Arlos Smith had his first #1 hit with John Michael Montgomery's 'Home To You' and was named Songwriter of the Year back in 2000. Smith hit #1 again in 2004 with Rascal Flatt's 'Mayberry', which gained him SESAC's Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year. He has also had cuts with Michael Peterson and Canadian country singer, Jessica Robinson.

 

Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I WROTE MY FIRST SONG WHEN I WAS ABOUT 9 YEARS OLD AND I STILL REMEMBER HOW IT GOES. BUT I DIDN'T START WRITING SERIOUSLY TILL I WAS ABOUT 12 OR 13 YEARS OLD. THAT'S WHEN I DISCOVERED GIRLS AND HOW THEY LIKE BOYS WHO WRITE SONGS ABUT THEM

 

Q: Tell us about the first song you wrote and what inspired you to start writing?
A: LIKE I SAID I WAS AROUND 9 OR TEN AND KEPT HEARING ABOUT THE GAS SHORTAGE AND I STILL REMEMBER HEARINGG ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE HIGH GAS PRICES AND LONG LINES AT THE PUMPS. SO I WROTE A SONG CALLED ' ENERGY CRISIS' ON A LITTLE NOTE PAD I HAD WITH ME ON A FAMILY TRIP. I SANG IT FOR MY DAD AND HE LOVED IT! THEN HE PLAYED THE CHORDS ON HIS GUITAR TO THE MELODY I WAS SINGING AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH SONGWRITING.

 

Q: Who are your biggest influences?
A: JOHN DENVER, WAYLON JENNINGS, ALL OF THE 'ORIGINAL' OUTLAWS' CONWAY, GEORGE, ETC.

 

Q: What was your first big break?
A: I WAS BARTENDING AT A PLACE CALLED 'SAMMY B'S' ON 16TH AVE. I'D BEEN HERE ABOUT 9 OR 10 MONTH'S AND STILL HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON OR WHAT TO DO. THEN ONE NIGHT A GUY NAMED SHANE DECKER AND HIS FRIEND SAM RAMAGE (RCA) WALKED IN AND WE TALKED. IT'S A LONG STORY BUT THE SHORT OF IT IS THE VERY NEXT DAY I WAS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THAT VERY BAR WRITING AT EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING. THOSE TWO GUYS DEFINITELY CHANGED MY LIFE THAT NIGHT.

 

Q: How long did it take to get your first publishing deal and how did you get it?
A: ONE YEAR FROM THE DAY I MOVED. EXACTLY ONE YEAR.

 

Q: Where are you currently writing at?
A: I AM IN THE LAST FEW DAYS OF MY DEAL WITH THE MUSIC GROUP INC. MY BUDDY ALEX TOREZ SIGNED ME THERE AND IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. BUT I FEEL THE NEED WITH THE WAY THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS TO VENTURE OUT ON MY OWN. SO I'LL BE ANOTHER UNSIGNED SONGWRITER IN ABOUT ONE MORE DAY.

 

Q: Do you believe you need a publishing deal to get a major cut?
A: NO. I BELIEVE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT HAVING A PUBLISHING DEAL VALIDATES THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST OF THE BEST. BECAUSE YOU HAVE PAID YOUR DUES AND LEARNED THE CRAFT OF SONGWRITING FROM THE BEST OF THE BEST. NOW IT DOES HELP IF YOU WRITE FOR A PRODUCER OR HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL PLUGGER. THAT'S WHAT GREAT ABOUT A PUB DEAL. YOU HAVE THE MEANS OF GETTING YOUR SONGS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

 

Q: What was your first major cut and how did it come about?
A: MY FIRST CUT WAS ON MICHAEL PETERSON'S FIRST ALBUM. IT WAS CALLED ' LOVE'S GREAT' I MET MICHAEL AT, YOU GUESSED IT, 'SAMMY B'S'. WE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS AND CO- WROTE THE SONG . IT WAS AN AWESOME FEELING GETTING THAT FIRST CUT! I'LL ALWAYS BE INDEBTED TO HIM FOR THAT ACT OF FRIENDSHIP. HE'S A DEAR FRIEND STILL TO THIS DAY.

 

Q: Is it true that after you get your first cut, it is easier to get other cuts?
A: WELL YES AND NO. I JUST BELIEVE THAT YOU GET YOUR FIRST CUT CAUSE YOUR SONGWRITING GETS BETTER THE LONGER YOUR HERE. THEN YES IT'S EASIER BECAUSE OF THE SIMPLE FACT YOUR WRITING BETTER SONGS. BUT I GUESS THE POWERS THAT BE DO START LISTENING A LITTLE CLOSER ONCE THEY KNOW YOUR NAME.

 

Q: What do you believe is the secret to getting your songs recorded by major artists?
A: THE SECRET IS 'THE SECRET'. READ IT! LIVE IT! THEN REALIZE EVERYTHING GOOD COMES FROM GOD! SO THERE.... GOD? IS THE SECRET.

 

Q: What is one of your greatest moments in your career?
A: MY GREATEST MOMENT IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT I LEARN FROM MY CO-WRITERS ABOUT 'MYSELF' WHILE I AM IN ONE OF THOSE LITTLE ROOMS 'THINKING OUT LOUD' WITH THEM. THIS WHOLE TRIP, THE UPS AND DOWNS I NOW REALIZE HAS BEEN PART OF MY PATH TO FIGURE THIS LIFE THING OUT. THIS TOWN HEALS YOU IF YOU LET IT.

 

Q: What is one of your worse moments in your career?
A: I LIKE ALOT OF OTHERS IN THIS TOWN AM AN INSECURE EGOMANIAC. MOST OF MY STRENGTHS COME FROM MY WEAKNESSES. I STARTED OUT BEING A LITTLE SELF ABSORBED AND SELF DESTRUCTIVE. I CAN LOOK BACK NOW AND SEE IT WAS PART OF MY PATH. PART OF MY JOURNEY TO THIS KIND OF SELF AWARENESS THING I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NOW. BUT DURING THAT TIME I MAY HAVE TAKEN MYSELF OUT OF THE GAME A LITTLE BECAUSE OF PARTYING AND SELF MEDICATING TO COVER UP MY REAL ISSUES. I'M A MUCH BETTER PERSON FOR IT NOW BUT SOME OF THE PAIN IT CAUSED MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY ARE STILL HARD FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING I CANNOT CHANGE, NOW? I TRY TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND PRAY FOR THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

 

Q: What do you think of writers nights and do you think they benefit the writers? In what ways?
A: WHEW! I LOVE THEM! BUT I CAN ALSO OVER DO IT AND START REGRETTING THEM. I THINK WHEN YOU FIRST GET HERE YOU SHOULD DO AS MANY AS YOU CAN SO YOU CAN LEARN THE CRAFT FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE WRITING AND MEET OTHER NEW SONGWRITERS THAT BECOME THE FRIENDS AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS 'SCHOOL' TOGETHER . IT'S A GREAT MOTIVATOR TO GET OFF YOUR ASS AND WRITE.

 

Q: Do you co-write with other writers and how do you choose who you write with?
A: I FIND I WRITE WELL WITH PEOPLE I LIKE. I DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT. IF IT ISN'T FUN IT'S NOT WORTH IT TO ME. I LIKE AND WANT TO WRITE WITH ARTISTS AND FRIENDS. BUT SOMETIMES THE CHEMISTRY JUST ISN'T THERE. AND I HATE WRITING A SONG JUST TO WRITE A SONG. I LIKE TO LAUGH, THINK, AND LEARN SOMETHING IN THE PROCESS. BUT I'LL USUALLY WRITE WITH ANYONE ONCE IF THEY'LL HAVE ME.

 

Q: Do you co-write with aspiring writers?
A: SURE DO. NOT VERY OFTEN BUT ONCE IN A WHILE IT'S LIKE.... YOU GET THIS FEELING YOU SHOULD. BUT IF YOU DID YOU WOULD BE WRITING 5 TIMES A DAY 8 DAYS A WEEK.

 

Q: Have you ever had writers block, and if so, how did you get over it?
A: I USED TO GET WRITERS BLOCK AND PANIC! THINKING THE WELL HAD RUN DRY AND I HAD WRITTEN MY LAST SONG. THEN I REALIZED NOT TOO TRY SO HARD. TAKE A LITTLE TIME OFF AND FILL UP THE WELL. THEN ONE DAY YOU'LL BE AT FOOD LION BUYING MILK AND EGGS AND A SONG WILL JUST 'APPEAR' IN THAT STRANGE LITTLE BRAIN OF OURS.

 

Q: Do you think you need to have a fully produced demo of your song to be able to pitch it or can you use a work tape (guitar-vocal)?
A: I THINK G/V STAND OUT, IF YOUR RIVERS RUTHERFORD OR D.VINCENT WILLIAMS! I MEAN IF YOU SING AND PLAY LIKE THOSE GUYS THEN ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES WON'T CHANGE THE SONG ON A DEMO. ON THE OTHER HAND WITH ALL THE GREAT PLAYERS IN THIS TOWN SOME SONGS THAT JUST SEEM O.K. WITH A G/V SUDDENLY COME ALIVE IN THE STUDIO AND BECOME BIGGER THAN YOU DREAMED IT COULD BE. SO YES, A G/V WILL DO IF YOU WRITE ' I'M MOVING ON' ON 'WHEN I GET WERE I'M GOING' BUT IF YOU LOVE THE SONG THEN DEMO IT UP. SOME SONGS JUST MAKE A GREAT RECORD. BUT REMEMBER,,, YOU CAN'T POLISH A TURD!! LOL.

 

Q: What 'tips' do you have for writers when they are gong to a meeting with a publisher or someone in the business?
A: BE A PRO. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. REMEMBER. THEY PAY ALOT OF GREAT SONGWRITERS ALOT OF MONEY AND HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO MEET WITH YOU. SHUT UP AND LISTEN. 

 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to say to aspiring writers that you feel will help them?
A: YES. WRITING SONGS IS ALOT LIKE SEX. AT FIRST YOU DO IT BY YOURSELF...THEN AS YOU START TO FELLING MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT YOU DO IT WITH PEOPLE YOU LIKE...THEN AS YOU GET BETTER AND BETTER YOU DO IT MORE AND MORE OFTEN AND WITH MORE AND MORE PEOPLE! THEN WHEN YOU GET REALLY GOOD AT IT? YOU DO IT FOR MONEY! SO JUST KEEP DOING IT!!!!

 

Q: Are you playing anywhere or have any current projects you would like to tell us about? Do you have CD's for sale?
A: I PLAY ALL OVER TOWN AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE TIMES.I DON'T REALLY SELL CD'S OR ANYTHING. I REALLY SHOULD START. I HAVE A MY SPACE PAGEBUT I HAVEN'T VISITED IT IN LIKE A YEAR... BUT I AM GOING TO GET IT UPDATED AND IF PEOPLEWANT SOME OF MY SONGS THEY CAN JUST DOWNLOAD EM OR E MAIL ME. I DON'T KNOW WHY I DON'T HAVE CD'S PRINTED UP... BUT IT JUST BLOWS ME AWAY WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME FOR ONE! IT'S VERY FLATTERING TO THINK THEY LIKE YOUR SONGS SO MUCH THAT THEY PAY TO HAVE IT.. BUT ACTUALLY I USUALLY MP 3 EM FOLDS IF THEY ASK.