His father Egil Steinar Smedvig (1922–2012) was a composer and music teacher who had immigrated from Stavanger, Norway.
His mother Kristin (Jonsson) Smedvig (1921-2004) was member of the Seattle Symphony's violin section who had immigrated from Iceland.
Leonard Bernstein chose him to be the trumpet soloist for the 1971 world premiere of his composition Mass which was composed for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
He was promoted to principal trumpet in 1979, and left in 1981 to focus on a solo career, conducting, and chamber music.
[1][9] Smedvig died of a heart attack at his home in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on April 27, 2015, at the age of 62.