Brent Smith

About

Brent Smith (born January 10, 1978) is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of the main songwriters of the rock band Shinedown.

Brently Stephen Smith was born January 10, 1978, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Interview-based reporting from Noisecreep in 2010 states that Smith was an only child.

Prior to fronting the rock band Shinedown, Smith was the lead singer in a band called Dreve. Eventually, Dreve got signed to Atlantic Records, with Smith and his bandmates traveling to Los Angeles, California, to record with well-known producer Desmond Child. Shortly after returning home to Knoxville, Atlantic dropped the band but retained Smith. Atlantic signed Smith to a developmental contract, with Smith needing to either find another band or lose his record deal. He put together Shinedown shortly after, moving to Jacksonville, Florida to begin working on the project in 2001.

Brad Stewart, the band’s bassist, was the first member Smith recruited, through local Jacksonville music producer Pete Thornton. Smith and Stewart began recording demos together in a small local studio, whose owner recommended they meet with her fiancé, guitarist…