"Jessie is one of the most amazing singers that I've ever heard! Her voice is both powerful and subtle and her stage presence truly lights up every audience." - Brett James, Grammy Award-winning, multi-hit songwriter.
Dark green eyes, passionate voice of that deep-down Southern soul, sounding far mature beyond her years. This Georgia girl laughs; calls herself a "goofball" and then her eyes darken as she says "I love all kinds of music, but I resonate a lot with old slave spirituals, and old jazz music."
Jessie Smith was born in Warner Robins, GA. As a child, Smith drew inspiration from vocal greats - Louis Armstrong, Anne Murray, Gladys Knight, Frank Sinatra, Mahalia Jackson, and Harry Connick Jr. "Singing or breathing – I don't know which happened first." Her angst-ridden school years provided magnificent inspiration for her music today. She sometimes still asks the same questions that haunted her in middle school; "am I doing this right?" Smith is an advocate for anti-bullying and eating disorder awareness, with her music becoming her message.
Smith earned her degree at Belmont University in Nashville – "The thing that caught my ear is that she sings with her own style and she knows what she wants to say artistically. A little bit country, a little bit R&B and a lot of soul!" - Joe Fisher, Sr. VP A&R.
Jessie's voice can be heard on Centricity Music, Universal Music, Compass Records, New Millennium Music and on her indie release "Song and Dance," an eight song folk/pop EP. You can also hear her work with the "Music City Hit Makers" – Mega songwriters; Brett James, Hillary Lindsay, and Gordie Sampson.
Smith is excited to be working on a new album due out in 2013. She recently raised $12,000 for the project via her successful Kickstarter campaign. She is confident in knowing it will be the most authentic reflection yet of her an artist.
Smith is touring, recording, dreaming and she adds; "Oh yeah,"I'm also obsessed with Pinterest, the mountains, Earl Grey tea, and finding things to laugh at! When I was little, I accidentally swallowed bubbles, and when I yelled for my mom, a bubble popped out." Beautiful, child-like, mysterious and unpredictable…Jessie Smith.
