Blues-Rock-Gospel-Retro Christian music, guitar oriented being compared to Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Robert Cray's classic recordings.
Warrior- Bert Smith
Mix in elements of Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Keb Mo, and a dose of Stevie Ray Vaughan with a Christian message. Throw in some tasty slide guitar and a producer like Rodney Dillard. Shake it all up with vocals like thunder rolling down a gravel road and what you get is Warrior , the debut Christian release from Bert Smith. A return to the time when recordings were geared to album rock format, with each song setting the mood for the next, not letting you go until the last notes fade from your speakers.
The goal was tone, to make a guitar based recording yet never letting the music get in the way of the message. Listening to the production is like looking into a crystal clear pool with everything floating in its own place. A timeless recording for fans of all ages.
WHAT CONSUMERS ARE SAYING.
A quality piece with a great deal of feel.
Reviewer: Max Evans
My wife received the CD from a family member. We finally got around to listening to it and was amazed at the words and message and the "feel" that comes through the medium in sound. The impact left a warmth and desire to hear more. Keep up the work, just hope more can be blessed by the message.
Wonderfull album
Reviewer: Rudy
I've bought a lot of LP's and CD's in my life and only very few have made it to my personal top 5 after listening to it only once but this album immediatly did! I've been listening to it for over a week now, twice a day -- when driving to my work in the morning and when going home from my work.. Bert Smith has a very, very pleasant voice and writes very strong lyrics and melodies. The album has been produced very well and what i liked most is the guitar playing. It is really thé kind of blues i like listening to. Makes my remind this other great (Christian) blues artist: Larry Howard. But it also remembers me of the great albums made in the 70's and 80's by Eric Clapton and Robert Cray. This is most certainly a must have album! Not only for those that listen to Christian music, but for anyone that likes the blues!
"Warrior"-Bert Smith
Bert's third CD "Warrior" represents the culmination of a lifetime of music. Starting out on his parent's local radio show and singing church music, Bert took up guitar in the seventies, becoming highly influenced by the singer songwriters of that era. It was in college that Bert was exposed to the music of Christian artists, who were truly pioneers in their field. The music of Keith Green, Randy Stonehill, Larry Norman, and Phil Keaggy brought Bert to performing solo concerts for youth groups and churches in the area. In the early eighties, Bert formed his first band. After more than twenty years of bashing it out in bar bands and recording two CDs of original rockin' blues, Bert met Rodney Dillard.
In April of 2002, Rodney took the time to listen to Bert's original material, in preparation for the third CD. It was the spiritual songs Bert had written that convinced Dillard out of retirement to produce him in a solo, guitar based, recording utilizing some of the Branson, MO area's finest talent.
"Warrior" presents 12 songs expressing a depth of recording not found in today's music industry. Though nothing in the mix covers the deep vocals and the sweet guitar, everything fits in its own place - but never obstructing the message at the heart of every song.
From the resonator blues of "Man from Galilee", the slide funk of "Father's Garden", the Clapton-esque ballad of "Talkin' to Thomas" or just plain ol' rock and roll of "Dancin' Shoes" fans of guitar tone will love the spectrum on "Warrior". The most emotionally stirring moments on the disc are the title track "Warrior" which takes a Celtic ballad feel and the powerful "Prayer for the Broken Hearted" which has been selected by C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for their nationwide promotional video. Written on 9-11 shortly after the attack, this song has much farther-reaching implications in today's world.
Its like ZZ Top meets Little Feat at a Muddy Waters tribute down at the full Gospel campground.
REVIEW-
WARRIOR / BERT SMITH
I remember Jerry Wexler commenting years ago on much of the great Rhythm and
Blues that came out of the '60s as "God's music with the Devil's words to
it". I've just listened to the new Bert Smith CD, "Warrior" and it speaks to
me as being somewhat the opposite. "The Devil's music with God's words to
it". Bert brings some great blues guitar to the table for his songs of
inspiration and faith. He also strikes us right in the heart with a voice
that sounds like thunder rolling down a gravel road, and manages to do so
with a magnificent simplicity and, without sounding preachy. Songs like
"Prayer For The Broken Hearted" cross a lot of lines and would work easily
in other genre's outside the Christian music market. For those that, like
me, are blues fans and who enjoy soul stirring lyrics, it's a CD that I
wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
John Townsend
Recording Artist
of the Sanford Townsend Band
REVIEW-
>Bert Smith manages to combine Blues and Gospel, using a 70's Southern
Rock foundation to keep the faithful swaying in their pews. With his
strong, bass voice, he brings a Bob Segar soulfulness to his songs. In "Man From Galilee," the slide guitar obviously reminds one of Bonnie Raitt and is such a great groove, even the non-believers will be tapping their toes. "Prayer For the Broken Hearted" reminds me of the band, The Call (their song, "Let The Day Begin"); it's
got that great sing-along melody that makes the listener want to join in
with prayer and love. There's a consistency throughout the entire CD that
>won't break the covenant between artist and fan. No doubt about it, Bert
Smith's "Warrior" will open your ears to the Lord.
-John Howard (Writer: for "American Songwriter Magazine") who has also written for
>"News 4U," "Evansville Business Journal" he is also writer of a series of essays for Indiana Public Radio)
REVIEW-
Title: "Warrior"
Artist: Bert Smith
Long time local blues favorite - Bert Smith released his 3rd and latest cd
entitled "Warrior" late last year. I received the cd about 2 months ago and
make sure I take most everywhere. I'll tell what I really like about it: I
can take it to a BSO meeting and play it in the house stereo and people want
to inquire, "Who is that?" I can also take it to church and play it overhead
and get the same question - "who is that".... pretty neat.
As to what you will find inside - 12 original tunes that Bert wrote and the
1st track - "Don't Take the Devil for a Ride" he co-wrote with Rodney
Dillard from Branson who also produced the album. You can't help but tap
your foot to the 1st track - it's got that funky/pop/swing blues to it that
deserves attention. Other favorites on the album are "Talkin' To Thomas" -
it sounds like Bert playing rhythm and lead guitar with singing in-between.
Kind of that "back alley blues" approach. After talking with Bert recently
he mentioned how impressed he was with Rodney Dillard's influence and
support for the album. Bert had originally thought this album would have a
few originals with some of his favorite covers. After Rodney heard a few of
the originals, he (Rodney) called Bert on a Wednesday night and said he
heard the spiritual connotation in Bert's music and suggested they go for a
full Christian album. Bert liked it and by the following Monday, had
written 6 more tunes for the album! After the initial meeting regarding
direction of the album on April 22nd, 2002 (Bert and his wife's wedding
anniversary) they hit the studio in early May and finished the final mixing
in October. "It was a great opportunity to work with Rodney as I felt that
I had the best of the best musicians in the Ozarks to work with," Smith
says. Because this was Bert's first solo album, Dillard arranged for
regional musicians like Clay Goldstein (harmonica), Marty Wilhite (bass),
Pete Generous (drums, percussion), Marvin Short (saxophone), Camille
Langsford and Kerry Cole (background vocals) and Bruce Hoffman (fiddle and
mandolin) to shore up the sideman efforts.
If you like the Santana groove - you will definitely like "Seeds" a song
that says "seeds are like people" - we all grow through life. "Ride That
Train" - track 6 has that 1-4-5 blues progression that we all know and
love...coupled with Bert's bluesy vocals, the background vocals (2 people)
at times sounds like the Sunday choir.
My favorite is "Prayer for the Broken Hearted" - a song that inspired Bert
from the September 11th WTC bombings, writing it the same day. Bert played
this one at the Memphis Bound competition, which happened to be at the same
time the tornado that struck our own neighborhoods, hitting that nerve that
triggers goose bumps.
As I've said before don't let your commercial buying habits influence your
music library. The big labels like Warner and Capitol do a great job at
promoting mass appealing music. What I would recommend is get to CPO
(Christian Publishers Outlet on the corner of South National and Republic) or
go to www.cdbaby.com/bertsmith and pick some of the Ozarks great homegrown
music.
Travis Wilson is a writer reviewer for the Blues Society of the Ozarks' Blues Letter
