Check Out Chris Smallwood’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Smallwood.

Hi Chris, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started playing piano relatively late, as a freshman in high school. I broke my leg in a freak tennis accident and couldn’t walk for most of the spring and summer. I found myself sitting at the piano bench a lot that year. By the time I was able to walk normally, I realized how far I had come in a short amount of time and realized music was going to be a major focus for the rest of my life.

I moved to Nashville in 2004 to study classical piano performance at Belmont University. I went straight to graduate school at the University of Louisville in 2008 but moved back to Nashville because of the music industry and community here.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s a constant struggle to keep all of my fires burning at once, especially since some of my biggest performing opportunities have involved extensive travel.

I love the variety of my career, but being pulled in many different directions has always required a lot of focus and balance.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve been lucky to make a career out of several different musical projects: Touring internationally with Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, working with chef Alton Brown on his touring and television productions, and owning my own music contracting business (Mockingbird Musicians) to mention a few.

I’ve also had the chance to perform with the Nashville Symphony many times, including recently with Andrea Bocelli at Bridgestone Arena.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I like to work hard, and I always liked to practice when I was in school. I grew a lot in college and grad school, and I think my work ethic is what enabled me to do that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mockingbirdmusicians.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mockingbirdmusicians/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mockingbirdmusicians/videos