For someone who has been quoted as saying that he doesn’t like writing songs but likes having written songs, words and melody seem to hit the great Chris Smither like a bolt out of the blue(s) every time he picks up a guitar and a pen. Today he announces his 20th album, All About the Bones, a signpost to the universe that he still means business. As he nears 80, the dedicated folk-blues singer-songwriter also announces an extensive tour.
The album was recorded at Sonelab Studios in Easthampton, MA by Justin Pizzoferrato (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., the Hold Steady), and maintains the simpatico musical relationship between Smither and longtime producer David Goodrich who plays on nearly every masterful track.
Smither has had a longtime association with Bonnie Raitt, and his songs have been covered by Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Josh Ritter, Loudon Wainwright III, Dave Alvin, Peter Case, Tim O’Brien, and Patty Larkin, among others. Though he’s been in the Boston area for many years, he grew up the son of a Tulane University professor and was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother’s ukulele. “Uncle Howard,” Smither says, “showed me that if you knew three chords, you could play a lot of the songs you heard on the radio. And if you knew four chords, you could pretty much rule the world.”
Premiering exclusively today is the performance video for the new album’s first single, “Down in Thibodaux.” With his signature beat-driven finger-picking, foot-tapping and playful vocal wisdom, Smither and company let the good times roll on this bayou blues, this Cajun dance party exalting his New Orleans beginnings.
Of the song, he tells American Blues Scene:
When I was a kid my next door neighbor was a man named Boudreaux from Thibodaux, LA. I made up the rest of the story as a chance to use a few French terms and throw out some cultural references from Cajun country.
The rhythm has a sort of Cajun feel to it, and Goody playing the diddley bow adds a perfect homemade touch to what is really just a home-made song in the nicest sense. Zak (Trojano) would fit in with any band at a fais do-do, and BettySoo can sing with any one, while showing my favorite smile.
TOUR DATES:
SA MAR 23 Eastham, MA – First Encounter Coffeehouse
SA MAR 30 Charleston, WV – Clay Center’s Walker Theater/Woody Hawley Concerts
FR APR 12 Elkton, MD – Elkton Mic Hall
SA APR 13 Blairstown, NJ – Roy’s Hall
SU APR 14 Tuckerton, NJ – Lizzie Rose
TH APR 18 Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts (Cloudbelly opens)
FR APR 19 Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center
SA APR 20 Brunswick, ME – Concerts for a Cae
WE MAY 01 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle Mic Hall
TH MAY 02 Nashville, TN – Bluebird Cafe
SA MAY 04 Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
FR MAY 17 Fall River, MA – Narrows Ctr for Arts #
SA MAY 18 Boston, MA – City Winery Boston #
SU MAY 19 Portsmouth, NH – 3S Artspace #
SA MAY 25 Pomeroy, OH Fur Peace Ranch #
WE MAY 29 Washington, DC – The Hamilton #
TH MAY 30 Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live #
FR MAY 31 Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios #
SA JUN 01 Northampton, MA – Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity #
TH JUN 06 Annapolis, MD – Ram’s Head On Stage #
FR JUN 07 New York City, NY – Iridium #
TH JUN 20 Madison, WI – The Bur Oak %
FR JUN 21 Evanston, IL – SPACE %
TH JUL 11 Berkeley CA – Freight and Salvage
FR JUL 12 Santa Monica , CA – McCabe’s
SA JUL 13 Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s
TH JUL 18 Portland, OR – Alberta Rose Theatre
TUE JUL 23 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
FR-SA, JUN 22 – 23 Effingham, IL – Moccasin Creek Festival
WE JUL 17 Eugene, OR – Shedd Institute
