Bell Buckle Music, Somerset, VA
Grammy-Nominated Roots/Bluegrass Artist Valerie Smith's Latest Album Renaissance Hits #2 On The Folk Alliance International Folk Chart While
Smith Was Named The #2 Artist Of September, and FOUR Of The Album's Songs Were In The Top 20
Bell Buckle, TN (November 2021 – Critically-Acclaimed, Grammy-Nominated American Roots Artist Valerie Smith has announced that her 18th album Renaissance has debuted at #2 on the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart for September, with FOUR songs landing in the Top 20. Smith was also named the #2 Folk Artist for September.
Five years in the making, Renaissance was released on September 3 and explored Smith's personal growth and her journey through learning, forgiving, and finding love within herself and others. The songs cover subject areas including love, regret, finding love, acceptance, and redemption. She's also included some upbeat, happy songs that encourage the listener to "move to the groove," as she says, and some lush ballads with meaningful lyrics and melodies that touch the soul.
Crossing multiple musical genres, Renaissance still stays true to Smith's signature sound encompassing an acoustic flair with a touch of bluegrass – all performed with exceptional musicianship. Produced by Smith and Tim Carter, it features two original tracks, "I'm Fine Bein' Me" and "A Dollar Looked Mighty Good" (co-written with Ashley Lewis), as well as 12 carefully chosen (and primarily new) songs by seasoned songwriters including Claire Lynch, Irene Kelley, Jude Johnstone, and Daniel Crabtree.
The album was meticulously-crafted and featured an all-star lineup of musicians, including Smith's long-time touring band Liberty Pike (Lisa Kay Howard Hughes, Wally Hughes, Tom Gray, and Joe Zauner) and special guests Stephen Burrell, Tim Carter, Tanya Dennis, Rob Ickes, Cody Kilby, Andy Leftwich, Tim Lorsch, Kevin McKendree, Bob Minner, Dave Roe, Jerry Salley, Sammy Shelor, Donna Ulisse, and Evan Winsor. A stirring number featuring Gospel greats The McCrary Sisters (Ann, Alfreda, and Regina) round out the record's sound.
In addition to the album's success on the FAI Folk DJ Chart, its advanced single "I Found" debuted at #5 on the Roots Music Report chart, #7 on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana Chart, and #8 on the FAI Folk DJ Chart in June 2021, and Renaissance was the most downloaded album on Airplay Direct in August 2021.
Smith has also written and recorded Maggie's Journal, a bluegrass-folk opera based on her great-grandmother's diary (release to be announced). She also tours regularly and continues to create music released by her company Bell Buckle Records. Bell Buckle Records, Media, and Radio houses a variety of talented artists, radio shows and creates video productions.
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About Valerie Smith
Originally from Missouri and now based in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and central Virginia, Valerie Smith, is an American roots artist and songwriter with a unique style and sound who has rocked the bluegrass world for almost two decades with a string of national and international tours, critically-acclaimed recordings, Grammy, IBMA, and Dove Award nominations. When you listen to Smith's unique and expressive voice, you can hear influences from bluegrass, blues, gospel music, and even Broadway show tunes. Her range is expansive, and she conveys a fantastic array of emotions. Smith has been touring and recording with her band Liberty Pike for 22 years (over7 with the current configuration), and she has 18 albums to her credit. She has appeared on various television shows, including Ronnie Reno's, the Bluegrass Underground, Song of the Mountains, PBS, and more.
Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike have rocked the bluegrass world for over two decades with a string of national and international tours and critically acclaimed recordings. Liberty Pike (Wally Hughes dobro and fiddle, Lisa Kay Howard Hughes, mandolin, Joe Zauner banjo, guitar, Valerie Smith guitar, lead vocals and featuring legendary Hall-of-Famer Tom Gray on bass), are audience pleasers as well as passionate musicians. Valerie is an award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter who has appeared on various television shows, including Ronnie Reno's, the Bluegrass Underground, Song of the Mountains, PBS, and more. Her single "From a Distance" (featuring Claire Lynch and Irene Kelley) has remained on the Grassicana charts for over a year. Valerie co-produced her upcoming album with Tim Carter (Renaissance - release September 3, 2021). "I Found" charted on the Folk, Grassicana, and Roots Music Report Charts, and "Heartbreak Hill" charted on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana chart. She has also written a bluegrass-folk opera based on her great-grandmother's "Maggie's Journal" (release 2022). In addition to many upcoming tour dates, the band continues to create music released by Bell Buckle Records.
Smith's hit single "Red Clay Halo" (Gillian Welch and David Rawlings) climbed the Bluegrass Unlimited, Country Music, and Americana reporting charts, receiving heavy radio airplay for five years. BU included the song in their list of the top 60 songs of the 1990s. Renaissance is the follow-up to her successful 2020 hit single "From A Distance" (Julie Gold), featuring Claire Lynch and Irene Kelly, which hit #1 in July of 2020 and spent an entire year on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana Chart as well as hitting # 2 for two months on the Folk Alliance International Folk DJ Chart. Her most recent album, "Renaissance, "has appeared on several genres across the indie music industry, such as Folk, Roots, Bluegrass, Country, Grassicana, and Gospel.
To hear songs from Valerie Smith's Renaissance, visit:
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/valeriesmithmusic/sets/renaissance-1
Link to streaming and downloading stores: https://ampl.ink/l2Kjb
The Renaissance album can be purchased as a hard copy or downloaded here:
Bell Buckle Records / Media
To learn more about Valerie Smith's Bell Buckle Records, Media, and Radio, visit:
Bell Buckle Records http://www.bellbucklerecords.com Bell Buckle Radio http://www.bellbuckleradio.com
PR Contact - Denise Kovalevich - DMK Publicity 609-828-0048
https://www.dmkpublicity.com Denise@dmkpublicity.com
To learn more about Valerie Smith, visit: http://www.thevaleriesmith.com
