Tommy Joe Smith

I have all of my own equipment, so all that I require from a venue is a space to set up and a few electrical outlets.

I usually keep a 2 to 1 ratio for covers to originals, this way an audience can be introduced to songs that I write but not get bored listening to songs they aren't familiar with. For my shorter performances, the acoustic guitar is all that is needed. I can bring my keyboard and extra cover songs for the longer gigs.

I have been around music my whole life. My dad was a songwriter and my uncle Bill fronted a few bands back in the day. There was always a guitar around the house. I grew up in those days regularly hearing cassette tapes of the greats....Waylon, Haggard, and Jones. I remember always watching a video tape of Ray Stevens music videos at my grandma's house. (Ray Stevens reminded me of my Uncle Bill) That's more than likely where my comedic side comes from...Ray AND Uncle Bill. I don't remember discovering Elvis, I just always knew about him for some reason. However, I absolutely remember discovering Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly. This was way before I became interested in performing music, so I had no idea why that music moved me in the way that it did. I just knew that it did. But one of my most important musical influences of all time was John Stamos/Uncle Jesse and Full House. This is where I learned about TONS of classic Top 40 songs, the Beach Boys, and the importance of being a multi-instrumentalist that has a recording studio at home.

I started learning to play drums in school around 1996. From that point on, I began playing guitar and piano as well. (multi-instrumentalist) It wasn't until the end of the first decade of the next millennium (2010) that I became the drummer of a band and spent a few years learning the ins and outs of the band life. This is also when I discovered a love for songwriting due to a lot of the Oklahoma Red-Dirt Legends that the band covered and Chris Knight. If you want to know anything about writing meaningful lyrics, listen to Chris Knight.

After the band parted ways, I began performing covers, continued writing and performing original songs, and built my own recording studio in my home (Sand Dunes Recording). SDR is used primarily for my own writing and recording, but I also provide recording and production services for other musicians and friends. I have also been fortunate enough to be part of some songwriting events and workshops, the pinnacle of them so far has been a 3-day workshop in Memphis, TN at Sam Phillips Recording, which culminated in a co-writing session in the 3rd-floor private lounge with cigarette burns in the bar top from Charlie Rich and Johnny Cash.

Currently, my performances consist of covers and originals on acoustic guitar. Sometimes I will bring 88 keys along to add more variety to my cover setlist.