The Sit Down with Canaan Smith
Indiana born and Virginia raised Canaan Smith rose to prominence with his 2015 debut “Bronco” and cemented his status further with his acclaimed 2021 follow-up “High Country Sound” but as we enter 2025, album number three “Chickahominy” is finally on the way. All eleven tracks see Smith as one of the co-writers before Anthony Olympia (who people may be familiar with from when he performed at both C2C: Country to Country and The Long Road festivals as part of Everette) took the reins in the producers chair.
The album will be Smith’s first extended release in almost four years and is his first independent offering. With this new chapter of music about to launch, ahead of the release we caught up with Canaan over Zoom to hear all about it.
Hey Canaan, it’s great to see you dude, it’s been a while so I’m sorry it’s been so long.
“Hey, I’m sorry too, it’s great to see you.”
We’re going to talk a lot about this new record but I just wanted to go from the jump and say I really love it and I’m not just saying that to be nice, because I genuinely think it’s a really cool album.
“Oh man, thank you for that, that’s awesome.”
Let’s kick off with glaringly obvious, lazy journalist type question which I’m sure everyone is asking you but who/what/where/when is a “Chickahominy”?
“Ha ha, the Chickahominy is one of the three rivers that run through my hometown. There's the Chickahominy, the Jame and the York river but the Chickahominy is the one with the most mystique. It's on the side of town where the most trouble comes from and it's also the one that was a little bit elusive to me because, you know, it's where some of the wrong crowd would hang and it was like a little bit untouchable at times as a kid so it always had this mystique around it. Then when I was old enough to drive and do my own thing, you know, I would find myself there with the girlfriend at the time or just running rows, seeing what's out there and trying to blow off some steam and clear my head. That river runs right around the outskirts of our town and it just unknowingly became until now, how impactful it was to me. It became a river that has a lot of meaning and I find as I'm digging deeper to discover and remember where I came from, then to guide me for the future, I find that memories like fishing with my dad and cat-fishing on that river for the very first time, stand out to this day. It felt like it had a special place in the annals of my mind and I needed to pay a tribute, you know?
So, the title comes from a river in your hometown and for most people, record number one is this is who I am, then record number two is this is what I've got to say then number three in your case feels like this is where I came from and this is what has shaped me. A lot of the songs when you listen through, have the themes about kind of growth, learning and experiences but you have done it in a really upbeat way to reflect that there was a lot of really good memories that shaped you.
“For sure. Until recently I hadn't sat down and thought about what is the deeper message of this album. All l I was doing was just trying to chase my instincts on the song choices and now that it's done and I'm listening in context from start to finish, I do think that there's a theme of flesh and blood, you know, the spiritual side of my upbringing and who I am today like wrestling with the things that I want or I think I need versus things I already have. It’s like being someone who's content versus someone who isn't content or someone who's afraid versus someone who's confident. There's just this tension of not just good and evil but have and have nots too. Honestly this ability for the first time to embrace some of the things, some of the imperfections in a way that is really gratifying. Anthony Olympia produced this album and having a producer from start to finish this time on a whole body of work has been really game changing, not just because the sonic quality and the production landed in such a really special space but also because I had to trust someone else, I had to trust someone who was saying, no, it's right, it's great, trust me and that's not easy for a perfectionist to do, you know, and that's what I am to a fault.”
The album will be Smith’s first extended release in almost four years and is his first independent offering. With this new chapter of music about to launch, ahead of the release we caught up with Canaan over Zoom to hear all about it.
Hey Canaan, it’s great to see you dude, it’s been a while so I’m sorry it’s been so long.
“Hey, I’m sorry too, it’s great to see you.”
We’re going to talk a lot about this new record but I just wanted to go from the jump and say I really love it and I’m not just saying that to be nice, because I genuinely think it’s a really cool album.
“Oh man, thank you for that, that’s awesome.”
Let’s kick off with glaringly obvious, lazy journalist type question which I’m sure everyone is asking you but who/what/where/when is a “Chickahominy”?
“Ha ha, the Chickahominy is one of the three rivers that run through my hometown. There's the Chickahominy, the Jame and the York river but the Chickahominy is the one with the most mystique. It's on the side of town where the most trouble comes from and it's also the one that was a little bit elusive to me because, you know, it's where some of the wrong crowd would hang and it was like a little bit untouchable at times as a kid so it always had this mystique around it. Then when I was old enough to drive and do my own thing, you know, I would find myself there with the girlfriend at the time or just running rows, seeing what's out there and trying to blow off some steam and clear my head. That river runs right around the outskirts of our town and it just unknowingly became until now, how impactful it was to me. It became a river that has a lot of meaning and I find as I'm digging deeper to discover and remember where I came from, then to guide me for the future, I find that memories like fishing with my dad and cat-fishing on that river for the very first time, stand out to this day. It felt like it had a special place in the annals of my mind and I needed to pay a tribute, you know?
So, the title comes from a river in your hometown and for most people, record number one is this is who I am, then record number two is this is what I've got to say then number three in your case feels like this is where I came from and this is what has shaped me. A lot of the songs when you listen through, have the themes about kind of growth, learning and experiences but you have done it in a really upbeat way to reflect that there was a lot of really good memories that shaped you.
“For sure. Until recently I hadn't sat down and thought about what is the deeper message of this album. All l I was doing was just trying to chase my instincts on the song choices and now that it's done and I'm listening in context from start to finish, I do think that there's a theme of flesh and blood, you know, the spiritual side of my upbringing and who I am today like wrestling with the things that I want or I think I need versus things I already have. It’s like being someone who's content versus someone who isn't content or someone who's afraid versus someone who's confident. There's just this tension of not just good and evil but have and have nots too. Honestly this ability for the first time to embrace some of the things, some of the imperfections in a way that is really gratifying. Anthony Olympia produced this album and having a producer from start to finish this time on a whole body of work has been really game changing, not just because the sonic quality and the production landed in such a really special space but also because I had to trust someone else, I had to trust someone who was saying, no, it's right, it's great, trust me and that's not easy for a perfectionist to do, you know, and that's what I am to a fault.”
“There's moments like “18, Stoned and Stupid” which is the opening tracks as a carefree, just blissful I love living life that way, feeling forever young, getting stoned every day, then there are songs like “Bad News” where I'm completely terrified of the worst thing possible happening to my family and kind of like letting people in on some of the crazy fears and thoughts that I have constantly in my head that I can't get rid of. I think this album has something to say, maybe more so than any of my work before. “Bread + Honey” lifts up the rug on some really nasty truth about how some people are willing to look the other way while they're solely responsible for destroying lives but they're able to compartmentalise and look the other way whilst this other person's entire wellbeing is destroyed. I really love having something to say and I'm completely unrestricted now creatively, and I have no framework I need to stay in because I'm not committed to any label or we're not shipping this to radio, I didn't intend for it to land in one particular place, all I wanted it to do was be thought provoking and real.”
It's almost as if you have done this interview lark before Canaan because you’re making my life easy and teasing a lot of the things I wanted to ask about. You mentioned that Anthony produced the record and we will come on talk about that because I’ve known him for a couple of years now and he’s a great guy with a fantastic musical brain, but as well as having a producer for the whole project you said about having no restrictions and you weren’t tied to having to do things in a certain way so putting out music independently must be a very different experience throughout the process compared to putting out the first two records.
“It really is, it's not easy to be honest with you, Jamie. It's liberating and a really rewarding feeling, but it's also really lonely and terrifying because I don't have that help, short of if you guys and other journalists agreeing to listen and talk about it. My team has lined up some good outlets to at least put ears on it, but outside of that I've got no hand pushing me through so, yeah, it's definitely different, but it also is great because I feel a sense of accomplishment and still feel in the game but it's on my own terms. It’s because of the music not because someone's making it part of the game and putting me on the field, my music is leading the way and I’m really proud of that.”
I mentioned that I’ve known Anthony for a couple of years, I first spoke to him and Brent before they came over as Everette for C2C in 2022 and have hung out with them at various festivals since. Both him and Brent were co-writers on “Bad News” but how did you first meet and how did the discussion with Anthony come about for him to produce this record?
“We met the first time just through hooking up on a songwriting front for Everette. I was asked to write with those guys for their stuff and we got in the room together three or four times over the course of about a year and a half where we wrote some great stuff. I immediately loved his musical instincts, his talent was extraordinary and just him as a human, It was all just so enjoyable. It was in April 2024 and we were on the books to write again that day, then when I got there that morning and was tinkering around, I’d had a go at producing “18 Stoned and Stupid” myself and I was going to put that out just as one single a few weeks after the write was scheduled but I played it for them and they loved it. They loved it they thought it sounded like a really cool record. Then when we’re talking about what we were going to write that day and I was like whatever you want but they said well, how about we write something for you? You know, we haven't done that yet so what's going on? How are you doing? I just felt safe and I felt they were sincere enough to hear the truth so I told them, you know, I'm worried, as a dad, I'm constantly fearing when's the other shoe going to drop, especially because everything is going so well. We’ve got healthy kids and the season of life is sweet where everything's great but the kid in me who lost his brother as a kid suddenly to a car accident can’t help but be afraid of the worst that could happen at any given moment and life takes terms. I am constantly wrestling with this fear and I told him that where I said something about bad news in my response and how I'm just always wondering when am I gonna get bad news and that pretty obvious that was sort of a song that we needed to write.”
It's almost as if you have done this interview lark before Canaan because you’re making my life easy and teasing a lot of the things I wanted to ask about. You mentioned that Anthony produced the record and we will come on talk about that because I’ve known him for a couple of years now and he’s a great guy with a fantastic musical brain, but as well as having a producer for the whole project you said about having no restrictions and you weren’t tied to having to do things in a certain way so putting out music independently must be a very different experience throughout the process compared to putting out the first two records.
“It really is, it's not easy to be honest with you, Jamie. It's liberating and a really rewarding feeling, but it's also really lonely and terrifying because I don't have that help, short of if you guys and other journalists agreeing to listen and talk about it. My team has lined up some good outlets to at least put ears on it, but outside of that I've got no hand pushing me through so, yeah, it's definitely different, but it also is great because I feel a sense of accomplishment and still feel in the game but it's on my own terms. It’s because of the music not because someone's making it part of the game and putting me on the field, my music is leading the way and I’m really proud of that.”
I mentioned that I’ve known Anthony for a couple of years, I first spoke to him and Brent before they came over as Everette for C2C in 2022 and have hung out with them at various festivals since. Both him and Brent were co-writers on “Bad News” but how did you first meet and how did the discussion with Anthony come about for him to produce this record?
“We met the first time just through hooking up on a songwriting front for Everette. I was asked to write with those guys for their stuff and we got in the room together three or four times over the course of about a year and a half where we wrote some great stuff. I immediately loved his musical instincts, his talent was extraordinary and just him as a human, It was all just so enjoyable. It was in April 2024 and we were on the books to write again that day, then when I got there that morning and was tinkering around, I’d had a go at producing “18 Stoned and Stupid” myself and I was going to put that out just as one single a few weeks after the write was scheduled but I played it for them and they loved it. They loved it they thought it sounded like a really cool record. Then when we’re talking about what we were going to write that day and I was like whatever you want but they said well, how about we write something for you? You know, we haven't done that yet so what's going on? How are you doing? I just felt safe and I felt they were sincere enough to hear the truth so I told them, you know, I'm worried, as a dad, I'm constantly fearing when's the other shoe going to drop, especially because everything is going so well. We’ve got healthy kids and the season of life is sweet where everything's great but the kid in me who lost his brother as a kid suddenly to a car accident can’t help but be afraid of the worst that could happen at any given moment and life takes terms. I am constantly wrestling with this fear and I told him that where I said something about bad news in my response and how I'm just always wondering when am I gonna get bad news and that pretty obvious that was sort of a song that we needed to write.”
Photo Credit - Niko Saladis
“So, we did and we wrote it, I think the first few lines were different and I changed those when it was time to go in and cut it as it made them feel a little more on point with the moment. Long story short though, I loved the song we wrote, it was a quick write where we were down in two hours then I got in the car and was heading home and I got a call from Anthony. He said, dude I know you're doing your own thing and you're working on new music and stuff but I just I just want you to know that if you ever wanted to entertain the idea of bringing someone else in, I'd love the chance to get to work with you and produce a record. I said yes right on the spot where it felt like God had lined it up and it felt like this was exactly because I didn't know what to do next. I'm trying to live in the current of what does God have planned for me today and just show up and let him paint the picture. When this call came through I said yes right away and three weeks later we were in the studio but I had the song list the very next day, I just knew which ones I wanted to cut. It was just incredible with the timing and how right it felt.”
The other name I saw amongst the co-writes that people from over here are familiar with is another guy from Kentucky as Chase McDaniel has been over here fairly recently so wanted to talk about “Pay It Forward”. I think it’s a really cool sound with how you have the claps and the beats part in kind of that song, which is a little bit different to other sounds on the record. It’s got a cool message so, where did the idea for that song to come from.
“That one felt like it wasn't necessarily writing for me, but it was true. The words that I was singing were true to my story, like my dad did pitch in to help me get my first truck lifted up with big tires and the opening line rings true to me so I liked the honesty. I love the idea of passing on good fortune that's been given to you, you know you do your part to then pay it forward. I had the loops idea of you can’t pay it back but you can pay it forward and in the room that day I threw that out there and in really got honed in a really cool way. It was just another that when it became time to pick, it was obvious to me that should be one of them because it's a message that I'm proud to stand behind. It does feel a little bit a lot safer than a lot of the other songs feel that go on the record. It's the safest sounding song but that's okay as I think it helps with the dynamics of the album and we tried to just keep it simple as it was hard to make it more than it was. It's just a simple song and a simple melody, so that one, was actually the hardest one to wrangle in because of the simplicity and it felt a little more down the middle than what the rest of the album feels but it felt important enough as a song and a message to belong.”
You said that when you knew that Anthony was going to produce it, you knew pretty much straight away what you wanted to cut. It’s been just under four years since “High Country Sound” came out and looking through the credits, you have worked with a lot of different groups of co-writers so has the writing process being continual until you were ready to record and these were the songs in your locker that spoke to you?
“It has been a while in the making, I'd say there's a few songs like “Green” which I had written a few years ago, same with “18 Stoned and Stupid” and “Ain’t Much To Write Home About” are a couple of years old as well. The rest were all within the calendar year when we were making the record. You know, I actually wanted to record “Green” and “18, Stoned and Stupid” when I was on Round Here Records as a follow-up to “High Country Sound” but the record label closed shop and I didn't have a chance to. They still felt very special and very much me so when I had the opportunity in front of me to record a full project, it felt like those had to be a part of it as they’re so unique as songs. Actually “No Mercy” is an older song too, that’s about three years old as well, I wrote that around the same season as “Green” when me and Drew Kennedy were on this really cool creative thread together. So yeah, it was one of those things where I just felt connected to the songs and I was given the opportunity to finally bring them to life.”
The other name I saw amongst the co-writes that people from over here are familiar with is another guy from Kentucky as Chase McDaniel has been over here fairly recently so wanted to talk about “Pay It Forward”. I think it’s a really cool sound with how you have the claps and the beats part in kind of that song, which is a little bit different to other sounds on the record. It’s got a cool message so, where did the idea for that song to come from.
“That one felt like it wasn't necessarily writing for me, but it was true. The words that I was singing were true to my story, like my dad did pitch in to help me get my first truck lifted up with big tires and the opening line rings true to me so I liked the honesty. I love the idea of passing on good fortune that's been given to you, you know you do your part to then pay it forward. I had the loops idea of you can’t pay it back but you can pay it forward and in the room that day I threw that out there and in really got honed in a really cool way. It was just another that when it became time to pick, it was obvious to me that should be one of them because it's a message that I'm proud to stand behind. It does feel a little bit a lot safer than a lot of the other songs feel that go on the record. It's the safest sounding song but that's okay as I think it helps with the dynamics of the album and we tried to just keep it simple as it was hard to make it more than it was. It's just a simple song and a simple melody, so that one, was actually the hardest one to wrangle in because of the simplicity and it felt a little more down the middle than what the rest of the album feels but it felt important enough as a song and a message to belong.”
You said that when you knew that Anthony was going to produce it, you knew pretty much straight away what you wanted to cut. It’s been just under four years since “High Country Sound” came out and looking through the credits, you have worked with a lot of different groups of co-writers so has the writing process being continual until you were ready to record and these were the songs in your locker that spoke to you?
“It has been a while in the making, I'd say there's a few songs like “Green” which I had written a few years ago, same with “18 Stoned and Stupid” and “Ain’t Much To Write Home About” are a couple of years old as well. The rest were all within the calendar year when we were making the record. You know, I actually wanted to record “Green” and “18, Stoned and Stupid” when I was on Round Here Records as a follow-up to “High Country Sound” but the record label closed shop and I didn't have a chance to. They still felt very special and very much me so when I had the opportunity in front of me to record a full project, it felt like those had to be a part of it as they’re so unique as songs. Actually “No Mercy” is an older song too, that’s about three years old as well, I wrote that around the same season as “Green” when me and Drew Kennedy were on this really cool creative thread together. So yeah, it was one of those things where I just felt connected to the songs and I was given the opportunity to finally bring them to life.”
I really do enjoy the album a lot and I feel that everyone that listens to it will feel the same but before you head into the studio just wanted to talk about the exciting times coming to the University of North Carolina. I know you were really into basketball growing up and through your dad you were a Tar Heels fan where UNC historically have been a really big basketball school but now they are the talk of the college football world with Bill Belichick and Michael Lombardi taking over that program.
“It's bizarre man but it's exciting though, it really is because there needs to be some more powerhouses and it needs to be shaken up. People get tired of the same team being great every year and so when there's some new skin in the game it's always fun to watch and pull for and I'm definitely going to be pulling for them just because the Tar Heel runs in my blood on my dad's side and just how I grew up a fan. So yeah, I'm excited, man, it should be it should be a lot of fun to watch.”
Lastly, it’s been a while since you have been able to get over here and obviously you have time, finances and family commitments amongst other things but are you hoping to get back here and see us when you can?
“I’m constantly hoping to get over there, I truly really do and hopefully this album will open the door for that to happen. I would love for it to have enough steam and traction over there so it's kind of on the UK people to be honest with you because I'm coming when it's buzzing!”
I think it will be buzzing that everyone's going to love it. Best of luck with the release, huge credit for what you have created and when you next speak to Mr Olympia send him my best. Great to catch up with you as always Canaan.
The new album “Chickahominy” from Canaan Smith comes out on January 24th and is available to pre-save HERE.
You can find details of any upcoming live shows on his WEBSITE whilst you can keep up to date with Canaan socially on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK FACEBOOK or X.
“It's bizarre man but it's exciting though, it really is because there needs to be some more powerhouses and it needs to be shaken up. People get tired of the same team being great every year and so when there's some new skin in the game it's always fun to watch and pull for and I'm definitely going to be pulling for them just because the Tar Heel runs in my blood on my dad's side and just how I grew up a fan. So yeah, I'm excited, man, it should be it should be a lot of fun to watch.”
Lastly, it’s been a while since you have been able to get over here and obviously you have time, finances and family commitments amongst other things but are you hoping to get back here and see us when you can?
“I’m constantly hoping to get over there, I truly really do and hopefully this album will open the door for that to happen. I would love for it to have enough steam and traction over there so it's kind of on the UK people to be honest with you because I'm coming when it's buzzing!”
I think it will be buzzing that everyone's going to love it. Best of luck with the release, huge credit for what you have created and when you next speak to Mr Olympia send him my best. Great to catch up with you as always Canaan.
The new album “Chickahominy” from Canaan Smith comes out on January 24th and is available to pre-save HERE.
You can find details of any upcoming live shows on his WEBSITE whilst you can keep up to date with Canaan socially on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK FACEBOOK or X.
