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Smithfield Fair

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Smithfield Fair
Smithfield Fair in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2019
Smithfield Fair in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2019
Background information
GenresScottish heritage, folk
Occupation(s)musicians, songwriters
Instrument(s)vocals, guitar, bass, accordion
Years active1973–Present
LabelsStevenson Productions
Websitehttp://www.smithfieldfair.com/

Smithfield Fair is a group of three musicians from Baton-Rouge, Louisiana. The members are Dudley-Brian Smith on vocals and guitar, Jan Smith, Dudley-Brian's wife on vocals and accordion, and Bobby Smith, Dudley-Brian's brother on vocals and bass.

According to R.U. Eddy in GrisGris Magazine, 2008, "Smithfield Fair, an almost-impossible-to-categorize folk/roots band has mesmerized audiences worldwide over the radio, television, film, clubs and concert halls...has earned praise for its tight arrangements, elegant song selection and some of the most haunting vocal harmonies this side of heaven."

Career

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Smithfield Fair began in Pensacola, Florida in 1973[1] under the name 'Laughter' as a project by Dudley-Brian[2] Smith and Dwight Beebe[3] to promote original songs sung with harmony and backed by acoustic instrumentation.[4] Joined by bassist Tom English, the trio's first recording contract came in 1974 when they worked with famed producer Bud Reneau (songwriter/producer, Dobie Gray and others) in Nashville. Dubbed by one reviewer as “the perfect café band”,[5] Laughter moved home in 1976 to Alexandria, Louisiana where Dudley's brothers Joel and Bob, auxiliary members since the start, joined full-time. The group changed its name to 'Charmer' and released its first single, 'A Place In Your Heart' in 1977 on legendary Floyd Soileau's One Way Records, expanding recognition regionally.[6]

Founding the independent Rapides Records in 1980, they issued their first album, 'Only the Wind' in 1981[7] followed by ‘Must Be The Gypsy’ in 1982 which boosted them into concert openings for such artists as Louisiana's LeRoux, Zachary Richard and Arlo Guthrie.[8] In 1983, Joel left to pursue other projects, but rejoined in 1985 for a time.[9] Also in 1983 singer/songwriter Jan Dedon Smith[10] joined brothers Dudley-Brian and Bob and the group continued concert appearances with artists such as Jesse Winchester, John Prine, John Fahey, Nancy Griffith; touring the South with New York's The Washington Squares;[11] and appearing at such legendary venues as Storyville Jazz Hall in New Orleans, Rockafella's in Houston, and even the 1984 World's Fair.[12]

By 1989 the group had moved toward the Scottish music[13] of their shared heritage,[14] and the group once more changed its name, this time to 'Smithfield Fair', blending traditional and original songs.[15] They were soon joined by nephew Frank Bladen on bodhran; who remained until late 2008. Smithfield Fair became recognized world-wide[16] as one of the foremost presenters of Scottish music in North America.[17] During this period, the group signed a four-album deal with Centaur World Records,[18] giving them international distribution.[19] Described by critics as “a folksy Supertramp” with a “definite Peter Gabriel vibe”,[20] they continued a busy performance schedule regularly working with a Who's Who of celebrated Celtic performers that included Alasdair Fraser, Eileen Ivers, Brian McNeill, the Battlefield Band, The Tannahill Weavers, Archie Fisher, Andy M. Stewart, and Alex Beaton. For twenty years, they received continual critical praise for the group's strong, seamless pairing of traditional and original songs, and enjoyed international radio and internet airplay.[21] However, the heritage movement began to wind down in the early part of the new millennium, so Smithfield Fair again focused on its original music.[22]

Performances continued at such venues as the Manship Theatre[23] and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,[24] and Smithfield Fair's music was increasingly used nationally in movies, television and web programs and radio campaigns.[25] Since 2015, the group's original song 'Sweet Sugar Cane' has been licensed by the Louisiana-based American Sugar Cane League and continues as a promotional theme.[26] Today, the group's longest-standing line-up[27] of Jan (vocals, accordion, guitar, piano), Bob (vocals, acoustic bass, percussion) and Dudley-Brian Smith (vocals, acoustic guitars, mandolin) continues to actively perform and release new, original music – with album number 35 released in 2022.

Discography

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Festival appearances

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References

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  1. ^ Folk Group Will Play ‘RadioLive’, Troy Moon, Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, Florida, September 1, 2017
  2. ^ ‘Fair’ Plays, David Dinsmore, Alexandria Daily Town Talk, Alexandria, Louisiana, August 28, 2009
  3. ^ Talent Winners, NAS Pensacola, GOSPORT, Pensacola, Florida, September 1975
  4. ^ RadioLive Returns, Julio Diaz, Pensacola New Journal, Pensacola, Florida, September 3, 2017
  5. ^ CUMTUX, A Little Bit Of The Best, ECLIPSE, Pensacola, Florida, December 18, 1975.
  6. ^ Brothers Make Folk Music, Nannette Russell, Alexandria Daily Town Talk, Alexandria, Louisiana, December 19,
  7. ^ Charmer: Only The Wind, R.U. Eddy, FUN, The Morning Advocate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 1981
  8. ^ Tuning In To The Times, Douglas L. Leblanc, The Mornings Advocate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 6, 1982
  9. ^ Sweet Music: The Family That Plays Together, Rick Bentley, Alexandria Daily Town Talk, Alexandria, Louisiana August 19, 1988
  10. ^ From the Cradle to the Grave, Calvin Gilbert, FUN, The State Times, Baton Rouge, LA April 14, 1984
  11. ^ A New Generation of Folk, Russell Smith, Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas, January 25, 1988
  12. ^ Charmer, Promotional Brochure from Rapides Records, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1987
  13. ^ Old Souls, Barry Docherty, No Cover Magazine, New Orleans, Louisiana, Volume 1, Number 11, November 1989
  14. ^ Band Gets Closer to Celtic Roots, Danny Heitman, State-Times, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 27, 1990
  15. ^ Smithfield Fair: An Account of Traditions Passed on From Father to Son, Barry Docherty, No Cover Magazine, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 1990
  16. ^ Smithfield Fair, Bruce MacWilliam, SCOTS – Celebrating Our Heritage, Australia, Winter 2002
  17. ^ The Reel World, Tom Nelligan, Dirty Linen Magazine, October/November 2001. #96
  18. ^ Scattered Seeds of Scotland, Donna Fitch, Ceili Magazine, Dallas, Texas, March–April 1998
  19. ^ Music Review: Scattered Seeds on Centaur Records, U.S. SCOTS Magazine, February 1998
  20. ^ Ibid.
  21. ^ Rainsound Scottish Music, Soundsnew Magazine, Italy, October 22, 1999
  22. ^ Smithfield Fair: 20420/Charmer: The Perfect Café, Review by Lahri Bond, Dirty Linen Magazine, March/April 2009
  23. ^ B.R.’s World Famous Smithfield Fair to Perform at Manship Theatre, Mallory Keating, Neighbors Magazine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 2007
  24. ^ Only a Southern Song: Smithfield Fair Bring Big Harmonies to Jazz Fest, Kevin Yeanoplos, AXS Music, April 9, 2014
  25. ^ The Perfect Café, Gail Roberts, Ceili Magazine, Dallas, Texas, December 2008
  26. ^ Sugar News, Sam Irwin, American Sugar Cane League, April 2015
  27. ^ Evermore, Dan Willging, OffBeat Magazine, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2017
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