Will Smith, autoharp

BIO

Will Smith has appeared as a sideman on the Grand Ole Opry and on numerous albums by such artists as Reba McEntire, Kathy Mattea, Collin Raye, Randy VanWarmer, Pam Tillis, Hobo Jim, and others. His autoharp was featured on a recording with Prairie Oyster that won the Canadian Country Music Assn. Song of the Year as did "26 Cents" by The Wilkinsons which was also nominated in 2000 for a Country Song of the Year Grammy.
He was included on the Autoharp Legacy anthology CD and has performed internationally. Currently in the Nashville area, he lived in Charlottesville, VA for some time where he recorded an autoharp-centric album Across The Seven Seas (1984). Among his current projects are work on a solo autoharp album involving his recent experiments with the instrument and running web sites for the legendary producer/songwriter/publisher Cowboy Jack Clement and master percussionist Kenny Malone .

The autoharp used on some of the recordings uses a revolutionary chord bar set up which enables altered chords and progressions not possible on a conventional instrument.

As a songwriter, Will has had success several times on the country charts with cuts by John Anderson, Mark Chesnutt, Wade Hayes, Shelby Lynne, Shawn Camp, and others. As of December 2010, the Shawn Camp CD titled 1994 on Reprise, for which Will co-wrote a song and played autoharp on 2 songs, is at #32 on the Americana Airplay chart.

Autoharp Arrangements

A e-songbookof well known Christmas tunes arranged for autoharp, using conventional chords and keys, is available for $9.99, and worth every penny.

A veteran autoharp player/teacher, Will Smith has performed, repped, and given workshops over a wide area including:

Mount Laurel Autoharp Gathering (MLAG) - PA

Ozark Autoharp Jamboree - AR

Sore Fingers SS Fall Weekend - Kingham, UK

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival - TN

Augusta Heritage Series at Davis-Elkins College - WV

Suwannee Dulcimer Festival - FL

Memphis Dulcimer Festival - TN

California Summer Solstice Gathering - CA

Cranberry Dulcimer Festival - NY

Stringalong Weekend - WI

Folk Alliance Convention - IL

Cosby Dulcimer Festival - TN

  

Much of the standard traditional bluegrass and old-time repertoire is included on titles from the Cumberland Records catalog with top guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and banjo players. Many feature Alisa Jones on hammered dulcimer and Ron Wall on autoharp. They are available for purchase here.

  

  

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