Matt Smith was born in Harrison, Arkansas in 1978, and began playing guitar in 1988 at the age of eleven. Smith began early lessons with his cousin Phillip Smith of the Lovin’ Spoonful and his talented father Jazz guitarist Gus Smith. In 1998 Smith moved to Reno, Nevada to study with Jazz and Country guitar virtuoso Clint Strong.
Smith has spearheaded several projects and musical groups in Northwest Arkansas over the past decade, including the innovative rock/funk/reggae inspired band The Flip Off Pirates. With the Flip Off Pirates, Smith recorded two albums “Flip Off Pirates Live” and “Trillions of Voices” and is currently working on a third album. With his father Jazz guitarist Gus Smith, Matt recorded “Full Circle” featuring jazz standards and performs regularly as a father/son Jazz duo. In 2008, Smith launched his first solo project, M.S.G (the Matt Smith Group), featuring original compositions. In 2010, Smith fulfilled a lifelong dream recording M.S.G’s “Now or Never” with world renowned drummer Jeff Sipe and innovative bassist Reed Mathis.
Smith currently performs over a hundred shows annually from solo and duo performances to band ensembles with a wide range in genre from jazz, reggae, blues, rock, to world music and beyond. He has toured nationally and has shared the stage with Michael Franti, Rob Wasserman, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Clint Strong, Jeff Sipe, Reed Mathis, Joseph Israel, Bob and Ziggy Marley alumni and many of Northwest Arkansas’s finest musicians.
With his keen sense of improvisation, his ability to transcend genres, his incredible guitar virtuosity, and his refined compositional skills, Smith creates a signature sound that has captivated audiences for nearly two decades and has resulted in 10 Northwest Arkansas Music Awards and a place in the North West Arkansas Hall Of Fame.
Smith has spearheaded several projects and musical groups in Northwest Arkansas over the past decade, including the innovative rock/funk/reggae inspired band The Flip Off Pirates. With the Flip Off Pirates, Smith recorded two albums “Flip Off Pirates Live” and “Trillions of Voices” and is currently working on a third album. With his father Jazz guitarist Gus Smith, Matt recorded “Full Circle” featuring jazz standards and performs regularly as a father/son Jazz duo. In 2008, Smith launched his first solo project, M.S.G (the Matt Smith Group), featuring original compositions. In 2010, Smith fulfilled a lifelong dream recording M.S.G’s “Now or Never” with world renowned drummer Jeff Sipe and innovative bassist Reed Mathis.
Smith currently performs over a hundred shows annually from solo and duo performances to band ensembles with a wide range in genre from jazz, reggae, blues, rock, to world music and beyond. He has toured nationally and has shared the stage with Michael Franti, Rob Wasserman, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Clint Strong, Jeff Sipe, Reed Mathis, Joseph Israel, Bob and Ziggy Marley alumni and many of Northwest Arkansas’s finest musicians.
With his keen sense of improvisation, his ability to transcend genres, his incredible guitar virtuosity, and his refined compositional skills, Smith creates a signature sound that has captivated audiences for nearly two decades and has resulted in 10 Northwest Arkansas Music Awards and a place in the North West Arkansas Hall Of Fame.
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“Fan of masterful guitar work that can go from simply cool to dazzling rip and shred? Matt Smith can satisfy that craving. Like smooth, legato strokes that approach violin-like intensity? Yep, can do.“ — The Fayetteville Free Weekly
