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For more than two decades, Scott A. Smith has remained a dedicated musician and bonified guitar junky. This native Texan has weaved his way through a variety of musical styles ranging from Progressive Heavy Rock to Country. His primary guitar style could be best described as Progressive Rock thrown into a huge bubbling cauldron along with liberal amounts Blues, Country, Jazz, and various other musical and non musical influence. Scott’s hero and mentor list is vast. He cites every one from Charlie Parker to the Three Stooges as people who have had a positive effect on his guitar playing.
Over the years, he has spent much of his time on the road, in the classroom, and in the wood shed. The following is an approximate time line of what Scott has been up to:
1975 - First real musical experience. Junior High Band. Trumpet then Tuba then gave it up for girls and football until....
1979 - Receives first guitar from parents for Christmas and life is never the same again. Parents insist on serious Classical study. All is good until Scott hears Van Halen I at a party.
1980- Ditches the Classical guitar for a $150.00 Telecaster and joins a Rock Band.
1984- Decides to become a more rounded musician and returns to music school. Studies harmony and theory with Wally Smith at Texas Music Arts School while slugging it out on the local bar scene with heavy metal band Assassin.
1985- Studies at Houston Community College with Fusion Guitarist Mike Sunjka.
1986 to 87- Moves to Los Angeles to attend school at G.I.T. and be a part of the massive L.A. music scene. While at G.I.T., Scott studied with Steve Travato, Kieth Wyatt, Paul Gilbert, Frank Gambale, and Don Mock. He also attended master classes with Tommy Tedesco, Howard Roberts, Joe Passs, and Robben Ford. Scott also had the high honor of performing at his graduation cerimony as well as performing on the prestigious “1987 GIT Graduation Album”. After hanging around L.A. for a short time after graduation, and consuming his last bag of rhaman noodles, he returns to Houston.
1987-90 - Returns home to co-found the band Stride with classmates from G.I.T. The band performs epic rock instrumentals and enjoys much regional success. Opens for many national acts ranging from Molly Hatchet to Tony MacAlpine. Band generates label interest.
Scott also embarks on his teaching career at this time. He sets up shop at H&H music and then later moves to Evan’s Music City.
Also writes a monthly guitar column for a local music magazine called “The Rivethead”.
1991 to 97- Leaves Stride with to pursue education and other musical styles.
Learns to play the Pedal Steel Guitar in addition to learning Country Guitar. Begins six year stint as a hired gun for many of the local and regional Country and Variety acts. Here is a short list; Coors Light sponsored Rodney Lake Band, Bud Light sponsored Randy Pelt Band, The Kendricks, Shiloh, and Mark Alan Threadgill.
Travels extensively through China, Germany, all over Texas and many of the lower United States.
1998 to 99- Returns to school at Houston Community College to pursue further study music.
Gets bit by the Blues bug and joins a Blues band. Plays with Kenny and the Bluesmen while studying Jazz under the direction of Joe LoCascio. Plays on Kenny’s debut CD “Louisiana Hot Sauce”.
Begins working as an instructor for The National Guitar Workshop at the Austin, Texas campus.
2001-02 - Records and releases one more CD with Kenny and the Bluesmen entitled “The Real Thing”.
Starts own recording project at Sound Arts Recording Studio in Houston using any and all local talent he can get on board. Also starts Underdog Records and Overcat Publishing. Launches Worldwideguitar.com web site.
Takes some time out to study with Houston guitar legend Paul Chester.
2003-04- Joins the “Bah Humbug” project with buds from Stride to write and perform instrumental Christmas Guitar music. Records and releases “Bah Humbug” CD .
Continues with his higher education at Houston Community College where he most recently completed studies in Jazz Bass with Arik Nitzberg and performed as a Bassist in the HCC Big Band under the direction of Joe LoCascio.
Currently, Scott is playing regularly with the icehouse band “Bitter Creek” and teaching privately at his home, and at Great Southern Music. Both in Houston, Texas. He also continues to teach every summer with the National Guitar Workshop at the Austin, Nashville, Chicago, New Orleans, and Connecticut campi. High points from the workshop include swapping crude jokes with Red Volkeart, loaning some of his gear to Robbin Ford, and having Bill Kirchin show him the correct way to play “Hot Rod Lincoln”.
At the moment, most of his musical energy is spent writing to complete his solo CD he started in 99’. So far, the tracks on the upcoming CD are diverse and eclectic displaying many of Scott’s favorite guitar styles and influences with the emphasis on letting it all hang out. As far as when we can expect to hear this CD, Scott claims “...in about a year, barring catastrophes and left turns”.
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