Nate Smith

A country singer and songwriter with a rich, warm voice and a gift for stories about the joys and challenges of everyday life, Nate Smith didn’t find success in Nashville until his second try in Music City, after he was given a powerful reminder of what he loved about his hometown. Smith’s music is strongly emotional but with a natural, low-key approach that complements the strength of his instrument, and he communicates an honesty that meshes with the home truths of his lyrics. He first made a name for himself when his deeply personal “One of These Days” became a viral success, and independent hits like “Sleeve” and “Under My Skin” led to his signing with Sony Music and scoring another success with the tender tale of long-term love, “I Don’t Wanna Go to Heaven.” In 2023, he released his full-length debut, Nate Smith, anchored by the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs single “Whiskey on You.”
Nate Smith was born in Paradise, California, a town in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Growing up, his tastes ranged from mainstream country stars like Garth Brooks and heartland rock heroes such as Bob Seger to the pop-friendly R&B of Michael Jackson and the gritty alternative rock of Nirvana. Smith took up the guitar when he was 13 years old, and his first musical home was a local church, where he became a worship leader and often performed as part of Sunday services. At the age of 23, he left California for Nashville, Tennessee, where his talent won him a recording contract with Christian music label Word Records. His opportunities in Nashville didn’t pan out as he’d hoped, and after a few years he returned to Paradise to be with family, taking a job at a hospital.
One day in November 2018, while Smith was at work, a massive wildfire swept through the town, destroying his home and becoming one of the worst natural disasters in California history. His guitar was lost in the blaze, and when a friend who worked in music gave him a replacement, he was inspired to write a song about the aftermath of the fire with his friend Miykael Goodwin. A testament to resilience and hometown pride, “One of These Days” became a hit on social media after Smith performed it on a local news show, and the outpouring of support for the tune (as well as a positive reaction when he appeared at a charity concert with Pitbull and X Ambassadors) encouraged him to take a second shot at a career in Nashville. In 2020, he released an independent four-song EP, Reckless, and the title track made an impression on streaming services. Later that year, he scored another hit with “Under My Skin,” and he connected a third time with “Sleeve” in 2021.
Smith’s success didn’t pass without notice, and in mid-2021, he signed with Sony Music Nashville. Before the year was out, he’d released two new songs for the label, “Raised Up” and “I Don’t Wanna Go to Heaven,” with the latter becoming yet another streaming smash. More singles followed in 2022, including “Whiskey on You” (which hit number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100) and “Wreckage.” All of these tracks paved the way for the singer’s full-length debut, the eponymously titled Nate Smith. Released in February 2023, it featured production by Smith along with Lindsay Rimes, Joël Bruyère, and Jared Hampton. ~ Mark Deming