As a child of the 60s and 70s, living on the West Side of Chicago, his ears laid full of the sounds of Motown, Soul, Funk, Country, Jazz and Rock.

Where both mother and father listen to Jazz, Blues, Soul, and R&B records daily, as well as a neighborhood filled with amateur and professional musicians.

When the family moved to the south-side of Chicago in 1975, Smith began his guitar studies at age 13 with a visit to the local music store purchasing two Mel Bay books.

In between those years of teaching, performing and study, he became an avid fan of progressive rock and fusion, developing skills as a guitarist, bassist and composer.

Today he is respected as one of the most diverse guitarist and bassist, admired by many for his eclectic versatility as a musician/composer in all styles, most notably jazz, classical, ambient music.