by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
Chris Smither is one of folk’s legendary purveyors–a grizzled troubadour dating back to the Bob Dylan era. It was fitting indeed to feature an artist of Chris’ iconic standing at Hacking Cat’s 400th show. Now in his sixties, and after surviving the 70s drug scene, Chris started recording again 22 years ago as an artist who had rededicated himself to continuing to write noteworthy songs and performing with a new found purpose.
When I met Chris before his set, he exuded a road-weary spirit–a man who has finally come to terms with his life as gypsy singer/songwriter. Chris is out touring to promote his 12th album, Leave the Light On. His humor is self-deprecating and funny. Between songs he spins tales of romances gone bad and his struggles to keep his name on the marquees of folk clubs and festivals. He wears a cynical smile of someone who has been beaten up by life, but was able to get back on his feet and start again. Now, Chris’ second coming is much more satisfying as a respected wise sage of songwriting.
Chris uses a flowing finger picking style that is precisely nuanced with clever improvisations. His world-worn voice delivers his songs as a road-seasoned troubadour wrestling with the big questions of life, death, love, and love’s lost promise. His sense of humor saves him from letting his cynicism turn sour.
Listening to Chris perform Leave the Light On conjured up images of my lonesome walks through the East Village on Sundays too many years ago. His voice has a slight waver indicating his hard times way back in another age when folk artists were paying homage to all the singer/songwriters who have gone since then. ‘Shilling for the Blues’ has a mournful quality steeped in blues tradition. As in all of Chris’ songs, his voice blends in with the music becoming part of his total performing style. His guitar playing is so fluid it’s mesmerizing. The combined effect of Chris’ voice and guitar flowed into my consciousness like a warm feeling of peace. Chris’ foot-stomping had its desired percussive effect, punching the song with infectious rhythm.
“If down was up you couldn’t get much higher” Chris sang on ‘Seems So Real’ with a funky rhythm and deftly executed blues figures. I was so in-the-moment I was paralyzed with instant recognition of a time long ago when words and music came together defining my feelings. When Chris sang ‘Cold Trail Blues,’ I could feel his pain searching for something to hold on to as he traveled the long trails to finding love, but came up empty. “Cold trail blues – something I needed but just couldn’t see. There’s a whole new crowd here... they don’t seem to care.”
Chris adds his distinct style to Dylan’s haunting ‘Visions of Johanna.’ Chris transcribed the song into his soulful delivery, making it his own, relating to Dylan’s image-rich poetry, and expressing it as his own feelings. “These visions of Johanna make it seem so cruel... harmonicas play....and these visions of Johanna are all that remain!” Yeah, it takes me back to seeing Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival.
For me, experiencing Chris play was a trip back in time. It locked me in a time warp with clouds of pot smoke and sweet tea as the blues echoed from everywhere and we waited impatiently for the next Beatles or Bob Dylan album. Chris was my time machine that took me back and suddenly it was back to the future of 2007–and I, like Chris, had made the journey alive with a new purpose and feeling the joy of the moment.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
