Valerie Smith

Valerie Smith (born July 25, 1966) is an American roots and bluegrass recording artist who has performed in the United States, Europe, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as being a music teacher. Her supporting band is called "Liberty Pike", named after a historic road that connects from Nashville, TN through Bell Buckle, TN. (Battle of Liberty Gap) Early career Valerie Smith has been known as a country artist with styles that range from bluegrass, blues, and gospel music. Valerie received her Bachelors of Music in Kansas City at the University of Kansas City in 1989. Smith was a music instructor for the Kearney School District, Kearney, Missouri, and later taught in the state of Tennessee for the Brentwood School District in Brentwood, Tennessee. During her residence in Nashville, Tennessee, she became interested in songwriting and recording arts. Artist Charlie Louvin (from the Louvin Brothers– known for My Baby's Gone), became her mentor and made it possible for her to perform on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Smith performed a duet that was recorded on her debut CD, "Patchwork Heart" with Charlie Louvin. Smith recorded her first project with the Grammy award winning composer, producer, instrumentalist, recording artist of the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Alan O'Bryant. During the release of the album, "Patchwork Heart", a song written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings and performed by Smith, Red Clay Halo, would reach the Bluegrass Unlimited Radio Survey, Country Music and Americana reporting charts and remained on the list for five years. Because of the popularity and the longevity of the song, it was voted by the bluegrass community to be one of the top 60 songs of the decade. The song brought Smith to the attention of the media. Valerie Smith received two awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, for Recorded Event of the year, 2001, for Follow Me Back to the Fold (produced by Mark Newton, Rebel Records) and in 2006 for the compilation of Follow Me Back to the Well (produced by Lorrain Jordan and Dale Perry, Blue Circle Records).