Joanna Smith | |
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Birth name | Joanna Shae Smith |
Origin | Crestview Unincorporated, Georgia, U.S. |
Genres | Country |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, Guitar |
Years active | 2007–present |
Labels |
Columbia Nashville RCA Nashville |
Associated acts | Billy Ray Cyrus, Trent Willmon |
Joanna Smith is an American country music singer. After dropping out of Auburn University to pursue her music career she joined Mustang Sally at age eighteen. After leaving the band she began songwriting and recording demos. After signing to a publishing contract with Big Borrassa Music, she wrote two songs for other artists, including "Flying By", which was recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus on his 2007 album Home at Last. Also in 2007, Smith's rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was included on the Song of America compilation album.
In 2010, she signed a contract with Columbia Records Nashville and released her debut single, "Gettin' Married". The song has charted on Hot Country Songs and has been made into a music video, directed by Trey Fanjoy.
Stormy Lewis of Roughstock gave Smith's song a four-star rating, comparing it to the Dixie Chicks and Lorrie Morgan. Jim Malec, writing for American Twang, gave it a thumbs-down, calling Smith's vocal "shrill and thin". In August 2011, Sony Music Nashville announced that Smith and labelmate Bradley Gaskin will transfer to BNA Records as part of a corporate restructuring. After BNA closed, she moved again to RCA. That label released her third single, "We Can't Be Friends". It received 4.5 stars from Taste of Country. A fourth single, "Girls Are Crazy", was released to country radio on April 29, 2013.