
She recalls it well…
“While driving along Tennessee Highway 82 to the recording studio I heard a song on the radio called I Found, performed by an indie rock group known as Amber Run. I was captivated by the melody, the passion, and the lyrics.
I could hear myself performing the song completely differently with my band, Liberty Pike. As we began to make it our own, we came to realize that it fit like a glove and we just had to record it.
I heard the arrangement and felt it in my mind immediately. The song’s melody and lyrics were so haunting; I just really enjoyed singing it. The tempo, structure, and instrumentation of my arrangement developed simultaneously. The finishing touches developed during band rehearsal.”
Val is supported by Liberty Pike: Wally Hughes on fiddle, Lisa Kay Howard-Hughes on mandolin, Joe Zauner on banjo, Bob Minner on guitar, and Tom Gray on bass.
Have a listen…
I Found by Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike is available now from popular download and streaming sites online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.
