What is your name?
Danny Smart
What is your genre of music?
Country/Rock/Blues
Give us a little bio about you.
My name is Danny, I’ve been playing guitar since I was around 4/5. I started playing guitar and singer after listening to Johnny Cash’s ‘I Walk The Line’ at a school assembly. I then decided to start writing after getting into artists such as Jake Bugg, Ed Sheeran, Nina Nesbitt. Released my first and second EPs which made me really develop as an artist and opened my eyes to great music which brought me to where I am now. I play with my band as The Danny Smart Band and we just enjoy playing good music!!!
Are you a signed?
No, not my kind of thing at the minute!
You are releasing your EP ‘ Be With You’ in July , whats the meaning behind? (*August)
The tracks on the EP are songs that I have wrote whilst being with my band. Similar to my previous projects, they are tracks about my life at the time. I think writing songs like this is the best way to be honest and express myself through my music. As well as my own experiences, the tracks are inspired by things I see out and about. People are inspiring!
Tell us more about some .of the tracks on the EP.
The first track,‘Be With You’ is a track about wanting to stay with someone through the good times and the bad and just sharing things that you love about someone. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t!
And the next track Go Go Go, is a track about Jealousy really. About thinking too much into things and wanting the feeling to go away cos you realise how much of an idiot you’re being!
Are you heading out on tour with the EP?
I’m not on an official tour really. Me and the band have plans to take the tracks to different places through busking around the country. Although we are playing some shows more North such a Scarborough, I find a local following is the thing we’re after at the minute!
If so which cities will you be going?
Some places we’d like to take to is Leeds, Manchester, York, Liverpool. We will see how it goes!
What made you go in to music?
As a youngster, my parents signed me up for guitar lesson at school (I hated it!) and then as I mentioned in my bio I learnt how to play Johnny Cash’s song Walk The Line after we all sang it at a school show. I was amazed by the words and the chord changes. So I then heard more Johnny Cash in car journeys with my parents and then decided to learn the full ‘The Legendary Johnny Cash’ 2cd album! It all went on from that.
Do you have any festivals you wil be playing this year?
Yes, we played our local Live In Barnsley Festival, although not on the official line up we are playing West Street Live in Sheffield for the Tramlines weekend. We are also playing Staxtonbury Festival in Scarborough. (Which also coincides with my birthday! Bring on the beer!)
Do you play any instruments?
Yes I play guitar as my main instrument and can just about knock a tune out on a piano, ukulele and maybe banjo! (You can forget drums)
Who are your influences?
Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, Ed Sheeran, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix… the list goes on!
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
It could be from anything. I see something when I’m out and about, I talk to a person and they say a lile that Inspires me or a person or event inspires me to put pen to paper!
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I think progress is essential, hopefully more gigs, better songs, more fans and a wider spectrum of locations.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I like to find things out, I think learning something new every day is important! But I like catching up with friends and being down my local!
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
When Ed Sheeran started to get his popularity in the mainstream and releasing his music, I saw his live video on SBTV of ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ and he really inspired me as a solo artist to up my game and I discovered that if Ed can do it, why can’t I? So I decided to start writing and practicing more!
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
I had the pleasure of meeting Passenger after supporting Ed in Doncaster as he was signing his albums at the merch stand. I asked him if he ever had any advice for an upcoming artist and he said something along the lines of ‘take every opportunity you get no matter how s*** it seems, because you just never know!’
Also I have to admit a friends’ dad gave the best advice to me too he said ‘stick with it, and make a f****** fortune out of it!’ that made me chuckle and inspired!
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Just be yourself and enjoy what you’re doing. And don’t just do what seems to be ‘cool’
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
All I can do is be me, whoever that is – Bob Dylan
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
My guitar, the set list, the words (hopefully), my nerve and the main thing I never forget is to make sure everyone is having a good time!
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yes!! Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Soundcloud everything is all Danny Smart music (Except insta which is dannysmart_)
