Meet Shane Smittyyy” Smith | Musician & Producer”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shane “Smittyyy” Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shane “Smittyyy”, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My pursuit of an artistic and creative career started at a very young age. When I was 3 or 4 years old my parents bought me my first drum set. From then on, being an artist was and still is one of the most important parts of my life. When I was in elementary school, I started my first band with my childhood friends. I’m now 29 years old and have been in some sort if group pretty much since. I think being creative and artistic is just my outlet. It is my way of getting out my frustrations, sharing my happiness, and dealing with pretty much any emotion that I feel.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
First and foremost, I am a drummer. I have performed in bands such as Phoenixxx, The Frost, Altitude Travelers. The Noise, and more! Currently, I perform in a country / bluegrass group called Kyle Chatham & The Road Shots, and 2 different worship groups (Pine Valley Church Worship & Overwhelmed Worship). I also have created a rather successful solo career for myself, which is something I am very proud of. One thing that I have always felt sets me apart from others is my work ethic. Every band I have pretty much ever been in has been led by myself. I have always handled all of the business side of things, as well as been a part of the creative side. I truly think that my success can be attributed to the fact that I am almost always working towards some musical goal. Something that I am very excited about is my recent signing with Anonymous Collective Records. For me, this was an affirmation that my hard work is starting to pay off. I am very thankful for my new Anonymous Collective family.

Getting to where I am today has not been easy though. My best friend Chase used to always tell me that “If it was easy, everyone would do it”, and that is the truth! I’ve overcome many obstacles from health problems, setbacks, and just about anything else you can think of. I overcame those challenges simply by preserving and never giving up. No matter what happens, I always like to say, “the show must go on”.

I’ve also learned many hard lessons along the way. I think the most important thing is to always stay true to yourself. Several years ago, I had a falling out with a close friend, changed things about my career that I didn’t particularly want to, and made decisions I didn’t entirely agree with. I did these things because I was putting all of my faith in a few other people, and “putting all my eggs” in that basket. While I do not want to say bad things about anyone, that was a bad decision for me to make. To make a long story short, it did not work out, and I was back to square one. After that, I decided that I would always be true to myself and never again put my careers success in anyone else’s hands. I think that is the thing that I would want others to gain from this article and know about my story. If you want to be successful, you have to go out there and make it happen yourself. Work hard every day, stay true to who you are, and never ever let anyone else make decisions for you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My wife and I live in Castle Rock, Colorado. Colorado has been home to me for my entire life. This is a very hard question to answer, because there are just so many places to visit. If it was around the holidays, I would definitely start by taking that friend to see the star lighting or at least the star itself. In Castle Rock, there is a very large rock formation that can be seen from pretty much everywhere in town. During the holidays, they light up a giant star on top of the rock for all to see. I have several cool spots we would go to take in this incredible spot. We would also spend some time at some of my favorite local bars & breweries such as 20 Mile Tap House and The Tailgate.

No trip to Colorado is complete without a little road trip to the mountains. First stop would be Breckenridge, where we would spend some time at The Gold Pan Saloon. This is a small little bar that I have performed at several times and made many great memories at. Next, would-be South Park. This is a very small little area that the TV show South Park is named off of. You can take photos with the shows characters, buy memorabilia and more. It is easily one of my favorite places to visit. Next, we would go about 10 minutes down the road and visit Alma, Colorado. This is another awesome mountain town that I have performed in several times. Finally, I would take my friend to Estes Park and The Stanley Hotel. This is where famous author Stephen King wrote a lot of The Shining. As a big horror fan, this is a must visit place for anyone who comes to Colorado. As a bonus, I would take my friend to Red Rocks and Willow Ridge Manor in Morrison on the way home. Red Rocks is the coolest music venue on earth and Willow Ridge is where I got married.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my family. My parents (Matt & Sally) bought me my first drum kit at a very young age. From that moment on, they have been very supportive of my music career. When I was a kid, they would drive me to lessons, rehearsals, and gigs all across the state of Colorado. Even today, my dad travels with me everywhere I perform. He is my roadie, drum tech, manager, father, and friend. My parents also let me turn their basement into my own little rehearsal space and recording studio. Today, that space is known as “Smittyyy’s Studio & Brewery”, and is where my bands rehearse, albums have been recorded, many podcasts have been produced, and we have even taken a crack at brewing our own beer. My parents have supported my career my entire life, and without them I wouldn’t be as successful as I am now.

I am also very blessed to have married into a very supportive family. My wife Brittany has also been very supportive of my music. I am often gone or busy on weekends playing shows, recording, doing interviews, etc. For most, this would be a deal breaker for a marriage. However, my wife has always been very supportive and understanding…. I am a very lucky man to have her love and support. My other mom and dad (Clare & Dennis), and sister (Elese) come out to shows when they can and have always been very supportive as well. I am very blessed to have the awesome family that I do, and they deserve every shoutout I could ever give them.

Website: https://smittyyy.hearnow.com/?fbclid=IwAR3XCVnxcpZAk79QqLSZ8qqZDzkWISUijnDMBypmhVB5dD-OF9vT6Si-_Wo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittyyy_drummer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmittyyyDrummer

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@smittyyy8435

Image Credits
Midknight Photography, Culz Paranormal