Second in our 3-Part music series: The Sound, The Words, The Voice is Fort Worth songwriter Cameron Smith.
The WORDS
Photography by Jessica Waffles
The first time I caught a Cameron Smith performance was mid-2024 at Magnolia Motor Lounge songwriter night. He came gangly & in tow with friend & songwriter Kevin Johnson, toting a harmonica & a curiosity about him. I was immediately floored by his songwriting in the kind of way that makes your brain hurt overthinking the lines; & I made it a point to follow along his music journey.
In a world full of honky tonkers & rockstars, there are diamonds in the rough that still sound like Joan Baez, feel like Leonard Cohen, care about the word-smithing like Bob Dylan. Smith is a piercing reminder that genuine art still exists. His debut full band album "Gold & Rust" releases on September 12th, with a taste aired in singles "The Way Life Ought to Be," "Not in Our Stars (the Fine Game of Nil)," & "Blood Mouth (Call it the Blues)." It's deeply thought out, almost orchestral; meticulously planned through & through-- a far production from his usual songwriter-with-a-long-thumbnail & whisker pincher performances. I feel like this is Smith's version of Bob Dylan's step out into rock'n'roll/electric at the '65 Newport Folk Festival.
This conceptual record follows a western narrative about "an epic of love, ambition, betrayal, & redemption." Single "The Way Life Ought to Be" features singer/songwriter Presley Haile, adding a melancholic hit of feminine distress. "Blood Mouth (Call it the Blues)" featuring Haile released yesterday, as well. It's hope-bringing to see two songwriters who ferociously care about their craft work together.
Smith's writing evokes emotion. His songs force you to stop, to feel, to listen.
"Weird & in their own lane."
"There's a lot of artists that I really admire," said Smith. "My tops would be Townes Van Zandt, Leonard Cohen, Guy Clark, Bob Dylan... but also Karen Dalton. A lot of my friends inspire me, everyone who is weird & in their own lane. That's what I like."
And that's apparent. Smith is a caretaker of storytelling. His original songs like "Nurikabe" & "You Won't Look Back" have stunning lyrics of melancholia, need for spiritual manifest destiny, & the search for the meaning of it all.
Track "Shadows in the Moonlight" will be on the Gold & Rust album, but previously released live & reigns one of my favorites by Smith. There's a line in there reading "it's formless darkness taking shape" to which I audibly GASPED. The deepness within Smith's words take listeners through layers of thought, recognizable in visceral imagery. The album gets its namesake from this tune with lines:
"Where first lights of morning touch / & the sky will host that daily pageant / of purple, crimson, orange & such / like gold & rust / He'll be driving that herd / to the morning sun"
While this full band project is a new sound venture for Smith, his live acoustic performances & guitar picking hold their own. You can hear the dedication to his guitar in the gentle way he picks a melody or the physical evidence of a worn pick guard. There's also an art to the mouth harp. Smith doesn't do the Bingham wail, but rather intentionally places frequencies to add to the feeling of the music, the flow of the mood. The harmonica is a vessel to the heart where the words linger in your mind.
Ironically, there aren't enough words of praise to describe Cameron Smith & his remarkable mind. I don't feel like I can do it justice by telling you to listen, but one thing is for certain: you MUST catch a live show if you're in the Fort Worth area or wherever he turns up. It's one of those things I cannot adequately explain, but something you need to experience to understand. Words mean different things to different people. They punch us in the gut while others leave a tender kiss, but it all depends on what YOU hear when an artist sings their truth. This is why I chose Smith for the WORDS portion of this series, & I'd love to know which of his words stick out to you.
You can catch Smith TOMORROW at Hico Hall's Slow Ride Sundays from 3-5 or check him out on all streaming platforms. As always, if you have a Cameron Smith story or something you'd like to say about the article, please leave us a comment in the comment section!
Our final portion of the series the VOICE goes live tomorrow at noon with Michael Cusack, a talent from another time we just to happen to get to hear now. See you tomorrow!