![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/mindy-smith-June-2012.jpg\" "\\"mindy-smith-June-2012\\"")
<\/h1>\n<\/h1>\nTaking chances is paying off for one of Americana\u2019s most distinctive talents \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe risk is pretty intense, but it\u2019s worth it.\u201d\u00a0Mindy Smith is discussing the realities of navigating the music industry as an independent artist. Her new self-titled album is her first after parting ways with Vanguard Records in 2010. \u201cThe opportunity to go indie presented itself when my contract was up,\u201d Smith says, \u201cand it felt right to move forward and take ownership of what I do. It\u2019s been this buildup that\u2019s happened in the last two years. I just needed more leverage in terms of my music.\u201d<\/p>\n An Americana Music Association winner, Smith first earned praise for her version of Dolly Parton\u2019s \u201cJolene\u201d on 2003\u2019s Parton tribute album Just Because I\u2019m a Woman<\/em>. But Smith\u2019s oeuvre is based on her own songwriting, something she had a hand in on every song on the album. Although the recording process was completed in three days, the album includes compositions from various stages of her career. \u201cThere\u2019s a contrast on this album,\u201d she says. \u201cIt has songs that I\u2019ve recently written and songs that I\u2019d written years ago, back in the early 2000s. Those songs came from kind of a naive approach to writing, without that professional influence to steer things. I\u2019d attempted to do \u2018Tin Can\u2019 and \u2018Cure for Love\u2019 in the past, but they never had the right energy until now.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith leaned on co-producer Jason Lehning for musical support, and the album features contributions from Nashville\u2019s most seasoned players including guitarist Bryan Sutton, bassist Lex Price and pedal steel guitarist Dan Dugmore. That spirit of collaboration was necessary as she chose to explore her different impulses in the studio. \u201cMy push to writing is, if it\u2019s interesting to me, it can be interesting to the audience,\u201d Smith says. \u201cIt\u2019s a natural process for me, but I have done exercises to expand my creativity and move past my limitations, like trying to write songs for specific genres.\u201d<\/p>\n With a loyal following in her corner, Smith doesn\u2019t worry about the commercial pressures that concern many of her peers. Citing Parton and John Prine as her role models, her chief focus now is touring in support of the new music. \u201cMy goal is to be out on the road playing music in my 60s,\u201d she says. \u201cYou have to want to put up with the grind. It\u2019s not glamorous, but there\u2019s this need to be out there performing.\u201d Smith also relishes the opportunity to strengthen her bond with fans. \u201cIt\u2019s important to respect people who invest in my music,\u201d she says. \u201cI have such a diversity in my audience, it runs deep and wide. We all have some amazing stories to share.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013Blake Boldt<\/p>\n MINDY SMITH Taking chances is paying off for one of Americana\u2019s most distinctive talents \u00a0 \u00a0 \u201cThe risk is pretty intense, but it\u2019s worth it.\u201d\u00a0Mindy Smith is discussing the realities of navigating the music industry as an independent artist. Her new self-titled album is her first after parting ways with Vanguard Records in 2010. \u201cThe […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[4369,4372,4374,2744,4370,4371,4373,4367,4053,4368],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6920"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6920"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6923,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6920\/revisions\/6923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"