551:, and Israeli and Palestinian groups. He co-founded SongwritingWith:Soldiers in 2012 with Mary Judd to bring professional songwriters together with military members and their families to process the effects of combat and the return home. In 2021 he co-founded Frontline Songs to bring this therapeutic process to frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic. Through his Collaborative Songwriting, he works with corporate clients and individuals to use songwriting in corporate settings to help tell stories through song, and to foster greater understanding.
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Smith began drawing in his late twenties as a way to remain creative while traveling for music. What began a private exercise now makes up a major part of his work. His first gallery show was at Austin’s Bale Creek Allen
Gallery (2018). His work is in corporate and private collections in the US, UK
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a companion book for the album of the same name. Over the past two decades, Smith has developed two non-profit programs, The Be An Artist
Program (2003) and SongwritingWith: Soldiers (2011). Both use collaborative songwriting to work with groups ranging from children in the classroom to military
526:
Smith began writing songs with non-songwriters in 2003 with Smith founded The Be An Artist
Program in 2003. The program bringing arts and creativity into educational settings, including songwriting with students. Smith has brought this work to such diverse groups as homeless young adults at
501:(2022) was released in 2022. Smith continues to write songs for his own albums as well as collaborating with other writers on outside projects. He tours regularly, performing at venues across America and the UK.
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374:. Smith quickly got involved with Austin's burgeoning music scene, playing in small Austin venues like the Alamo Lounge, Taco Flats, and Waterloo Ice House. By the time Smith graduated with a
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Composed music for dance/theatre productions, including “9 Chains to the Moon” and “Walking on Water” for the
Johnson/Long Dance Company in Austin, TX (1988–94).
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477:(2010), a 15-track cycle of songs named for a remote town in West Texas, described by one reviewer as "a peak in 25-year songwriting career. His 2017 album
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Smith left
Columbia in 1995 and spent several years without an agent or label. He returned to recording through independent labels, which led to
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members returning home from combat. Smith established
SongwritingWith:Soldiers as a separate non-profit organization in 2012.
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Smith's early interest in music was sparked by singing in the local church choir, the "seat-rattling sound" of the church's
497:(2022) is multi-media work comprising a new studio record, a book of photography, lyrics, and essays. A spoken word album,
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273:, and the musical roots of his home state. His debut album, "Native Soil," was released in 1986. His sixteenth album,
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in
American Studies (1985), he was a regular on the local and Texas music scenes. He has one son and one daughter.
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414:(1988), which produced two country chart hit singles, “Little Maggie” and “Day After Tomorrow.” Later that year,
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Researched and produced “Songs From the Big Sky,” a radio documentary on Texas songwriters for
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1341:"Interview: Darden Smith Takes The Time To Discover 'Western Skies' • Americana Highways"
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or has been extensively edited by the subject or by someone connected to the subject
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469:, 2005). He self- released a collection of his favorites from his previous albums,
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322:. Smith began writing his own songs at age ten. In 1976, after his family moved to
430:(1989). After Smith's label deal with Epic was transferred to the pop division of
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1223:"Darden Smith: After All This Time: The Best of Darden Smith (Darden Music)"
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Arts
Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Oklahoma's School of Entrepreneurship.
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The Habit of
Noticing: Using Creativity to Make a Life (and a Living) (
440:(1990), best known for “Midnight Train” and “Frankie & Sue," and
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1490:"Darden Smith: Using Your Gift: Creativity in the College Classroom"
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Developed scripts and workshop performances of “Marathon” (2009–10).
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The Habit of
Noticing:Using Creativity to Make a Life (and a Living)
346:. His musical influences expanded when he moved to Austin to attend
1437:"UT Names Darden Smith its Inaugural Texas Songwriter in Residence"
1093:"Conversations With... Darden Smith | the Bluegrass Situation"
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602:, accompanied by dance performance inspired by composition (1999).
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446:(1993) which included the Top 10 pop hit single, "Loving Arms".
1465:"Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Scholars Program"
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Published "Using Your Gift: Creativity in the Classroom" with
257:-based singer-songwriter known for his lyrics and for weaving
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1069:"College of Liberal Arts | The University of Texas at Austin"
1004:"Nashville Songwriters Partner With SongwritingWith:Soldiers"
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series premiered at Houston’s Redbud Gallery in March 2022.
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was released March 25, 2022. Smith has published two books,
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Jerry Young, "Singer takes symphony in new direction,"
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and a teacher who taught him how to play every song on
931:"Darden Smith Hears Love Calling on August 27th Album"
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Composed “Grand Motion,” a symphony commissioned by
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It may need editing to conform to Knowledge (XXG)'s
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Ensign/Chrysalis; re-released Compass Records, 1996
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330:suburbs, Smith spent his teen years listening to
1019:"Writing Songs Provides Peace for Some Soldiers"
46:policy. There may be relevant discussion on the
453:, on Plump Records, and a trio of albums for
422:, introduced Smith to the British songwriter
8:
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1451:"Institute for Creativity and Innovation"
1389:"Darden Smith | Redbud Gallery | Houston"
1208:"Darden Smith - For the Sake of the Song"
358:, as well as musicians coming out of the
66:Learn how and when to remove this message
884:Label: Redi-Mix Records; re-released on
613:
1292:"Darden Smith: Everything Album Review"
942:(April 11, 2013). Accessed May 1, 2013.
902:
1248:"Darden Smith: Marathon Album Review"
916:Keith Kachtick, "Quick Change Artist
7:
1339:Shannon, Hannah Means (2022-03-28).
1246:Caligiuri, Jim (November 26, 2010).
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493:(2018) was published by Irie Books.
398:in 1986, Darden Smith was signed by
1576:American country singer-songwriters
1508:"BBC - Music - South By South West"
1290:Hernandez, Raoul (April 14, 2017).
956:"Darden Smith Songwriting Workshop"
1413:"Library of Congress Acquisitions"
298:, and accompanying his parents to
14:
1561:The Be An Artist Program Website
1556:SongwritingWith:Soldiers Website
1492:. Top News Today. Archived from
1017:Shevory, Kristina (2012-11-17).
1002:Jessica Nicholson (2013-04-09).
23:
1551:Darden Smith's Official Website
512:The Western Skies – Lithographs
402:to a publishing deal. In 1987,
390:Photograph by Stacy L. Pearsall
302:. By the third grade, he had a
1154:Kachtick, Keith (1996-10-01).
406:signed Smith at the inaugural
1:
1601:Singer-songwriters from Texas
663:Release date: August 27, 2013
562:University of Texas at Austin
481:was co-produced by Smith and
1606:Country musicians from Texas
630:Release date: March 25, 2022
983:"Songwriting With Soldiers"
783:Label: Valley Entertainment
645:Release date: April 7, 2017
560:Songwriter-in-Residence at
408:South by Southwest Festival
175:Singer-songwriter, educator
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1596:Singers from Austin, Texas
1591:People from Brenham, Texas
1535:Austin American-Statesman,
1365:"Bale Creek Allen Gallery"
1119:Darden Smith - Native Soil
499:Western Skies - The Essays
16:American singer-songwriter
1051:"Darden Smith: Biography"
846:and Darden Smith—Evidence
600:Austin Symphony Orchestra
569:Oklahoma State University
522:Collaborative Songwriting
249:(born March 11, 1962, in
87:
1369:Bale Creek Allen Gallery
1141:"Darden Smith Biography"
920:p. 70 (October 3, 1996).
633:Label: Bull By The Horns
1316:"The Habit of Noticing"
1296:www.austinchronicle.com
1252:www.austinchronicle.com
869:Label: CBS/Epic Records
567:Artist-in-Residence at
564:'s College of Fine Arts
348:The University of Texas
1073:liberalarts.utexas.edu
391:
300:country-western dances
100:Background information
1156:"Quick-Change Artist"
389:
283:Western Skies (2022),
44:neutral point of view
940:Direct Current Music
798:Label: Plump Records
767:Dualtone Music Group
749:Dualtone Music Group
731:Dualtone Music Group
208:Dualtone Music Group
1537:(November 4, 1999).
1439:. 7 September 2023.
1273:"Lesson in Passion"
790:Deep Fantastic Blue
714:Label: Darden Music
699:Label: Darden Music
691:After All This Time
684:Label: Darden Music
579:The Huffington Post
555:Other contributions
471:After All This Time
451:Deep Fantastic Blue
350:and was exposed to
319:After the Gold Rush
1453:. October 7, 2011.
1345:Americana Highways
1023:The New York Times
886:Watermelon Records
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110:Darden Craig Smith
1320:www.goodreads.com
1221:Armstrong, Gene.
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807:Little Victories
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485:and released on
455:Dualtone Records
443:Little Victories
432:Columbia Records
400:Dick James Music
394:After releasing
376:Bachelor of Arts
336:Townes Van Zandt
265:influences with
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826:Trouble No More
817:Label: Columbia
668:Compass Records
650:Compass Records
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487:Compass Records
437:Trouble No More
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420:Ensign Records
418:, the head of
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368:Elvis Costello
360:United Kingdom
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243:Musical artist
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537:South Africa
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233:.dardensmith
195:1986–present
191:Years active
82:Darden Smith
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56:October 2019
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1586:1962 births
1143:. AllMusic.
876:Native Soil
775:Extra Extra
610:Discography
589:BBC Radio 2
396:Native Soil
1570:Categories
1517:2023-02-17
1475:2013-04-06
1422:2022-10-12
1398:2022-10-12
1374:2022-10-12
1350:2022-10-12
1325:2022-10-12
1301:2022-10-12
1257:2022-10-12
1232:2022-10-12
1189:2022-10-12
1165:2022-10-12
1126:2022-10-12
1103:2015-06-18
1078:2022-10-12
1036:2023-02-17
988:2022-10-12
965:2022-10-12
897:References
640:Everything
533:New Jersey
505:Visual Art
479:Everything
340:John Prine
308:Neil Young
296:pipe organ
281:2018) and
180:Instrument
121:1962-03-11
106:Birth name
1031:0362-4331
757:Sunflower
596:Peter Bay
459:Sunflower
364:Nick Lowe
344:Bob Dylan
332:Guy Clark
326:, in the
290:Biography
263:Americana
158:Americana
48:talk page
676:Marathon
598:for the
549:HIV/AIDS
545:Botswana
475:Marathon
465:, 2004;
461:, 2002;
428:Evidence
362:such as
253:) is an
1184:Discogs
1055:Last FM
765:Label:
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591:(2006).
541:Sefhare
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328:Houston
313:Harvest
226:Website
166:Country
1122:, 1986
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888:, 1992
382:Career
370:, and
356:reggae
342:, and
304:guitar
255:Austin
200:Labels
184:Guitar
150:Genres
137:Austin
133:Origin
34:is an
739:Circo
617:Title
463:Circo
352:blues
141:Texas
1027:ISSN
539:and
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316:and
267:rock
261:and
259:folk
235:.com
162:Rock
154:Folk
115:Born
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271:pop
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