Tim Wildsmith

Last updated

Tim Wildsmith
Timwildsmith-at-waitingroomOmaha.jpg
Tim Wildsmith performing in 2009
Background information
Birth nameRichard Timothy Wildsmith
Born (1982-10-21) October 21, 1982 (age 37)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
InstrumentsGuitar, vocals]], piano
LabelsNone
Website timwildsmith.com

Richard Timothy Wildsmith (born October 21, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and worship leader from Omaha, Nebraska. His music has been categorized in several genres, including alternative, pop, indie, and rock.

Contents

Early life

Tim Wildsmith was born on Atlanta, Georgia to Dennis and Donna Wildsmith. Due to his father's job as a corporate executive, the family relocated several times through Wildsmith's childhood. He has lived in Atlanta, St. Louis, Omaha, Indianapolis, Ft. Lauderdale, and Nashville. As a child Wildsmith was influenced by his parents music collections. He grew up listening to Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys. At an early age he began singing in the church choir, and at age fourteen he began learning how to play the guitar in order to be in the youth band at church. At age fifteen Wildsmith began attending Burke High School in Omaha, Nebraska. There he became involved in music and theatre, performing in many plays and musicals, as well as the school's show choir. During this time he also developed a passion for songwriting and began experimenting with his guitars at home. [1]

At age eighteen Wildsmith enrolled at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. There he studied the music industry, and in 2005 he graduated with honors, earning a BBA in Music Business and Marketing.

Career

Come Out Clean

In the spring of 2005, Wildsmith released his first full-length album, "Come Out Clean." Produced by good friend and fellow musician, Andy Davis, this album was geared towards the CCM market. Wildsmith had spent recent years working as a worship leader at First Baptist Church in downtown Nashville. He wrote and recorded "Come Out Clean" during this time and soon began to travel the country performing at churches and youth rallies. In the fall of 2005, WIldsmith returned to Omaha to take a position on staff at Brookside Church. [2]

During the summer of 2006, Wildsmith returned to the road and spent ten weeks touring the United States. This was his first nationwide tour. He toured under the name Tim Wildsmith Band, and was backed by drummer David Ytterberg, guitarist Jacob Blount, and bassist Paul Dow. He then returned to Omaha in the fall to resume his duties at the church.

A New Morning

In the fall of 2006 Wildsmith met Jason Burkum, a Grammy-award-winning producer (2004 Best Rock Gospel Album [3] ) who had recently moved from Nashville to Omaha. Wildsmith and Burkum became fast friends and soon began discussing the possibilities of recording Wildsmith's second full-length album. It was Burkum who, after hearing nearly twenty unreleased songs, encouraged Wildsmith to make a mainstream alternative pop album instead of continuing down the path of Christian music. Wildsmith took his advice and decided to basically start his career over.

In January 2007 they began recording at Empty House Studio in Omaha. The recording team consisted of Wildsmith, Burkum, and engineer/drummer Matthew Tobias. After nearly six months of recording Wildsmith officially released "A New Morning" on July 10, 2007. Blending pop melodies with alternative soundscapes, the album drew comparisons to artists such as Aqualung, Damien Rice, Ryan Adams, and The Fray. Wildsmith quickly became a local favorite in the Omaha music scene, earning four nominations at the 2007 Omaha Entertainment Awards (Album Of The Year, Best New Artist, Best Alternative/Indie, Best Spiritual/Gospel). [4]

In February 2008, Wildsmith was hand-selected by Richard Marx to open a show for him at the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In March that year, Wildsmith was asked to support folk legend Nanci Griffith at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska. Wildsmith was also asked to perform alongside many other notable artists including, Brandi Carlile, Sleeping At Last, Matt Scannell (of Vertical Horizon), Pete Yorn, and Levi Weaver.

The song "A New Morning" was added into official rotation by KIWR 89.7 FM The River on May 26, 2008. [5] The song "Recovery" was included on a digital compilation from Rocketown Records called Born After Vinyl, Vol. 1 - Unknown Songs Known. [6]

In July 2008, a handful of Wildsmith's songs were featured alongside The National in an independent Canadian film called "The Storm." Wildsmith performed at the film's premiere on July 29, 2008 at the Vancouver International Film Centre. [7]

Hummingbird EP

In April 2008 Wildsmith released "Hummingbird EP," a seven-song acoustic EP released exclusively on iTunes. The EP included four previously unreleased tracks as well as three new recording of songs from "A New Morning." [8]

Finance My Album

In July 2009 Wildsmith launched the website www.financemyalbum.com in an effort to raise money to record his upcoming album, "Little Armor." In a video to fans he explained anyone that who donated one dollar to help fund the recording would have their name placed in the liner notes of the album. If fans donated more money they would receive more incentives.

Little Armor

In August 2009 Wildsmith returned to the studio to begin work on his third full-length album. Once again, the production team of Wildsmith, Burkum, and Tobias worked together as co-producers. For the first time in his career, Wildsmith recorded songs that he had been already playing live for several months. His live band of Jakes Adams (guitar), Burkum (bass), Craig Hughes (guitar), and Tobias (drums) had been supporting him on stage for more than two years. During the recording process Wildsmith decided he would release the album under the name Tim Wildsmith and The Lost Cause as a nod to the band and how they had shaped his sound and songwriting. [9]

On February 23, 2010 Tim Wildsmith and The Lost Cause released "Little Armor."

The Foresters

In late 2010 Wildsmith began writing with friend, Nicholas Petersen, a local Omaha songwriter, and together they formed the acoustic duo, The Foresters. The two recorded 8 songs with Matthew Tobias at Empty House Studio and released their self-titled debut in May 2011. [10]

Wildsmith and Petersen are rumored to be collaborating on a second release, possibly entitled "Volume II."

Tattoos

Wildsmith has a number of tattoos. His entire left arm is covered in a sleeve tattoo that he acquired over several years. It contains Japanese-style clouds that surround a large tree and a heart with a banner that reads "Love Never Fails*." The top half of his right arm is covered by a cityscape scene in black and gray shading with a full color sunrise. His right forearm has his family crest with wings, a crown, and a banner that reads "Life Is A Journey." On his back he has a graffiti-style portrait of The Last Supper of Christ. His main tattooist is Devin Ferguson of the Omaha shop Liquid Courage.

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Awards

YearAwardCategory
20072nd Annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts AwardsAlbum Of The Year - nominated
Best New Artist - nominated
Best Alternative/Indie - nominated
Best Spiritual/Gospel - won
2009Scooters Coffeehouse Songwriting CompetitionWinner

Related Research Articles

Sixpence None the Richer American Christian alternative rock band

Sixpence None the Richer is an American Christian alternative rock band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs "Kiss Me" and "Breathe Your Name" and their covers of "Don't Dream It's Over" and "There She Goes". The name of the band is inspired by a passage from the book Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. The band received two Grammy Award nominations, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Kiss Me" and Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album for Sixpence None the Richer (1997).

Bright Eyes (band) American indie rock band

Bright Eyes was an American indie rock band founded by singer-songwriter and guitarist Conor Oberst. It consisted of Oberst, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mike Mogis, trumpet and piano player Nate Walcott, and a rotating lineup of collaborators drawn primarily from Omaha's indie music scene.

Conor Oberst American musician

Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, The Faint, Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and Better Oblivion Community Center. Oberst was named the Best Songwriter of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.

Geoff Moore singer

Geoff Moore is an American contemporary Christian music artist and songwriter. He began recording as a solo artist in 1984. In 1987, he formed Geoff Moore and The Distance, his touring band, which released eight albums generating a string of No. 1 radio hits throughout their 10+ year tenure. In 1998, Geoff retired the band from full-time touring. After a "farewell tour", Moore has continued as a solo artist, releasing eight more records between 1999 and 2015. The Next Thing was released in April 2016, making it his 25th album to date.

Operation Ivy (band) American ska punk band

Operation Ivy was an American punk rock band from Berkeley, California formed in May 1987. The band was stylistically important as one of the first bands to mix the elements of hardcore punk and ska into a new amalgam called ska punk and was critical to the emergence of Lookout Records and the so-called "East Bay Sound."

Josh Rouse American singer

Josh Rouse is an American folk/roots pop singer-songwriter. Originally from Nebraska, Rouse began his recording career in Nashville in 1998 and later relocated to Spain. In 2014, Rouse won a Spanish Goya Film Award in the category of Best Original Song for "Do You Really Want To Be In Love?" from the motion picture La Gran Familia Española.

Keith Anderson American country music artist

Keith Anderson is an American country music artist. Before signing to a record deal, Anderson was one of several co-writers on "Beer Run ", a duet by Garth Brooks and George Jones, released in late 2001. Anderson was signed as a recording artist to Arista Nashville in 2004. His debut single "Pickin' Wildflowers" was released that year, as the lead-off track from his debut album Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll. Counting "Pickin' Wildflowers", the album produced a total of four hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and was certified gold by the RIAA.

Chris Rice is an American singer and songwriter who works in the contemporary Christian music, contemporary folk and adult contemporary genres. He became a recording artist as well in 1996 after signing a contract with Rocketown Records and releasing his debut album, Deep Enough to Dream.

Mat Kearney American musician

Mathew William Kearney is an American musician born in Eugene, Oregon, now based in Nashville, Tennessee. Kearney has received critical acclaim and widespread recognition for his Columbia Records debut, Nothing Left to Lose. So far, he has a total of five top 20 hits on the Adult Top 40 Chart.

Jamey Johnson American country musician

Jamey Johnson is an American country music artist. Signed to BNA Records in 2005, Johnson made his debut with his single "The Dollar", the title track to his 2006 album The Dollar. Johnson was dropped from BNA in 2006 and signed to Mercury Nashville Records in March 2008, releasing his second album, the gold-certified That Lonesome Song. This album produced two singles, the Top 10 hit "In Color" and "High Cost of Living". Johnson has since released two more albums, The Guitar Song in 2010 and Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran in 2012. In 2014, he released a 5-song Christmas EP titled The Christmas Song. In addition to most of his own material, Johnson has co-written singles for Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Trace Adkins, George Strait, James Otto, Joe Nichols and Jessie James Decker.

Euros Childs Welsh musician

Euros Childs is a Welsh musician and songwriter, perhaps best known as the frontman for the band Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and—as of January 2019—the keyboardist for Teenage Fanclub. His sister, violinist Megan Childs, was also a member of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, and their father Lynn played on some Gorky's recordings, most notably on Barafundle. Childs was born in Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire, and was educated at the Welsh-medium school Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin in Carmarthenshire.

Will Hoge American musician

Will Hoge is an American Americana country music singer, songwriter, and musician from Nashville, Tennessee, United States.

Watermark (band)

Watermark was a Contemporary Christian singing duo composed of husband and wife Nathan and Christy Nockels. They were under Michael W. Smith's record label, Rocketown Records.

Jeffrey Steele American country musician

Jeffrey LeVasseur, known as Jeffrey Steele, is an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with recording his own material, Steele has become a prolific Nashville songwriter, having co-written more than sixty hit songs for such artists as Montgomery Gentry, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, and others.

Neva Dinova is an indie band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band is named after the grandmother of lead singer Jake Bellows. They were initially on crank! a record company, and recorded a collaborative album with Bright Eyes entitled One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels. In April 2008, the band released their first album from Saddle Creek Records entitled You May Already Be Dreaming. Drummer Roger Lewis is also the drummer for fellow Saddle Creek band The Good Life, with whom Bellows completed a solo tour in the fall of 2016. Bellows remained a key associate with Bright Eyes in 2006 and 2007 and contributed to the album Cassadaga.

Tim Krekel American musician

Tim Krekel was an American rock musician and country music songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky.

Chuck Wicks American singer

Charles Elliott Wicks is an American country music artist and radio personality. He was one of the participants on the American reality series Nashville, which aired on Fox for two episodes before its cancellation in mid-2007. In late 2007, he signed to RCA Records Nashville as a recording artist, with his debut single "Stealing Cinderella" being released in September of that year. It served as the lead-off to his debut album Starting Now, which was released in January 2008. "All I Ever Wanted" and "Man of the House" were released as the album's second and third singles, respectively, and both have charted in the Top 40 as well.

Sea Wolf is a band led by Alex Brown Church, an indie folk musician based in Los Angeles, California.

Christy Nockels American musician

Christy Lynette Nockels is a singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian music. She was also one of the lead members of the band Watermark, along with her husband, Nathan Nockels.

Tim Halperin American musician

Tim Halperin is an American singer-songwriter. A piano player and vocalist, in 2007 he began performing and recording, and in 2010 his track "We Fight Back" became the theme song for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. He was a Top 24 American Idol contestant for season 10, and afterwards released his 2011 debut album, Rise and Fall, which peaked at no. 14 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. The EP Under that Christmas Spell followed in 2012, and like all his albums since Rise and Fall was released on 24 Hour Distribution. Halperin's second album Heart Tells Your Head was released in February 2014 and peaked at No. 21 on the Heatseekers chart.

References

  1. No byline (March 2006). The Burke Beat. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  2. Hogan, Maren (October 2007). The Heartland Gatekeeper.
  3. No byline (2004). "Audio Adrenaline Worldwide CD" cdUniverse.com. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  4. No byline (January 2008). "Past Winners" Archived March 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine oea-awards.com. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  5. John, Sophia (2008) "KIWR Playlist" Archived June 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine 897theriver.com. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  6. Andrade, John (September 2007). "Born After Vinyl" Archived June 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine bornaftervinyl.com. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  7. No byline (2008) "The Storm". Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  8. Brekke, Wayne (April 2007). "New Morning to New Media" The Reader. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  9. No byline (2010) "Tim Wildsmith & The Lost Cause". Retrieved on April 9, 2010.
  10. No byline (2012) "About The Foresters". Retrieved on May 3, 2012.