Chris Smither
Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his motherβs ukulele. βUncle Howard,β Smither says, βshowed me that if you knew three chords, you could play a lot of the songs you heard on the radio. And if you knew four chords, you could pretty much rule the world.β With that bit of knowledge under his belt, he was hooked. βIβd loved acoustic music β specifically the blues β ever since I first heard Lightninβ Hopkinsβ Blues In My Bottle album. I couldnβt believe the sound Hopkins got. At first I thought it was two guys playing guitar. My style, to a degree, came out of trying to imitate that sound I heard.β
The 20th release, All About the Bones (release date: May 3, 2024 on Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert, distributed by Redeye) is as elemental as the inky black shadows cast by a shockingly bright moon. Featuring eight brand new Chris Smither songs and Smither renditions of Eliza Gilkysonβs βCalm Before the Stormβ and also Tom Pettyβs βTime to Move Onβ, the listener is welcomed into some gothic mansion on an imaginary New Orleans street, and there in the lamplit parlor confronts the band, a minimalist skeleton crew: Smitherβs inimitable propulsive guitar and rumbling baritone are joined seamlessly to producer David Goodrichβs carpetbag of instruments, Zak Trojanoβs rock-steady, primal drumming, BettySooβs diaphanous harmony vocals, and the flat, mournful flood of Jazz legend Chris Cheekβs saxophone. Recorded at Sonelab Studios in Easthampton MA by Justin Pizzoferrato All About the Bones has a feel that is somehow baroque and austere at once. In 2026, the independent film The Singers, in which Chris made his acting debut, won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. Directed by Sam Davis, Chris joined producer Jack Piatt and fellow cast members at the Oscars to celebrate. Minors ok with parent/guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS. If your billing address is located outside a 250 mile radius of Portland, you will need to purchase tickets either in person or by phone by calling (503) 764-4131, or our office at (503) 719-6055. Thank You!