Today, Nashville-based powerhouse songwriter, recording artist, and composer Joshua Caleb Smith releases his new single “Barkeep,” a master of mixing with vulnerability. Smith serves up another combination of sincere story-sharing and unassailable musicality.
“Barkeep” establishes a raw, organic atmosphere that draws listeners in close, from the first note. Textured, gritty, and full of soul, Smith’s voice is as old as a river carrying stories down the stream of time, creating a picture so vivid that it extends deep into the subterranean heart. There’s a cinematic sense to how he sings, not surprisingly, since his music has made long homes in film, television, and trailers. But on “Barkeep”, it sounds actively personal, like he’s treating us to a late-night confession after we’ve leaned in and asked for one.
An Emmy-nominated performer, Smith’s career is founded on making music that thrives at the intersection of authentic and artistic. His roots-based sound has racked up millions of streams on editorial playlists and landed him on Billboard charts, but it’s the storytelling that sets him apart. “Barkeep” would capture that spirit easily, gritty and vulnerable, polished and raw.
Throughout his career, Joshua Caleb Smith has worked with legends like Prince and Kamasi Washington as well as causes such as The Mowgli’s, Anna Nalick & The Tokens, while being involved in various projects including (Joshua C.S.). Whether working with legends or on his own, what remains consistent is his artistry; music that connects on a human level.
On “Barkeep,” Smith serves as a coda, an affirmation that great songwriting is a memory, mood, and meaning stitched into sound. For purveyors of genuine Americana, soulful stories, and roots music influence, this song is another reason why Joshua Caleb Smith stands out as one of the most exciting voices in Nashville.
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