Dwayne "Smitty" Smith Interview Page 4

Smitty: And you took the time to thank a lot of great people in your life and to really bring this record to life with the liner notes as well as the music.

DSS:  Oh yes.

Smitty: So what’s coming up for Smitty?  You’ve got this record out, you’re kickin’ it in D.C., and you’re doing your thing across the country…what’s coming up?  Any projects in the works with other artists or what’s happening?

DSS:  Well, I’ve been doing a lot of stuff with different guys. I’m getting ready to do some stuff with Peter White and Jeff Lorber and Everette Harp, as a matter of fact, when I get back next week, so the guys are keeping me busy.

Smitty:  Rightly so.

DSS:  We’re still supporting those guys.

Smitty:  Yup, absolutely.  Can I mention a friend that you have listed in your liner notes?

DSS:  Who is that?

Smitty:  Jabari Warfield.

DSS:  Oh, you know Jabari?

Smitty:  I know Jabari.

DSS:  Oh, man.

Smitty:  He’s so cool and, you know, I owe him a phone call, and when I saw his name in the liner notes, I said “Oh no, Jabari.”  (Both laughing)  That is one of my coolest friends, man, I tell ya, and I tell ya, it’s a blessing that you know him because he’s true blue.

DSS:  True blue, wonderful brother.

Smitty:  I know that I mentioned her before but talk to me about this wonderful young lady that you and I both know very well, and whatever she does, no matter what she touches it just turns to gold and platinum. She’s just a wonderful person and that’s the lovely Ms. Gail Jhonson.

DSS:  Gail Jhonson.  Philadelphia girl. Sweetheart, sweetheart girl.  All musicians love her because she’s just such a cool person. Gail and I go to church together. We go to the same church in L.A., North Hollywood, California. She’s the musical director for the kids’ choir and I have two girls who she directs and she teaches them piano, and so I had this idea to do “Amazing Grace” and I was running out of time on getting the record done, so I called Gail up the night before I was going to master and I said “Gail, I need to do something with ‘Amazing Grace.’  Do something for me.”  And so the next morning she sent me a CD with this beautiful piano and strings and Rhodes, and I went in the studio, played my bass for about an hour, had the track, and I went to master it.

Smitty:  That’s incredible.

DSS:  And we never got together, never talked about a direction or anything.

Smitty:  Wow.

DSS:  Gail is a truly blessed musician.

Smitty:  Yes she is.

DSS:  I love her, I love her.

Smitty:  Yeah, and you gotta have faith in someone to do something like that and you couldn’t have picked a better person than Gail because she’s just got such a vibe.

DSS:  Yes she does, a very musical person, great writer, and very good with orchestrating.

Smitty:  Yes indeed. Just ask Norman Brown.

DSS:  Right, right. We toured all last year together with Norman.  Norman and Peabo (Bryson) and Brenda Russell and Everette Harp, we did that tour (Summer Storm) last year. So that was nice to work with them.

Smitty:  Absolutely, man.  Well, continued blessings for you, my friend….

DSS:  Oh, you know, all praise to the Lord, man.

Smitty: ….and congratulations on this wonderful new record, and I know….I don’t have to hope….I know this is just the beginning of more to come.

DSS:  That’s right.

Smitty:  Yes indeed.  Well, Smitty, it’s a pleasure always, my friend, and it’s great to see you out there doing your own thing now, stepping up in front of the mike and kickin’ with the bass and giving us what we want.

DSS:  Well, thank you so much, Smitty.  I appreciate your time and your interest in my music, and you keep doing what you do.

Smitty:  Thank you, my friend.  I certainly will.  We’ve been talking with the incredible Mr. Dwayne “Smitty” Smith.  He has a wonderful solo project out.  It’s called This Is Me.  It is a plethora of funky grooves. Please pick up this record. I highly recommend it.  Once again, Smitty, best of everything in 2006 and I hope to see you soon on the road, my friend.

DSS:  Thank you, my brother.

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit: www.smittysmithbass.com