From Sit-In to Album Release: Heather Smith's Musical Journey

Gig Gab - The Working Musicians' Podcast

In this episode of Gig Gab, Dave Hamilton is joined by Heather Smith and Paul Giovine, diving into the serendipity of musical connections. Heather shares how a chance meeting led to her cautiously getting on stage for the first time when Dave played with Simon Santiago five years ago. Last month, Heather released an record of her original tunes!

From her first time on stage with a band to releasing her own album, Heather’s journey is a testament to the power of persistence. She recounts how a Craigslist ad for a bass player unexpectedly turned her into a backup singer and then eventually into a lead singer…as a sub at first! Heather also reveals the struggle of starting her own band, Glitter & Camo, and the internal battle of convincing herself not to give up.

Heather, Paul, and Dave discuss the evolution of EPs and the importance of taking small, manageable steps to handle uncomfortable situations. They emphasize the idea that success often finds you when you least expect it, rather than the other way around. The episode highlights practical tips for cueing a band and the dynamics of playing covers in an original band. Throughout, the message is clear: Always Be Performing, and don’t let self-doubt hold you back from your musical ambitions.

Cover image from 2019, when Dave, Simon, and Heather played together (Heather’s first time on stage!)

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 433 – Monday, June 10th, 2024
  • June 10th: National Egg Roll Day
  • Guest Co-Host: Heather Smith and Paul Giovine (Heather’s drummer)
• 00:01:34 Met Because of Gig Gab
  • Dave played with Simon Santiago…and Heather sat in! – Gig Gab 213 (The “Acoustic Confidence” section)
• 00:04:15 From First time on Stage with a Band to Releasing Her Own Album
• 00:07:17 Craigslist Ad for a Bass Player leads to becoming a Backup Singer
• 00:09:28 The Benefits and Pitfalls of hiring good subs!
• 00:12:19 Starting her own band
  • Glitter & Camo
• 00:13:27 Spending Energy Convincing Yourself NOT To Do It
  • Giving Your Inner Judge Too Much Time
• 00:15:16 Why do we call things EPs? They’re not Extended (anymore)
• 00:21:11 Taking Little, Manageable Steps to Deal With the Awkward Uncomfortable Feelings
  • It’s Never Going To Be Perfect
  • The You You Never Got To Be
• 00:24:35 Don’t Take It For Granted
• 00:26:29 Success Finds You, not the other way around
• 00:27:10 Cueing a Band
  • Beware the Law of Attraction
• 00:32:00 Playing Covers in an Original Band
• 00:36:43 Finding Heather Smith on Facebook
• 00:40:45 Gig Gab 432 Outtro
  • Find Heather Smith on Facebook
    • Or on Apple Music
    • Or on Spotify
    • Or on YouTube
    • Or the Blue22 Studio Website
  • Contact Gig Gab!
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