Good Advice from Corey Smith

I interviewed singer-songwriter Corey Smith for the Savannah Morning News earlier this week because he's playing at the Shoreline Ballroom next Sunday. Smith is a solid model for independent success in the music industry. He went from playing covers in dive bars around Athens to headlining big shows with a devout following, all without sacrificing creative control.

I asked him what his advice would be to young musicians who might be where he was a few years ago, and I really liked his answer, so I'll share it with you here.

“Keep your priorities straight. It shouldn’t be about ego. It shouldn’t be about getting rich and famous. Obviously that’s an element that’s extremely attractive. It’s probably why most kids pick up a guitar in the first place is because they see a celebrity on TV and there’s this attraction to being rich and famous, but we need to ask ourselves what is most important in our lives—what do we want more than anything. I have to respectfully say that if that’s what’s most important then your priorities are out of order because that’s a pipe dream, and it will suck you under. For me, what was most important was family and friends and being true to myself—integrity. And once I established those priorities my music got a lot better, and my relationships with people got a lot better. Everything else really grows from that. Success grows from how you treat people, and how honest you are with yourself and other people. It’s more about what you’re working for, and what you’re doing, and how you’re doing it, and why you’re doing it. For young musicians the most important thing for them to understand is to get their priorities straight as a person, and then see what happens. You’re never going to be guaranteed success in this business, but at least you can be a happy person.”