AARON SMITH (Part 2): PUBLISHED ON PRX 10 /21 / 2023 - BEYOND A SONG originates in BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA and is sponsored by: THE BLUEBIRD NIGHTCLUB, REAL TO REELS RECORDING STUDIO, AND VISITBLOOMINGTON.COM

Beyond a Song host Rich Reardin interviews Arkansas singer/songwriter Aaron Smith. Aaron Smith is a man on a mission, but he’s no preacher. His songs hold a mirror to the mystery of human experience, searching for the meaning of love, family, heritage, kindness, doubt and grace. In vignettes injected with an infectious sense of hope and humor, the unlikely heroes of his songs -- grandmothers and grandfathers, street preachers and neighbors, the forgotten and lonely -- find courage, salvation and more than a few laughs in the everyday.

The influence of John Prine, John Hartford and David Wilcox is evident in Aaron’s driving guitar and banjo picking. His songs range from witty jazz to pensive, emotive ballads and southern roots grooves recalling The Steel Wheels. With timeless, singable melodies and foot-tapping bass and percussion, thoughtful lyrics are supported with a satisfying and entertaining musicality.

His latest album, The Legend of Sam Davis, is due in the summer of 2023 and plunges into the lore of Newton County Arkansas in every song and the included coffee-table book filled with essays, maps, artwork and family photos. 

Musical selections include: The Snow Child, Ab Clayborn, Dead Man's Hollow, The Daughter of My People, Bent Twigs and Hoof Prints, Looky There, Henri Martain

For more information, visit BEYOND A SONG.COM