Sam Smithwick

July 2025: 

Today, my son, The Shay Smithwicks, and girlfriend/percussionist Tru, took the early train down to Boston. We had a late breakfast/early lunch at Theo's Cozy Corner, where you can start your day simultaneously in both Italian and Portuguese. That is in the historic North End Italian district. From Theo's, we marched down Salem Street, pun intended, hopped on the T (Metro), and found our way to the Museum of Fine Arts where I cried my way through the Van Gogh: Roulin Family Portraits. Back to the North End, we had an early dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant, Limoncello: the best meatballs ever, Caesar Salad, and the delightful Rosette Al Montasio Ed Olio Di Tartufo, consisting of homemade wide noodles cooked with Prosciutto, Montassio Cheese, and Mushrooms finished in a light pink Tomato Cream Sauce with Truffle Oil. Amen! After a quick visit to Salumeria Italiana for bread and cheese, then a local Italian bakery for desserts, we made our way back to North Station for the train home to Kennebunk, Maine. A blessing or a curse? I find that I do my best work, pen and paper, music in my head, on the train. I suppose that I will be on the train more and more this year as I tidy up tracks to send to my partner in crime, Jeff Tomei, who will mix and co-produce a substantial list of Smithwick songs, past, future, and present. 

June 2025: 

Very excited to share an evening of blues music with Dana Pearson and Mark Gunter at the historic Town House School in Kennebunkport, Wednesday, June 11. Post show buzzing! It was such a blessing to share in a night of blues, jamming with Dana and Mark. I first met Mark at my in-laws wedding some 20 years ago, walking into a tiny chapel by the beach, sitting in awe at Mark playing Beatles tunes on the ol' church organ in the style of Booker T! Having not performed live in quite some time, I really took advantage of the historic room to explore some of my favorite early blues from Robert Johnson's Come On Into My Kitchen and Kind Hearted Woman, acapella See That My Grave Be Kept Clean by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Goodnight Irene and C C Rider by Lead Belly,… I have completely fallen for Geeshie Wiley's Last Kind Words! The last line: “What you do to me, baby, it never gets outta me; I may not see you after I cross the deep blue sea.” Mark and Dana supported me on the Gospel version of Amazing Grace, Blind Boys From Alabama version to the music of House of the Rising Sun!!! Oh, and Skip James for D minor: Rather Be The Devil and Mark's frenetic piano on How Long Buck. It was quite an evening in the historic little school building and I am very proud to have contributed in my way to the Kennebunk Historical Society's amazing work: https://kporths.com/the-town-house-school/

May 2025: 

As an engaged member of my community, life has been busy with the necessary work needed to support neighbors  in need. These are trying times and good work is important. I find that I am drawn back into some heaviness and continue to work on music for a forthcoming solo release. Seeing Lyle Lovett last week was a blessing. South African Jazz artist McCory Mrubata was visiting Maine recently as well and I look forward to cultivating a relationship and connecting McCory to local Jazz artists. Monday May 12 Biddeford Rising. May 25 at Sacred Profane for a Youth Full Maine fundraiser as federal funding cuts impact local food distribution. Saturday May 31 Pollinator Festival. Wednesday June 11 I am excited to join Dana Pearson and the super soulful Mark Gunter for an evening of country blues in Kennebunkport! Town House School 135 North Street. We are partnering with Biddeford Adult Education, Heart of Biddeford, and Island Port Press for a panel discussion by New Mainers in Public Service. 

November 2024:

The vivid Fall colors fade and fall leaving the bare branches of the tall Oaks and Maples black silhouettes beneath pink, orange, and pale blue evening skies. Focussing on Maine, my community, students, and family will be the priority for the next few years. Completing the next tracks at home, sharing with Jeff Tomei, who continues to make my humble work shine! Looking forward to LCD Soundsystem, a NYC trip for Shay and myself. 

July 2024:

Getting back on track with mixes by Jeff Tomei! Cleaning up tracks for “You Like to Bawl; I Like to Holler” and looking forward to a vinyl release in 2025. Inspired by recent performances by Charles Lloyd in Portsmouth (with favorite Brian Blade on drums), psychedelic, Eastern, industrial SWANS in Boston and acclaimed Kurdish virtuoso on the Kamancheh, Kayhan Kalhor in Saugerties, New York, we are looking forward to seeing Sun Ra Arkestra, Built to Spill, and Tinariwen. Honorable must mentions for Santiago's Family Restaurant for Puerto Rican food and family music as well as Dallas Hot Weiners in Saugerties, NY (Greek dogs all about the sauce). 

January 2024: 

Happy New Year! After a weekend in Hartford, Connecticut, I was so pleased to join a diverse group of performers at One Longfellow Square in Portland, Maine, for their first open mic night where a grand time was had by all! My student Ben Emory and I had an amazing night at One Longfellow Square years ago, seeing Mark Olson from The Jayhawks. I am looking forward to this and other opportunities in 2024 as I continue to write and record for a future solo release and more collaboration with The Ladies Of,… as well as a very important project in the wake of the past year's event in Lewiston, Maine. 

October 2023: 

The first National Immigration and Integration Citizenship and Education NIICE Conference in Washington, DC, was a wonderful success. Utah, North Carolina, and Maine stood out as states on the forefront of immigration, workforce and economic development. Please watch the Heart of Biddeford video on the PRESS page, what a way to be welcomed back to Maine where I joined the Workforce Summit with the Rioux Institute and Heart of Biddeford at the University of New England. 

I am honored to take part in the first conversations regarding Governor Mills' Office of New Americans. We have made substantial strides in welcoming New Mainers into our communities. I will also be travelling by train (inspired by the City of Biddeford's Climate Change Task Force) to meet with longtime friend and climate writer Ginny Gewin who is wrapping up business for a climate change documentary based in Maine, then on to DC for the NIICE Conference, the first national immigration policy conference in the United States. Has there been time for music? Of course, I wake up with it, I walk with it, and luckily, my work inspires it! There are several new lyrical and instrumental songs ready to demo and I hope to have those online soon. Thank you for checking in! 

August 2023:

Last night was the highlight of my Summer! After a walk through Portland Maine, we dined at  Crispy Gai, where the double fried chicken and spicy buttermilk dressing transported me to my spiritual home in Mississippi, we attended the Portland Chamber Music Festival. The energy in the Old Port was a buzz, passing by an outdoor stage where Syrian rapper Assasi was performing with a local DJ. Next stop, SPACE, to see Jazz harpist Charles Overton and his current quintet perform. Lee Fish on drums, echoing the thunder of Art Blakey's toms and snare work reminiscent of the Blade Brothers, amazing slide work on the upright bass by Max Ridley, and Gregory Groover on tenor saxophone, I was immediately in heaven, tears in my eyes, feet tapping, amen. 

Summer 2023 Update:

Looking forward to The Ladies Of release, Coming Out Of Our Tenderness, as I continue to write and record for a solo release which will feature songs that I have written recently as well as material composed,... as far back as 30 years ago! Wow!

Post Covid! Sigh of relief. Fully vaccinated and continuing to work on a variety of music for a 202? VINYL release.