Mindy Smith

Biography

Melinda Leigh Smith (born June 1, 1972) is an American singer-songwriter. Her first record deal came after she sang a cover version of the song "Jolene" by Dolly Parton.

Music career

Smith was adopted at birth by a non-denominational Protestant minister and his wife, who was choir director at the church. She grew up on Long Island, New York. After her mother died of cancer in 1991, Smith attended Cincinnati Bible College for two years.
Smith and her father moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where she began listening to folk and bluegrass music, Alison Krauss, and the Cox Family. In 1998, she moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music. Two years later, she reached the finals of a contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival. This led to a contract with Big Yellow Dog Music.
Smith attracted attention in 2003 when she sang a cover version of "Jolene" by Dolly Parton for the tribute album
Just Because I'm a Woman. Soon after, she signed a contract with Vanguard Records, who released her debut album, One Moment More×One Moment More2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Come to Jesus4:132Falling3:363Raggedy Ann4:544Fighting for It All3:195Train Song3:226It's Amazing3:407Angel Doves3:568Down in Flames4:129Hurricane3:3310Hard to Know3:0611One Moment More3:4712Jolene6:50 in 2004. In addition to Dolly Parton, she has expressed admiration for John Prine, Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, Shania Twain, Kris Kristofferson, Buddy Miller, and Bill Gaither.
"Come to Jesus" was her biggest hit, receiving airplay on country, Christian, adult album alternative (AAA), and adult contemporary radio. The song charted at No. 32 on the Adult Top 40 chart of Billboard magazine. In 2004 Smith appeared at the Cambridge Folk Festival in the U.K., which was broadcast nationally on BBC Radio.
In October 2006, Smith released "Out Loud", the first single from her second album Long Island Shores×Long Island Shores10 October 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Out Loud3:302Little Devil3:583Edge of Love3:534Please Stay3:025Tennessee3:356I’m Not the Only One Asking3:097What If the World Stops Turning3:418You Just Forgot3:279You Know I Love You Baby3:4310Out of Control4:0311Long Island Shores3:1212Peace of Mind3:1813Please Stay (acoustic)3:02. The song was well received by AAA rock radio and Country Music Television (CMT). On January 10, 2007, she performed "Please Stay" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
In October 2007, Smith released a Christmas album, My Holiday×My Holiday9 October 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1My Holiday3:442The Christmas Song3:493Santa Will Find You3:494Follow the Shepherd Home4:245What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?3:526Away in a Manger2:437I Know the Reason4:208Silver Bells3:159I'll Be Home for Christmas3:3610It Really Is (a Wonderful Life)3:4011Come Around4:2712Chestnuts Roasting0:19. She wrote six original songs, including "I Know the Reason" with Thad Cockrell.
In August 2009, Smith released her fourth studio album, Stupid Love×Stupid Love7 August 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1What Went Wrong3:242Highs and Lows2:553If I Didn’t Know Any Better3:554Love Lost4:145Telescope3:026What Love Can Do3:107Couldn’t Stand the Rain4:288Bad Guy2:199Surface4:0310Disappointed2:3011True Love of Mine4:2912Love Chases After Me4:3513Take a Holiday4:18. She appeared on The Early Show on August 15, 2009, to perform the first single, "Highs and Lows". On September 29, 2009, while promoting the album on the syndicated radio show World Cafe, she disclosed that she had obsessive–compulsive disorder.
In June 2012, Smith released an eponymous independent studio album on her own Giant Leap label, in conjunction with TVX. In October of the same year, Vanguard Records released a compilation album of her songs, "The Essential Mindy Smith×The Essential Mindy Smith9 October 2012 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Come to Jesus4:142Out Loud3:293It's Amazing3:404Highs and Lows2:535Please Stay3:016Jolene4:187Hard to Know3:068Tennessee3:339Love Lost4:1210Little Lies4:1911Fighting for It All3:2012Peace of Mind3:1713One Moment More3:37".
On October 29, 2013, Smith released a holiday EP entitled Snowed In×Snowed In29 October 2013 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Tomorrow Is Christmas Day3:342What Child Is This4:163Snowed In2:524Silent Night3:405Auld Lang Syne4:01 on Giant Leap/TVX. The release contained both original Christmas songs and cover material.
Between 2015 and 2018, Smith contributed (as sole writer or co-writer) several songs to the musical television drama series Nashville. She is credited on four of the songs performed by cast members and appearing on the soundtrack in the series' final three seasons.

Charity

In March 2013, Smith worked with Anthropologie during an in-store performance to raise money and awareness for the Captain Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization. Anthropologie donated fifteen percent of sales made in the first hour after Smith's performance to CPF.

Awards and honors

Best New/Emerging Artist of the Year, Americana Music Association, 2004

Special appearances

Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton (2003) - Track: "Jolene"
Sweetheart 2005: Love Songs (2005) - Track: "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"
This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul (2005) - Track: "The Word"
Stronger Than Before by Olivia Newton-John (2005) - Track: "Phenomenal Woman"
Those Were The Days by Dolly Parton (2005) - Track: "The Cruel War"