If the world ever needs a reason to thank Athens, Ga., for any of its contributions, it can always thank the hometown of the University of Georgia for its influence on the music industry.
Among the list of wide-ranging musicians such as R.E.M., Widespread Panic and Of Montreal is Rick’s Cafe’s Wednesday-night headliner Corey Smith.
Smith admits coming from Athens had an influence on his music career, but not his lyrics.
“I don’t think it has an influence on my music writing,” he said. “They were inspiration to me. I was seeing these people from the same place I’m from that went on to have global success; I was seeing that people down the road from me can do it. Plus, when you’re from Athens, they attach you to that.”
His sound comes from being raised by his country music-loving grandparents, having a dad in a Southern rock band and being a teenage fan of Nirvana and Soundgarden.
“As a kid, I hated country. I reacted against it. It was unsophisticated, super conservative,” he said. “I have to be a country singer – my Southern drawl comes out like it does when I’m eating Sunday dinner. [But,] it’s not a Nashville brand of country. It’s unprocessed country music, it’s about songs and got a sense of realness to it that is kind of lacking in popular music. Progressive country – more organic. It’s local produce, it’s homegrown, it’s fresh ingredients. It’s not the franchise.”
Smith’s lyrics hold honesty and authenticity – something college students can grasp because of the ability to relate to the songs’ mentioned events. Smith also uses his lyrics as a way to cope with things that have happened throughout life.
“Song writing for me is my therapy. Every song is a result of an internal struggle I’m having,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that every song is autobiographical; it means that the message and the meaning are part of me. In order for me to be happy, I have to write. I approach writing the same way as I did when I started. When I do it, people out there can relate.”
The unrestricted songwriter is famous among fans and many college students for his relatable songs such as “21” and “Drinkin’ Again,” but has recently intrigued fans at recent shows with new material from his upcoming record, Keepin’ Up With the Joneses, planned for release in November
“I’m in the last stages of getting it done. It’s all the songs I’ve written in the past year. This past January I wrote at home, and I worked with a coproducer, Rusty Cobb – it makes for a cool blend of country singing with a rock production sound,” he said. “What I’ve tried to do is blend a few of the new songs into my shows. So far, I’ve been blown away by the response from the audience. ‘Dirtier By the Year’ is more the kind of song that people enjoy. It’s about self-improvement – I’m always trying to get better.”
While he appreciates fans buying albums full of his hard work and money, it means more to him that fans come to shows and fully experience a live performance.
When he wasn’t working on Keepin’ Up With the Joneses this summer, Smith was busy touring across the country but is looking forward to the change of scenery that comes with his fall tour, which he started Thursday in Clemson, S.C.
“Touring in the summer is a little different – more stuff in the beaches. We go out West, play for smaller crowds in clubs. Now we do more theaters.”
Smith travels light with only his bassist Rob Henson and drummer Marcus Petruska, making for easier touring and also creating an intimate atmosphere for shows.
“It allows me to keep my overhead low. It’s more challenging for us – it keeps us on our toes. It forces us to be more creative [and] it fits my style of song writing,” he said. “People [at shows] aren’t bombarded with a big wall of sound. As a writer, I appreciate it.”
Rick’s is the fourth stop on Smith’s fall tour, and he hopes a large crowd of students will come out Wednesday after last year’s low attendance.
“I was a little disappointed, but I think it was a big test week for students,” he said. “I’ve built up a tradition there. I always feel at home there.”
Smith said he enjoys performing for college students in towns like Starkville.
“They have energy. The great thing about college towns is they are full of college kids that have spare time, they don’t have to be at work at 8 [a.m.]. They have a few extra bucks to go out and play, and they love music,” he said. “The level we tour at, it’s great.”
With Smith once simultaneously being a student at the University of Georgia and a musician, his brutally-honest advice for those in the same position now should be taken with a large glass of water and maybe even on a full stomach.
“Music needs to be something you pursue as a passion – it gives you satisfaction,” he said. “Most people aren’t able to make a living doing that – we aren’t fortunate. It’s important to understand that and decide what’s most important. For me, it wasn’t. It’s still not the most important thing to me. You should always do music because you love it – you’ll know if the potential is there.”
Playing with Smith at Rick’s is American Aquarium, a five-member alt-country band from Raleigh, NC, that released its third EP, Dances for the Lonely in April.
With songs like “I Hope He Breaks Your Heart” and “Ain’t Going to the Bar Tonight,” the band could become a favorite for music-hungry students.