Bill Smith
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Bill Smith

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"Bill Smith Is All Grown Up"

Who is Bill Smith? He used to be a funky little jam band who played around Steamboat. Then he parted ways with parts of himself and reconstructed as Hard Poor Corn. This was not the first transformation he had done. Parts of Bill used to be assembled in Bodacious TaTas, other parts in Earthtone, Whip, and Perfectly Frank. Being Hard Poor Corn was good for Bill; he started singing to his music and became focused on songwriting. Bill unearthed a natural talent for unique prose, and his friends really liked the lyrics. The words translated his musical art into a story that others could understand better. He smiled when they sang along. He really liked sharing and it made him so happy to see others singing his stories. Hard Poor Corn played happily for awhile, polishing his live act and exploring his songwriting abilities. But there was something missing…
That part of himself that parted ways ended up in Chicago. It was a piano player who churned funk and jazz out his fingers in a classical music style – ornate, detailed, complex, smooth, emotive. Hard Poor Corn didn’t feel like his true self without it. He wanted to look like Bill Smith again, but he wanted to keep Hard Poor Corn’s personality. So he gathered all his bits and pieces, making sure they were sewn together tight, and asked Benoit the Pilgrim to come along and keep him together. He went searching for his pianist in Chicago.
In a one-bedroom apartment overlooking the sprawling city, he reunited with his missing part, and like a key in the door, opened his eyes to find he was Bill Smith. He felt powerful, content, and hungry. Bill immediately went to his instruments and began to play. Yes, yes, oh God yes, he was back. For the fifth time in five years, Bill sought a drummer and scored big time. Bill thought about the course of events in his life had magically brought him to this single moment, to find the drummer he never knew he was missing, and to feel like a complete human being/band again. Six short months later, Bill released his debut album. There was no other choice for a title, it was he and he wanted everyone to know it, so he titled it: Bill Smith.
March 12 is the official release date of Bill Smith’s debut album. When I reached bassist Ean Smith on the phone, he spoke with ease and confidence about the band, as though he knew all along that they would succeed. Ryan Chamlin (keys) is successfully networked in Chicago and got the group some time in a professional studio for a fraction of the normal cost. It is good to have friends in the business. Dan Koebnick (guitar) continues to write lyrics and has encouraged Ean and Ryan to sing as well. Bob Elchert (drums) used to play with Oregon band Jupiter Hollow where he refined his jazz and percussion abilities. He compliments Bill Smith’s style naturally. And of course, The Pilgrim does a little hip-hoppin’ with them occasionally.
Listening to the album, I barely recognize the little Bill Smith I used to know. He is all grown up now, full of character, charm, and talents. His sounds stray into bluegrass and Latin jazz; most everything they do is original and unique. For fun, they cover Sublime, Ween, ZZTop, and New Kids on The Block. But who can forget the night at Levelz years ago when Yob helped them cover Young MC’s “Bust A Move?”
Nowadays, Bill Smith channels John Scofield, Phish, and Medeski Martin, and Wood in their sounds. The tracks on the album are varied, the instrumentation is polished, the sound is tightly woven. It is not a premature release; rather it is perfectly timed in their career. You can get your copy of Bill Smith when they come to Colorado for a mini-tour. First stop is in Ft. Collins on March 16, then Steamboat for St. Patrick’s Day at the Tugboat. They’ll have a few days in town to sign autographs and catch up with friends, family, and champagne powder. Buy them a lift ticket if you really missed them and loved the show. If you end up too drunk to them at the Tugboat, they return to Steamboat on March 24 at Mahogany Ridge. Check their website of My Space page for the complete schedule.
Bill Smith is all grown up now and heading out into the world. Send them off on the right foot by dancing your heart out at the show and at home with your own copy of Bill Smith. You, as a Steamboatian, are a little part of them, too.
- Rock'N'Roll Nichole (The Steamboat Local)


"Bill Smith Is All Grown Up"

Who is Bill Smith? He used to be a funky little jam band who played around Steamboat. Then he parted ways with parts of himself and reconstructed as Hard Poor Corn. This was not the first transformation he had done. Parts of Bill used to be assembled in Bodacious TaTas, other parts in Earthtone, Whip, and Perfectly Frank. Being Hard Poor Corn was good for Bill; he started singing to his music and became focused on songwriting. Bill unearthed a natural talent for unique prose, and his friends really liked the lyrics. The words translated his musical art into a story that others could understand better. He smiled when they sang along. He really liked sharing and it made him so happy to see others singing his stories. Hard Poor Corn played happily for awhile, polishing his live act and exploring his songwriting abilities. But there was something missing…
That part of himself that parted ways ended up in Chicago. It was a piano player who churned funk and jazz out his fingers in a classical music style – ornate, detailed, complex, smooth, emotive. Hard Poor Corn didn’t feel like his true self without it. He wanted to look like Bill Smith again, but he wanted to keep Hard Poor Corn’s personality. So he gathered all his bits and pieces, making sure they were sewn together tight, and asked Benoit the Pilgrim to come along and keep him together. He went searching for his pianist in Chicago.
In a one-bedroom apartment overlooking the sprawling city, he reunited with his missing part, and like a key in the door, opened his eyes to find he was Bill Smith. He felt powerful, content, and hungry. Bill immediately went to his instruments and began to play. Yes, yes, oh God yes, he was back. For the fifth time in five years, Bill sought a drummer and scored big time. Bill thought about the course of events in his life had magically brought him to this single moment, to find the drummer he never knew he was missing, and to feel like a complete human being/band again. Six short months later, Bill released his debut album. There was no other choice for a title, it was he and he wanted everyone to know it, so he titled it: Bill Smith.
March 12 is the official release date of Bill Smith’s debut album. When I reached bassist Ean Smith on the phone, he spoke with ease and confidence about the band, as though he knew all along that they would succeed. Ryan Chamlin (keys) is successfully networked in Chicago and got the group some time in a professional studio for a fraction of the normal cost. It is good to have friends in the business. Dan Koebnick (guitar) continues to write lyrics and has encouraged Ean and Ryan to sing as well. Bob Elchert (drums) used to play with Oregon band Jupiter Hollow where he refined his jazz and percussion abilities. He compliments Bill Smith’s style naturally. And of course, The Pilgrim does a little hip-hoppin’ with them occasionally.
Listening to the album, I barely recognize the little Bill Smith I used to know. He is all grown up now, full of character, charm, and talents. His sounds stray into bluegrass and Latin jazz; most everything they do is original and unique. For fun, they cover Sublime, Ween, ZZTop, and New Kids on The Block. But who can forget the night at Levelz years ago when Yob helped them cover Young MC’s “Bust A Move?”
Nowadays, Bill Smith channels John Scofield, Phish, and Medeski Martin, and Wood in their sounds. The tracks on the album are varied, the instrumentation is polished, the sound is tightly woven. It is not a premature release; rather it is perfectly timed in their career. You can get your copy of Bill Smith when they come to Colorado for a mini-tour. First stop is in Ft. Collins on March 16, then Steamboat for St. Patrick’s Day at the Tugboat. They’ll have a few days in town to sign autographs and catch up with friends, family, and champagne powder. Buy them a lift ticket if you really missed them and loved the show. If you end up too drunk to them at the Tugboat, they return to Steamboat on March 24 at Mahogany Ridge. Check their website of My Space page for the complete schedule.
Bill Smith is all grown up now and heading out into the world. Send them off on the right foot by dancing your heart out at the show and at home with your own copy of Bill Smith. You, as a Steamboatian, are a little part of them, too.
- Rock'N'Roll Nichole (The Steamboat Local)


Discography

Bill Smith - Self Titled (2007)

http://www.billsmithmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/billsmithmusic

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Bio

Taking new steps on the grand musical journey, Bill Smith has found the ability to ferment futuristic songs with classic rock instrumentation and has been leaving music fans in Chicago breathless with their heavy hitting sound. Featuring a repertoire of solid original songs seething with hooks and tastefully chosen covers, this is a band that holds a consistently high level of energy through out their sets. Late in 2006, the songwriting tandem of Ryan Chamlin and Dan "Dank" Koebnick would reunite, Dank making his way down from the Rocky Mountains to pursue a life of music in the city of Chicago. Shortly after settling in, they found their drummer in Bob Elchert, with a diverse sound and years of professional experience under his belt, he was a perfect fit, and Bill Smith was reborn. Although Ryan, Dank and Bob all met at the Shining Stars Music Festival in Cave Junction, Oregon, they didn't play a note together until they came together as Bill Smith three years later. The recent addition of Drew Littel’s talents to Bob Elchert’s drumming has birthed a duosonic rhythm team remenisant of Hart and Kreutzman. Their combined talents create a steady foundation for the band’s other fresh but dexterous member, bassist Patrick Dinnen who joined the line-up in the fall of 2007. The tour de force that is Bill Smith can be seen playing shows in and around the Chicago area. The versatility of their sound, which spans from acid jazz to mountain bluegrass, appeals to a wide variety, while the band itself has a distinct identity that anchors their music. Members of Bill Smith have perform with or opened for such national acts as Galactic, Umphrey's Mcgee, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Steele Pulse, Jon Fishman, Merle Saunders, Maktub, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Great American Taxi featuring Vince Herman, EOTO and Lotus.