Welcome to 2021, and we are here to get that party started. 2020 was complicated in so many ways, but here’s to the new year! If there is one thing I have learned during the past year, it is an appreciation for the small joys in life. Our next artist on Feed the Band shares that same sentiment. Brett Stafford Smith has staked his music career on celebrating the simple things, and I think that bet will pay off.
Getting to know an artist usually is my priority regardless of their popularity. I strive to find new artists and tell their story. Music is subjective, and our family here at Southern Fellow come from all walks of life. I try to avoid solely writing about music I like, but there are times I can’t resist. About six months ago, “Buddy With a Boat” dropped out of nowhere, and Brett Stafford Smith showed up on my radar. He gave me hope that guys like me still have a place in country music.
Country music is in a weird place. Nashville, country artists, and the music itself feels more Hollywood than the back forty where I grew up. At times, over the past twenty years, Nashville has tried to reach a wider audience. By doing that, they have left real good ol’ boys like me behind. Used trucks, cheap beer, and Friday nights lit up with headlights have been replaced with designer clothes, overpriced clubs, and sky-high buildings. Brett Stafford Smith seems to throw his fist up at these changes and vows to return country music to the average person just trying to get by.
“Buddy With a Boat” is still my favorite song of his. It does everything it set out to do. Brett created a track that celebrates the everyday guy and leaves him with a foot tappin’ good time. The party doesn’t stop there. It continues with his second release. “B.Y.O.B Weekend Party” lets the good times roll a few days longer. If you are not living these two tunes every weekend possible, you are doing something wrong with your life.
Brett Stafford Smith likes to rock, but there he also has a softer side. It’s shown off in his new single “Shoulda Married You”. It’s a story of love lost and past mistakes that Brett himself experienced. This single is different than the ones before it, but it’s no surprise if you take the time to know him. Brett Stafford Smith has learned to take inventory of himself and his music and adjust as needed. His new release is him doing just that.