Conner Smith Discusses The Creative Journey That Led Him To His New Collection, ‘The Storyteller’ [Exclusive]
Smith says they captured a true “moment of creativity” on this new project.
Conner Smith; Photo by Cooper Smith
Conner Smith’s musical journey continues with the release of his new, five-song collection, The Storyteller.
A Creative Awakening
Out now, the project marks a new chapter in the singer/songwriter’s career after signing with new management and experiencing a creative awakening.
“I started putting on songs at 20, signed a record deal at 18, a publishing deal at 16, and I’ve grown up so much,” Smith shared during a conversation with Country Now while backstage at Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour. “So kind of looking into this year, we put out my debut album in January and I’m always just writing songs… I had a moment after the record came out where I was just like, ‘What would I write if it was for nobody else other than me?’
This epiphany led Smith back to the heart of everything he does: songwriting and storytelling.
“I started kind of write songs again by myself and went down to Texas and cut this record. It’s five songs, one of which I wrote by myself called ‘Faith from a Farmer.’ And then the other four I wrote in two days back to back to back to back,” he explained. “We captured on this project, just this moment of creativity. And it’s definitely a different thing, but it is really just kind of storytelling, getting down to the heart of it.”
While the sound may be a bit of a departure from what Smith has released in the past, he said he is “fired up” about this release.
“As an artist, I just always want to let fans in on where I’m at, and these songs capture that moment, so I’m excited to see what the fans think of them.”
The Meaning Behind “Faith From A Farmer”
Listeners got an early taste of the collection with the release of “Faith From A Farmer,” the solo write that the 24-year-old previewed while out with Luke Bryan on Farm Tour. Smith admitted getting the chance to share the song with fans at these rural show locations was “really special.”
“You can just feel when songs connect with the crowd,” he pointed out. “And so playing this song here, obviously I get to kind of say something before because this song is really about the respect I have for farmers. It’s about just the faith it takes, the grit.”
@countrynow.com @Conner Smith is kicking off a brand-new chapter with his just-released EP, “The Storyteller.” #connersmith #thestoryteller #newmusic #countrymusic #farmtour ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com
Conner Smith, being the profound thinker that he is, revealed that the meaning of the song actually goes deeper than that.
“It was really kind of this analogy of being an artist where you can work as hard as you want, you can do all the right things, you can play as many shows, write as many songs, do the whole thing. But you never know what’s going to happen with the song, the song is the seed and then you put it out and see if the crop grows,” he explained. It was kind of this big analogy, but playing it out here on the Farm Tour, hearing people’s stories that align with the song every time we play it, it connects with people in a really cool way.”
On Writing “Nostalgia”
Another highlight of The Storyteller is the track “Nostalgia.” This is the most radio-friendly tune on the project and certainly a track that his fans will instantly connect with. Smith’s smooth vocals
“That’s my favorite emotion out of music is nostalgia. And I think of ‘Springsteen’ by [Eric] Church, that song captures nostalgia in a way that blows my mind. You hear it and you feel like music is the best time machine we have where it can take you back to an exact moment and exact memory and exact period of life. I’ve always loved that about music,” he shared.
When writing the song with Dwight Baker, who also produced the project, Smith wanted to write a song about that feeling of nostalgia and decided to just go for it.
“I was like, ‘What if we just hit it right on the head, call the song ‘Nostalgia’ and try to create that energy, that song.’ I love that song because I think that that one, with the fans that we’ve had throughout the last few years, that song is right there for the fans and just a continuation of what we’ve done, but also kind of has a more mature element to it.”
Smith says he’s looking forward to playing all of these songs, especially “Nostalgia” during his upcoming live shows.
The Tennessee native is set to embark on his Storyteller Tour this fall. For a complete list of dates, visit his official website.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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