Elizabeth Smart will speak about her abduction and forgiveness March 8 in Fort Wayne.You’ve probably never heard his music on the radio or bought one of his albums at Walmart.
But that’s not to say Corey Smith isn’t popular.
His new album, “Keeping Up with the Joneses,” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart. And college kids love him.
Not bad for a former teacher turned country singer-songwriter who doesn’t have a major record label or even a promoter.
“My job is to write songs that resonate with people,” Smith said. “People want to experience art that resonates with them. They want to be reminded that we all have similar struggles. Those types of songs market themselves because they’re viral. Good art is infectious. People want to share with it others.”
Smith began working full time as a musician four years ago and travels 180 days a year, mostly to clubs and college-town venues.
“I’ve just tried to do what’s natural. I like people. I find them interesting,” he said. “That’s where I get a lot of my writing. I was that way as a teacher. I tried to get to know my students. I didn’t build barriers.”
Smith, 32, builds his success off his lyrics, which tell real-life stories about drinking, wearing hand-me-downs and running into trouble with the police back home in rural Jefferson, Ga.
He doesn’t dance onstage or put on a flashy show. Just straight-up singing from the heart – and swearing whenever the mood strikes.
