Mindy Smith

biography[-]by Mark Deming Blending big-city intelligence and sophistication with the clear and honest passion of classic country and folk performers, Mindy Smith is a singer who combines the best of both worlds, and her talents have earned the young performer a growing reputation as an artist to watch, as well as some well-known admirers. Smith was born in Long Island, NY, and with the encouragement of her parents developed a passionate interest in music at an early age, taking up singing as a hobby. In 1994, Smith's mother lost a long battle with cancer, and after her passing Smith and her father moved to Knoxville, TN. Once they settled in their new home, Smith began exploring the musical heritage of the South and became enamored with folk, bluegrass, and the blues, developing a special enthusiasm for Alison Krauss, Shawn Colvin, and the Cox Family. Before long, Smith was writing songs and playing local shows, and in 1998 she decided to move to Nashville in hopes of making music her career. With a mere $300 in her pocket, Smith wasted little time in making a name for herself in Music City, and after winning the Tin Pan South Open Mike Competition in 2000 and becoming a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival's New Folk Competition, Smith earned a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog Music. Smith's big break came in 2003, when she was tapped to appear on Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton, a high-profile tribute album to the long-reigning country superstar that found her performing alongside Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Alison Krauss, and Parton herself, who was by all accounts quite impressed with the young performer's interpretation of "Jolene." That same year, Smith was signed to a deal with Vanguard Records, and her debut album, One Moment More, was released in early 2004. In 2006 she returned with her second full-length, Long Island Shores. The holiday collection My Holiday followed shortly thereafter in October of that year. A fourth release, Stupid Love, was issued by Vanguard at the end of the summer in 2009.