British Songwriter John Smith Announces US Tour

John Smith, beloved UK-based singer, songwriter, and guitar player, is pleased to announce his upcoming US tour to support his latest album The Fray which was released in March 2021.

"A lot of these songs are about accepting that life is hard, but just holding on and trying to enjoy it anyway," says Smith. "It's been a hell of a year, but I feel I've created my most honest work as a result-and as a necessity." And now, fans and critics alike are bonding with the defiant positivity found in Smith's writing on The Fray; his sixth studio album.

Smith will kick off his US tour on Jan. 12 in Galway, NY with other stops in the state including New York City and Woodstock. The bulk of Jan. will be spent on the east coast before heading west in late Feb. to play Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other markets in the region. A full tour listing is below and is also available here.

On this tour, fans should expect to hear what the Associated Press called, "a comforting sway to the album's melodic folk-pop, built on Smith's subtle guitar work...12 tunes of resilience, devotion and hope, with determination in the lyrics and buoyancy in the music." And given the nature of The Fray, the shows are sure to be a collective healing for Smith and fans alike, which is something Under The Radar made mention of when praising the album's single, "Hold On."

UTR's Caleb Campbell wrote about the song's "unrelentingly warm and uplifting" quality, adding that it is "as healing for Smith to write as it is to take in as a listener." And of course present on this run of shows will be Smith's guitar playing prowess, something fans and critics alike have admired and enjoyed during his decade-long career-even seeking the approval of Fretboard Journal who noted his "great guitar tone."

Smith co-produced The Fray with long-time friend and producer Sam Lakeman at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio. Calling on an all-star band-pianist Jason Rebello (Sting, John Mayer), bass player Ben Nicholls (Seth Lakeman, Nadine Shah), Drummer Jay Sikora (Paolo Nutini) and Jessica Staveley-Taylor of The Staves-Lakeman and Smith honed an honest sound not unfamiliar to existing fans; a focus on the songs as well as the beautiful way in which Smith picks and plucks them.

Not allowing a global pandemic to prohibit collaboration, Smith's guests on the album recorded remotely and sent their contributions digitally over international borders-Sarah Jarosz, Courtney Hartman, The Milk Carton Kids, and Bill Frisell from the Americas and Smith's frequent touring partner Lisa Hannigan via a virtual studio session in Dublin.

Smith was born in Essex and raised on the Devon seaside. Known for his intimate songwriting, his honey-on-gravel voice, and pioneering guitar playing, he has spent the last fifteen years touring internationally and has amassed over 60 million streams on Spotify. As a session musician, he has played guitar with artists as diverse as Joan Baez, David Gray, Joe Henry, Lianne La Havas, and Tom Jones.

Tour Dates

JANUARY
12c'n Bull - Galway, NY
13 Rockwood Music Hall - New York, NY
14 118 North - Wayne, PA
15 Levon Helm Studios - Woodstock, NY
19 Club Passim - Cambridge, MA
20 Spire Center - Plymouth, MA
21 The Word Barn - Exeter, NH

FEBRUARY
17 Ballard Homestead - Seattle, WA
18 Alberta Street Public House - Portland, OR
19 Stagelights Concert Series - Brookings, OR
20 Amado's - San Francisco, CA
21 Hotel Cafe - Los Angeles, CA
22 Musical Instrument Museum - Phoenix, AZ
23 Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA