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Lys Blues 2010
Nominee
Album of the year & Revelation of the year
It is no wonder that Bob
Smith's musical conviction and passion runs to the deepest core of the
Blues, it is because the very essence of this music resides deep within
him. Along with mastering his commanding and gut wrenching vocals, Smith
continues to evolve as a melodically singing harp player, while proving
himself to be a student, a teacher, and a scholar; perfecting a style of
music with which he has had a 19 year love affair.
Bob Smith was born on Dec 11 1963, and grew up in Farnham, Quebec.
Throughout most of his young adult life, he was lead vocalist for many
local bands in Toronto and the Montreal area, from 1982-1988. Although his
love for bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath ran deep in his heart,
Smith always had the incessant need to look deeper into the origins of the
music which influenced these Rock giants. He discovered that their
inspiration came from Blues artists like Howl in Wolf and Muddy Waters and
resulted his listening to the music of these blues icons. The rest is
history, as Bob Smith then realized specifically what he wanted to achieve
as a singer; the Blues was calling him...
It was 1991 while working as a truck driver for a transport company
that he found his calling. While on a stop in northeast Pennsylvania,
Smith bought his first harmonica and from that day forward he practiced,
played and lived the Blues. His search for understanding the Blues was
equal to his quest in finding genuine present day Blues artists to perform
with. During the summer of 1994, Smith was in Memphis, out and about on
the famous Blues strip, Beale St. That night he proved to himself while
playing with several of Beale Street's regular musicians that he had the
respect of genuine Blues artists.
He returned home with the confidence to find the right line up for his
project. During the summer of 2000, Graham Ronne, formerly of Montreal's
Preachin' Blues, teamed up with Smith to create the first incarnation of
the "Bob Smith Blues Project" It was a dynamite acoustic duo that brought
authenticity and powerful energy to crowds all over Quebec.
Bob Smith continues to wow crowds all over eastern Canada and continues
to transcend the music he loves so much. His present partners, Quebec
guitar great artists Jimmy James, Noël Faircloth and a few others, injects
the Bob Smith Blues Project with searing rhythm structures and soothes the
soul with soaring melodies, brings as well the genuine sounds of the music
they both love. He is a perfect counterpart for Smith's passionate, note
bending solos and earth shattering vocals.
In all honesty, Bob Smith has proven himself to be one of Quebec's
premiere harp players and blues artists. He is most certainly one of the
best singers I have ever heard. Although he would play this down, he has
my ear, along with many others, but soon enough; the world will be
listening to this Blues man, this artist......
Graham
Ronne of Preachin' Blues |