Celebrated Country Music Singer-Songwriter Finds Inspiration in Unlikely Place
Celebrated for his impromptu lyrics and catchy melodies, country music singer-songwriter Ernest Smith said he first realized his knack for songwriting in sixth grade when he listened to the "Space Jam" soundtrack.
"I was ingesting rap at like, you know, second, third grade," said ERNEST.
His love for music blossomed in elementary school, where he honed his skills by freestyling at the lunch table and making up songs about friends.
"They throw out words, I'd make up rhymes. And that was, that was kind of like when I realized I had a skill for it," said ERNEST.
That skill has earned him nine No. 1 hits and led to ERNEST writing with and for some of country music's biggest names, like Kane Brown and ERNEST's good friend, Jelly Roll.
His songwriting took him to Nashville, where he signed a record deal and recently released an album named after his hometown, "Nashville, Tennessee."
"I call it 'Nashville, Tennessee' because the DNA of music city to me is, is based on and around songwriters and that's what I want to display throughout this whole album. I want to put songwriters on the map," said ERNEST.
But ERNEST's destination wasn't always clear.
ERNEST's journey began when he was adopted as a baby into a family where his dad was a baseball coach. Growing up on the field, he earned a scholarship to play in college. However, at 19, life took an unexpected turn when he suffered a heart attack due to a viral infection.
Reflecting on the moment he was told about his heart attack, ERNEST expressed his initial shock given his physical fitness, stating, "When they told me I was having a heart attack, I was like, wow, you know?" This event led him to make the decision to leave college baseball and fully focus on his music career, a choice that has proven to be successful.
Today, firmly established in the music industry, ERNEST is selling out shows and recently had the opportunity to perform for two nights at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This venue holds a special place in his heart, with ERNEST emphasizing, "This is the one venue you can't outgrow."
In a heartfelt tribute to his connection with the Ryman Auditorium, ERNEST named his son Ryman, aiming to pass on this special bond to future generations. He expressed his desire for his son to always feel connected to the venue and find solace in it even after he's no longer around.
ERNEST believes that now is the perfect time to share his unique perspective through his music, touching the hearts of his audience with his story and experiences.
"I finally had the chance to be a bit selfish with this record," he revealed. "I made the decision to keep these songs to myself, and I have no regrets about it. In the past, I've been generous with my music, but this time, I felt like I needed to hold onto these songs for myself."
