Today I’m interviewing our local
gal, Cindy Smith.
Not sure how to introduce her
because she does everything!
She is an author, a singer, a song
writer, an artist and much, much, more!
Welcome Cindy, tell us
a about your books, The Time in Contention Trilogy:
I was fascinated
with Contention City from the first time I heard it mentioned in (the original)
"3:10 to Yuma" movie back in the 1960's. I knew then that one
day I would write a book about Contention. I began writing a few years back and
sent what I had to my gun coach, T. B. Burton. He read it, answered me back
that I had told the story one sided. And since he was a man, he wrote what a
man would have seen and felt standing on the sidewalk (from the first chapter)
in the book. I immediately thought, this is what I want! A book telling
both sides of the story from the prospective of a (fictional) man and woman.
Overall, I did about 2 years of research on the history and T.B. and I
filled it in with fictional characters to tell the events leading up to the
gunfight at the OK Coral. We wanted to give life to Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp
and the women you rarely hear about. The Earp wives and Big Nose Kate have an
important role in TIME IN CONTENTION. It's written with the backdrop of a
romance novel (for all the female readers!) but with all the action and
gunfighting drama of a western (for all the males!). The books are
available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com,
both as paperbacks and e-books. They can also be purchased locally or via our
websites.
Now tell us about your
music, what inspired you to start singing?
I started singing late
in life! I saw someone playing a mandolin in church a few years ago and said to
myself.... I want one! I found a great music teacher, Gerry Hall. I would not
be singing today if it was not for him. He literally 'made me sing' while
I learned to play guitar and mandolin. From then on, he encouraged me. Once I
started singing.... I never looked back!
Congratulations on
winning the GCGMA 2011 Songwriter of the year award. What is your favorite song
you have written?
Thank you! It's
hard for me to choose my favorite song that I've written. I'd probably say that
my favorite was the one I had just finished most recently. It's the one you're
excited about writing music for, arranging where all the instruments will go,
or going into the studio to record it. I just finished a western song
called "The Bar Maid and the Dealer". So, right now, it's probably my
favorite song. But this will change as soon as I write something else!
What do you like doing
the best?
Writing in general.
Whether it be books, stories, lyrics or music. I remember back in grade school
and high school, my favorite subject was literature. I worked for a Houston,
Texas area newspaper for 2 years and wrote a quarter page column every week. I
met entertainers, politicians, local celebrities, sports heros and loved
talking and writing about them all. But of course, there are times when you
would ask me this same questions and I may answer I like doing "art"
best. I love oil painting and drawing charcoal portraits. I am very
honored to have had two pieces of my artwork displayed (for special events) in
the Booth Western Art Museum! I have a theory, if you love to write, you
probably love art as well.
What or who inspires
you?
Many of the songs I have
written were inspired by "Time In Contention". I grew up listening to
all kinds of music from Dean Martin to Ernest Tubb, from Burt Bacharach to The
Louvin Brothers. But I loved Marty Robbins! There was just something about him
dressed in his black cowboy clothes playing that western music that never left
me. I think most of my songs sound like a female version of Marty Robbins
songs. I am inspired by everyday occurrences, something I might hear my friends
or family say, or something I see on a billboard sign. Inspiration can come
from anywhere! And one song, Lynn, was inspired by your novel, "RUN INTO
THE WIND". I was honored that you asked me to write a song (by the
same title). After reading the book, I wrote what I thought your character,
Sabrina, would say if she wrote the song herself. I have received many
compliments on the song, with some saying it is their favorite!
What are you currently
working on?
I always have a song in
the back of my mind! I will soon be recording "The Bar Maid and the
Dealer" and "Bring Back Hopalong". "Bring Back
Hopalong" is a song I wrote to sing at the Hopalong Cassidy festival in
May this year. I have always been a fan of western stars, such as Roy Rogers,
Dale Evans and Hopalong Cassidy. TV heros that taught values and morals to kids
have long passed away, but fans continue to attend festivals each year in their
honor. I am privileged to attend a few of these festivals each year and sing
about their heros. I also have a children's book I want to write. It will
be about my grandson, Gabe and his ghost friend Herman and their adventures in
the haunted club house. I will do all the artwork of Herman and Gabe dressed as
cowboys and pirates and anything else his imagination will come up with!
Any upcoming Events
you would like to share with us?
Yes. March 10th, I
will be at the Bartow County Library doing a book event. I will be at the World
Congress Center (in Atlanta) on March 17th and 18th during the Atlanta Auto
Show. There is Wild West section and I will be singing and doing a book signing
as well. You will also meet my good friend "Fuzzy Q. Jones",
side kick to western heros. Robert Brooks portrays "Fuzzy" and he's
always a "hoot' to be around! T.B. Burton will be there, besides being my
co-writer for "Time In Contention" he is also the 2005 World Champion
Fast Draw. Then the following weekend, March 24, I will be at the Jim R Miller
Park (Cobb) Fairgrounds in Marietta for the 2nd Annual Wild West Festival. This
promises to be a wagon load of family fun with shoot-outs, cowboy music, kids
coral, roping demonstrations and so much more! All my cowboy and cowgirl
friends will be there with something special to offer in entertainment.
How can we contact you?
You can also visit my
websites for more information and listen to my music.
