Nathan Smith is an artist whose compositions blur the lines between contemporary classical and traditional folk music. He strives to blend his love of classical percussion music with singer/songwriter traditions and incorporate new percussive elements into already established genres.

“I love the honesty and storytelling that comes with the singer/songwriter tradition, and it’s my desire to incorporate that sincerity into my own playing and composing. Music, to me, is about giving the player and listener respite from the struggles of daily life and creating a momentary world within a few minutes of music.”

Nathan was born and raised in the Dallas area surrounded by a dense jazz and gospel scene. He has been involved in playing and teaching drum corps throughout the United States, including marching with the Boston Crusaders in 2011, teaching the Jersey Surf D&BC, and Guardians D&BC, and acting as the front ensemble coordinator for the Cascades D&BC.

He graduated from the University of Missouri where he studied classical percussion under Dr. Julia Gaines, and in 2013 settled in Austin, TX where he became apart of the city’s thriving music scene. During his time in Austin, he developed a passion for singer/songwriter music, worked in many different music styles, and won Austin Artist of the Year award, the LA Music Critics blog’s number one single award and fan favorite awards.

In 2017, Nathan moved to Valencia to pursue his masters degree in Contemporary Performance from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, studying under Victor Mendoza. After graduating in 2018 he traveled around Europe playing at many renowned and historic jazz clubs and music venues. He currently lives in Seattle, where he is an active educator and active performer.