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Now In the band's 53rd year, 36 albums
Updated: December 10, 2025
STEVENSON
PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES: The release of Smithfield Fair's 36th album,
NEVER TOO LATE!
NEVER TOO LATE, is a collection of revisits to
material from our early days inspired by recent interest throughout
Scandanavia, Europe to Japan, Britain and now the U.S. It contains 14
tracks, which include revisits, never-before-released songs, and new
songs. It is only available in very limited physical (CD) copies from
the band
(send $15 to Smithfield Fair at 8323 Justin Avenue,
Baton Rouge, LA 70809), at Saxon Studio (108 Southwest Main Street,
Bunkie, Louisiana) and at all performances (see calendar).
SMITHFIELD FAIR was honored on Friday, October 17th, 2025 as a Louisiana Folklife Commission "Tradition Bearer" in a presentation as part of the Arts Council of Central Louisiana's FALL ARTWALK in downtown Alexandria. Making the presentation was Dr. Shane Rasmussen, a Louisiana Folklife Commissioner and Executive Director of the NSU Louisiana Folklife Center in Natchitoches, along with Maria Zeringue, new Louisiana Folklife Director. In July of 2025, Dr. Rasmussen also inducted Smithfield Fair into the Hall of Master Folk Artist in ceremonies during the 2025 FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL. View the Christopher Robert produced '>Tradition Bearer video or the Stuart Poulton/Movee Media produced video on '>Dudley-Brian & Jan.
WEBSITE NOTE: Our plans are to keep this website up, running and updated to the end of 2026. Please note this and after that, refer to the Smithfield Fair FACEBOOK page. Thanks.
"Smithfield Fair, what a concert, what a night! Dudley-Brian Smith, the consummate entertainer, connects one by one, with each and every face in the room as he sings. I've always loved his mischievous "I know something you don't" twinkle in his eyes. He's ever the charming rogue. Bobby Smith's performance style seems more ethereal. He often closes his eyes, intensely feeling every note, every lyric, but then, when you least expect it, he will almost burst into a jig as pure joy takes hold of him. (Go ahead and bust a move, Bobby--there are those of us who will join in the dance!) And of course, center stage: the luminous muse, Jan Smith. Her voice is beyond gorgeous--it's hard to take your eyes off of her. (And husband Dudley hasn't, for 30+ years!) Jan doesn't need a spotlight, she IS a spotlight! As if the night couldn't get any better, they sang one of my favorites for the encore. Thank you, my friends, for a magical night." - Lane Voltz Barry (Photo below by David NORMAND)
For 52 years, five decades plus, the focus of Smithfield Fair has been harmony vocals and original songs deftly placed over acoustic instrumentation. Smithfield Fair has presented its heartfelt original music throughout the United States on concert and festival stages; in historic venues and theatres; at large events such as the World's Fair, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Kerrville Folk Festival; as well as in the most intimate coffeehouses, cafes and house concerts. Smithfield Fair songs have become popular internationally through constant radio, satellite and internet airplay. Smithfield Fair continues to be a true original, creating hopeful and imaginative songs, and performing them with passion, honesty and humor.
The
acoustic & vocal music of Smithfield Fair is available for
licensing through Tacet Music
SOME VIDEOS OF SMITHFIELD FAIR:
Where the Rippling Waters Flow
Music
begets music! Proceeds from purchased Smithfield CDs go toward making
new music.
A
SHORT HISTORY OF SMITHFIELD FAIR
Smithfield
Fair began in Pensacola, Florida in 1973 to promote original songs
sung with harmony and backed by acoustic instrumentation. The trio’s
first recording contract came in 1974 when they worked with famed
producer Bud Reneau (songwriter/producer, Dobie Gray and others) at
historic Hilltop Studio in Nashville. Dubbed by one reviewer as “the
perfect café band”, the group moved its home base in 1976 to
Alexandria, Louisiana and released its first single, 'A Place In Your
Heart' in 1977 on legendary Floyd Soileau's One Way Records,
expanding recognition regionally.
At
that time under the name of CHARMER and founding the independent
Rapides Records in 1980, they issued their first album, 'Only the
Wind' in 1981 followed by ‘Must Be The Gypsy’ in 1982 which
boosted them into concert openings for such artists as Louisiana’s
LeRoux, Zachary Richard and Arlo Guthrie. The group continued concert
appearances with artists such as Jesse Winchester, John Prine, Nancy
Griffith; touring the South with New York’s The Washington Squares;
and appeared at such legendary venues as Storyville Jazz Hall in New
Orleans, Rockafella’s in Houston, and even the 1984 World’s Fair.
Changing
the group name to SMITHFIELD FAIR in 1989 the group had moved toward
the Scottish music of their shared heritage, blending traditional
with original songs. Smithfield Fair became recognized world-wide as
one of the foremost presenters of Scottish music in North America.
During this period, the group signed a four-album deal with Centaur
World Records, giving them international distribution. They continued
a busy performance schedule regularly working with a Who’s Who of
celebrated Celtic performers that included Alasdair Fraser, Eileen
Ivers, Brian McNeill, the Battlefield Band, the Tannahill Weavers,
Archie Fisher, Andy M. Stewart and Alex Beaton. For twenty years,
they received continual critical praise for the group’s strong,
seamless pairing of traditional and original songs, and enjoyed
international radio and internet airplay. However, the heritage
movement began to wind down in the early part of the new millennium,
so Smithfield Fair returned to a focus on its original music.
Smithfield
Fair performances continued at such venues as the New Orleans Jazz &
Heritage Festival, and Smithfield Fair’s music was increasingly
used nationally in movies, television and web programs and radio
campaigns. Since 2014, the group’s original song Sweet Sugar Cane
has been licensed by the Louisiana-based American Sugar Cane League
and continues as a promotional theme. Today, the group’s
longest-standing line-up of Jan Smith (vocals, accordion, guitar,
piano), Bob Smith (vocals, acoustic bass, percussion) and
Dudley-Brian Smith (vocals, acoustic guitars, mandolin) continues to
selectively perform and release new, original music – with album
number 36 released in 2025.
"Smithfield
Fair, an almost-impossible-to-categorize folk/roots band has
mesmerized audiences worldwide over the radio, television, film,
clubs and concert halls...has earned praise for its tight
arrangements, elegant song selection and some of the most haunting
vocal harmonies this side of heaven." - R.U. Eddy, GrisGris
Magazine
Smithfield
Fair sounds like no one else. Their folky mix is awash with elements
of Celtic, jazz, blues, swamp-pop and gospel, and continues to
demonstrate an uncommonly original and versatile approach fortified
with passion, creativity and imagination. As always, there’s more
to come, so, stay tuned!
ITEMS OF INTEREST:
Smithfield Fair & Charmer music is available at SAXON STUDIOS, 108 SW Main St, Bunkie, LA 71322; Phone: (318) 484-6181
Smithfield Fair is on Facebook. Be sure to visit and 'like' us.
Note:
This website and the Smithfield Fair site on Facebook are the only
official sources for information on Smithfield Fair.
Every
effort is made to make certain all information is correct and up to
date.
All
Smithfield Fair guitars and
basses are
Guilds made in Westerly, Rhode Island, set-up and maintained by
Holger Notzel in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
You can contact Holger
at 225-772-7831 or at 4262 Perkins Road - behind Black Torch Tattoos
- 2-6 p.m., Monday through Friday; or through Komet
Amps.
Yeah, they make the amps used by Sonny Landreth, Mark
Knopfler, & others.
Remember
- We love to hear from you. E-mail
us anytime.
(Please note: our old email at
info@smithfieldfair.com is no longer active. Please use the email
above.)
STEVENSON PRODUCTIONS
Webmaster
UPDATED ON DECEMBER
10,
2025
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