"I miss Diversity. Most common style of the blues played now is more in line with Chicago but more closer to Rock N Roll. There are many voices in the blues and more than one progression. Ry Cooder, Elisabeth Cotton, Louie Armstrong, Howling Wolf, Tom waits and the Black Keys. They give me inspiration and hope."

Alfie Smith: The Blues Needs A Troubadour

Alfie Smith is a prolific songwriter, an accomplished performer and talented multi-instrumentalist. On November 1st, 2024 , Alfie Smith releases his eighth album, Every Rome Needs A Nero, and that is excellent news for blues lovers. The Hamilton-based troubadour is a popular and crowd-pleasing fixture on the Ontario’s blues / folk / roots festivals and club circuit, but it has been a full decade since his last release, Come On In My Kitchen, a duo record with his wife, Nicole Christian. His return to the recording arena with Every Rome Needs A Nero finds Alfie at the height of his creative powers. He is a triple threat: a guitar virtuoso fluent on slide and vintage National and resonator instruments, an eloquent songwriter in the classic blues tradition, and a powerful singer with a voice to match his formidable physical presence. That deep voice sounds like it has been dredged from the depths of the muddy Mississippi River. It is rich and earthy, and capable of expressing tenderness, melancholy, joy, and, in the case of the new album’s title track, righteous anger.

(Alfie Smith / Photo by Benjamin Washington)

Alfie Smith’s recording career now spans more than a quarter century, beginning with his 1998 debut, Alfred John Smith. Subsequent albums were mostly self-released, with a couple coming out on noted Kitchener independent roots label Busted Flat. Smith’s multiple talents have been recognized by both The Hamilton Music Awards, which nominated him 12 times, in the Best Male Vocalist and Best Guitarist categories, and the Toronto Blues Society, who selected him to represent them at the prestigious International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2010. Alfie’s prodigious skill as an instrumentalist on banjo, 7-string slide guitar, lap steel, resonator guitar and more has brought him endorsements from, amongst others, Goldtone Banjos, Godin Guitar, and Goodman Guitars, who named a guitar model after him.

Interview by Michael Limnios                    Special Thanks: Sarah French Publicity

What do you learn about yourself from the blues and why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

I have learned I'm not alone. In shared suffering or joy, we can find common ground. Blues can be universal.

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? What characterize your music philosophy? Where does your creative drive come from?

I love the raw delta Blues and ragtime and grew up listening to Jackie Washington, Mose Scarlett and Robert Johnson (though the movie crossroads when I was 11 or 12) I love learning more and always try to become a better musician.

What moment changed your life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

I've been lucky enough to play most of the festivals in Ontario represented Toronto (2012) and Western New York (2018) in Memphis at the international blues challenge. I play festivals in Mexico once a year.

"I love the raw delta Blues and ragtime and grew up listening to Jackie Washington, Mose Scarlett and Robert Johnson (though the movie crossroads when I was 11 or 12) I love learning more and always try to become a better musician." (Alfie Smith / Photo by Benjamin Washington)

Why do you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following in Canada?

It's a universal language and has a deeper history here than people think.

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I miss Diversity. Most common style of the blues played now is more in line with Chicago but more closer to Rock N Roll. There are many voices in the blues and more than one progression. Ry Cooder, Elisabeth Cotton, Louie Armstrong, Howling Wolf, Tom waits and the Black Keys. They give me inspiration and hope.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

Listen before you play, music should be a conversation and take a breath.

What's the balance in music between technique and soul? What is the role of a poet in today’s society?

I don't care how fast someone plays. I will care about what they say.  To hold up a mirror to our society and to make people feel better by shared experiences.

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

I try to keep my music timeless and not dated it by mentioning something that becomes out of fashion quickly. I try to talk about timeless things like loss of love or outrage or joy and happiness.

Alfie Smith - Home

(Alfie Smith / Photo by Benjamin Washington)