Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Smith.
Hi Christian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from Jamestown, NC. I moved to Boone to attend Appalachian State University. While in school I began playing gigs locally around town. I quickly fell in love with music and performing. After some time playing the Boone circuit by myself, I met Chandler Carpenter who was another songwriter/musician in the area. We quickly began to jam and write music together. After some time we started playing acoustic gigs together in Western NC. During the time we were just starting out with acoustic shows we saw a good amount of success and even got to acoustically open for Tyler Tritt (Travis Tritt’s daughter) in Wilkesboro, NC. After seeing the success from the acoustic shows we decided to form a full band. We got Mason Mull on the drums and Gus Debnam on the bass guitar while I played lead guitar. This was when we formed Chandler Carpenter and The Reckless Souls. We began playing the entire state of NC pretty quickly and started to expand into other states such as Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, and New York. We quickly began to travel every weekend playing shows across the southeast. This past year we were blessed with many great opportunities. We played Lovin’ Life Music Fest in Charlotte with Dave Matthews Band, played Carolina Country Music Festival in Myrtle Beach with Jelly roll and Chase Rice, and we played the Greenville Country Music Festival in Greenville, SC with Koe Wetzel and Muscadine Bloodline. We have quickly seen our fan base grow and I am excited to see what the future brings. Besides my obligations to my main project with CCRS, I am also playing MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC with Kyle Horton. During all of this time I graduated from App State in May of 2025 and quickly got a side job when I’m not on the road as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Panoramic Hospitality.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s has certainly not been a smooth ride. Usually you have to go through the bad stuff to get to the good stuff. I was a full time student, worked a part time job, and traveled the entire southeast with the band from 2023-2025. It did not give me much or any free time. It was very difficult financially and emotionally. During this time I was affected by Hurricane Helene as well. I lost my house in Boone and my car. I ultimately had to move back home to Jamestown for months while I saved money and salvaged any of my belongings that I could. This was certainly a traumatic experience and caused a lot of turbulence in my life. There are many other challenges I faced but I would say these most affected who I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m most proud of my determination. I never gave up and have accomplished a lot of things in the music profession. I also did all of these things musically while juggling a ton of other things. Not only do I specialize in music but I also specialize in sales and marketing. I have watched the skills from both my music profession and my profession as the Director of Sales and Marketing collide. The world of sales in marketing truly translates from the music industry to the hospitality industry. I think why set me apart musically was that I truly just loved playing all of the time and getting better. Whether it is in my music room, on the stage, or by a bonfire I truly enjoy playing any type of music all of the time.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I not only play lead guitar but I am a multi-instrumentalist. I can play the piano, banjo, harmonica, and some violin. Another interesting thing about me is that I was actually sent to a wilderness camp and boarding school as a teenager. I would say this is where I truly fell in love with music because that was all that I had. I would spend 4-8 hours a day literally just listening and playing music.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cdsmusicandco?igsh=MXZjYmQzcjh5cmFleQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/chandlerandtherecklesssouls?igsh=c2x6cG40Z2JoN2cy&utm_source=qr
