Global InformationJo Smith information
Jo Smith | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joanna Shae Smith |
| Also known as | Joanna Smith |
| Origin | Crestview, Georgia, U.S.[1] |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Guitar |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Columbia Nashville RCA Nashville SMACKRecords |
Joanna Smith is an American country music singer. Before graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2018, she attended Auburn University for one year before pursuing a music career by playing with Mustang Sally at age eighteen. After leaving the band she began songwriting and recording demos. After signing to a publishing contract with Big Borrassa Music, she wrote two songs for other artists, including "Flying By", which was recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus on his 2007 album Home at Last.[1][2] Also in 2007, Smith's rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was included on the Song of America compilation album.
In 2010, she signed a contract with Columbia Records Nashville and released her debut single, "Gettin' Married".[3] The song charted on Hot Country Songs and was made into a music video, directed by Trey Fanjoy.[4]
Stormy Lewis of Roughstock gave Smith's song a four-star rating, comparing it to the Dixie Chicks and Lorrie Morgan.[5] Jim Malec, writing for American Twang, gave it a thumbs-down, calling Smith's vocal "shrill and thin".[6] In August 2011, Sony Music Nashville announced that Smith and labelmate Bradley Gaskin will transfer to BNA Records as part of a corporate restructuring. After BNA closed, she moved again to RCA. That label released her third single, "We Can't Be Friends". It received 4.5 stars from Taste of Country.[7] A fourth single, "Girls Are Crazy", was released to country radio on April 29, 2013.
In 2014 Joanna, also known as Jo, signed a publishing deal with Shane McAnally's company SMACKSongs.[8] In 2016 she released an EP under the name Jo Smith called Introducing Jo Smith.[9] The EP was produced by Shane McAnally (Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, Old Dominion) and Jesse Frasure (Thomas Rhett). The lead single, "Old School Groove"[10] was released as a Sirius XM Highway Find in early 2017. She has been included in Nashville Lifestyles' 2017 Ones to Watch,[11] Rolling Stone Country's New Artists You Need to Know,[12] and premiered the music video for "Old School Groove" on CMT.[13] Currently she is the cohost on Coffee Country and Cody on Circle TV network.
- ^ a b "Joanna Smith biography". CMT. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Joanna Smith" (PDF). William Morris Entertainment. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Columbia Nashville's Joanna Smith Unveils "Gettin' Married"". Sony Music Nashville. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "CMT : Videos: Joanna Smith : Gettin' Married". Country Music Television. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ Lewis, Stormy (September 2, 2010). "Joanna Smith — "Gettin' Married"". Roughstock. Archived from the original on September 9, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ Malec, Jim (August 4, 2010). "Joanna Smith — "Gettin' Married"". American Twang. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Joanna Smith, 'We Can't be Friends' – Song Review".
- ^ "Jo Smith". SMACKSongs. 2016. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ "Introducing Jo Smith". iTunes. October 14, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ Skates, Sarah (March 17, 2017). "Jo Smith Drops 'Old School Groove'". Music Row Magazine. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ Hammond, Valerie (2017). "Nashville Lifestyles' Ones to Watch in 2017". Nashville Lifestyles. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ McKenna, Brittney (May 9, 2017). "10 New Artists You Need to Know: May 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ Stephens, Samantha (May 10, 2017). "Jo Smith's Soul-Searching Evolution". CMT.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.