The State Fayre Sit Down with Landon Smith
Landon Smith, one of Nashville's most exciting emerging singer-songwriters, is heading to the UK for the first time this month, making his UK debut with performances at the new State Fayre festival at Hylands Park, Chelmsford on June 26. At just 22 years old, Smith has quickly built a reputation for his raw, emotionally charged songwriting and powerful live performances, blending Americana, country storytelling, and rock 'n' roll energy into a sound that feels both timeless and distinctly modern. More recently, Smith has released his latest single, 'Supertramp', via Lucille Records / MCA. Produced by GRAMMY® Award-winner Dave Cobb and we caught up with him ahead of going on stage in Chelmsford.
Nice to meet you, Landon! How are you coping with the heat? We Brits often say that UK heat hits different, but you guys have temperatures like this all the time.
Yeah, it’s bad. We’re used to the heat, I guess. But coming into a building with no AC is bad!
Despite the heat, it’s still great that we have had the time to talk to you - can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into music for any new fans you’ll be making out here?
Well, my name is Landon Smith. I am from South Atlanta. Georgia. United States. North America. You know, the whole shebang. I think I started playing guitar in second grade, and I fell in love with live music through my folks, who took me to concerts and everything.
Was there any concert that really stands out for you?
Growing up, we definitely saw Train a lot, probably about five times, and they were insane. And Zac Brown Band!
Yeah, we are big Zac Brown fans over here too - I think their album Uncaged is a near-perfect album.
Oh yes! No skips, that record is so good for sure.
You sort of blew up while at college - what was it like being the guy who was just gigging locally to the guy who has 130k monthly Spotify listeners?
Yeah, it was insane and quite cool. I went to school at Georgia Southern, and a lot of country artists came out of Southern Georgia - Cole Swindell, Luke Bryan, Dylan Marlowe. It’s like there is something in the water down there.
Was it one of those guys that you really looked up to?
I mean, dude, if I can put on a live show like Luke Bryan, sign me up for that. He might have more fun at his shows than the fans do. I mean, I bet they have a blast, but he looks like he is having the time of his life every time.
Your journey is really cool, because looking back at the first videos you ever posted on TikTok, you were doing some covers and they were great, but weren’t getting any traction. You then post a little clip of your own song, “If You Want Me Tonight”, and it went crazy - it must be amazing that people wanted to hear you!
It was ridiculous. I remember my manager Cam and me - we were in her basement trying to write a song. Nothing was happening, writer’s block, and I was like, I have this half-written song. Let’s just post it to TikTok. By the time she walked me out to the car, probably 30 mins later, it had like 40,000 views, and I was like, Wow. I didn’t even have TikTok two or three months before this - made me realise the internet’s a crazy place.
Nice to meet you, Landon! How are you coping with the heat? We Brits often say that UK heat hits different, but you guys have temperatures like this all the time.
Yeah, it’s bad. We’re used to the heat, I guess. But coming into a building with no AC is bad!
Despite the heat, it’s still great that we have had the time to talk to you - can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into music for any new fans you’ll be making out here?
Well, my name is Landon Smith. I am from South Atlanta. Georgia. United States. North America. You know, the whole shebang. I think I started playing guitar in second grade, and I fell in love with live music through my folks, who took me to concerts and everything.
Was there any concert that really stands out for you?
Growing up, we definitely saw Train a lot, probably about five times, and they were insane. And Zac Brown Band!
Yeah, we are big Zac Brown fans over here too - I think their album Uncaged is a near-perfect album.
Oh yes! No skips, that record is so good for sure.
You sort of blew up while at college - what was it like being the guy who was just gigging locally to the guy who has 130k monthly Spotify listeners?
Yeah, it was insane and quite cool. I went to school at Georgia Southern, and a lot of country artists came out of Southern Georgia - Cole Swindell, Luke Bryan, Dylan Marlowe. It’s like there is something in the water down there.
Was it one of those guys that you really looked up to?
I mean, dude, if I can put on a live show like Luke Bryan, sign me up for that. He might have more fun at his shows than the fans do. I mean, I bet they have a blast, but he looks like he is having the time of his life every time.
Your journey is really cool, because looking back at the first videos you ever posted on TikTok, you were doing some covers and they were great, but weren’t getting any traction. You then post a little clip of your own song, “If You Want Me Tonight”, and it went crazy - it must be amazing that people wanted to hear you!
It was ridiculous. I remember my manager Cam and me - we were in her basement trying to write a song. Nothing was happening, writer’s block, and I was like, I have this half-written song. Let’s just post it to TikTok. By the time she walked me out to the car, probably 30 mins later, it had like 40,000 views, and I was like, Wow. I didn’t even have TikTok two or three months before this - made me realise the internet’s a crazy place.
I guess you’re sort of part of this TikTok era of artists where we have seen loads of acts coming through - seeing Stella Lefty blow up most recently - are there any of that generation that are really inspiring you?
I’m not gonna claim that I’m not, so TikTok is definitely where I came from. It's just cool seeing some people that you’ve heard of when they were super small. I remember when “Straight and Narrow” by Sam Barber came out, and nobody was listening to that song, and it was like, ‘wow, this is cool’. My manager sent it to me going, ‘this kind of sounds like you’, and then other people thought it was cool. Then out of nowhere, he’s huge. It's very inspiring to see how quickly it can happen. Although I like the slow rise a little bit, it makes you appreciate a lot of things.
Yeah, I guess if you shoot to the top, you miss out on the journey, and the journey is sometimes the best bit!
For sure. Hopefully, eventually, I can get a tour bus, but I like my big old van right now.
Looking ahead to the weekend and State Fayre, what are you excited about for it?
I’m really excited to see Kings of Leon and Stephen Wilson Jnr. I have definitely been wanting to see them for a minute. Hopefully, the people who come to see me can see how much energy I can give off with just me and an acoustic guitar.
Am I right in saying that one of your first-ever TikToks is a cover of a Lumineers’ track? What’s it like now sharing a bill with them, in a festival, in the UK as well?
Yeah, it probably was. I love The Lumineers. Even crazier for me was in my senior year of high school, my buddies and I, when we graduated, wanted to treat ourselves, so we went to see Whiskey Myers play in a small theatre in Atlanta. We pushed our way to the front row and had a blast, and then four years later, I was on tour with them for a few shows!
Did you tell them?
Yeah, I did - I can’t remember who I was talking to, but I think I made them feel old.
I'd better ask about your new music - you have a new song coming out tomorrow, I believe?
Yeah, we got “The Ragdoll” coming out tomorrow. Super excited about that one - it’s my mother’s favourite song that she always requests. I wrote it probably two or three years ago, so it’s been on the back burner a minute, but it’s super super cool. A lot of people are writing songs about how somebody did them dirty, and this one’s kind of more like, how can you do somebody dirty?
I’m not gonna claim that I’m not, so TikTok is definitely where I came from. It's just cool seeing some people that you’ve heard of when they were super small. I remember when “Straight and Narrow” by Sam Barber came out, and nobody was listening to that song, and it was like, ‘wow, this is cool’. My manager sent it to me going, ‘this kind of sounds like you’, and then other people thought it was cool. Then out of nowhere, he’s huge. It's very inspiring to see how quickly it can happen. Although I like the slow rise a little bit, it makes you appreciate a lot of things.
Yeah, I guess if you shoot to the top, you miss out on the journey, and the journey is sometimes the best bit!
For sure. Hopefully, eventually, I can get a tour bus, but I like my big old van right now.
Looking ahead to the weekend and State Fayre, what are you excited about for it?
I’m really excited to see Kings of Leon and Stephen Wilson Jnr. I have definitely been wanting to see them for a minute. Hopefully, the people who come to see me can see how much energy I can give off with just me and an acoustic guitar.
Am I right in saying that one of your first-ever TikToks is a cover of a Lumineers’ track? What’s it like now sharing a bill with them, in a festival, in the UK as well?
Yeah, it probably was. I love The Lumineers. Even crazier for me was in my senior year of high school, my buddies and I, when we graduated, wanted to treat ourselves, so we went to see Whiskey Myers play in a small theatre in Atlanta. We pushed our way to the front row and had a blast, and then four years later, I was on tour with them for a few shows!
Did you tell them?
Yeah, I did - I can’t remember who I was talking to, but I think I made them feel old.
I'd better ask about your new music - you have a new song coming out tomorrow, I believe?
Yeah, we got “The Ragdoll” coming out tomorrow. Super excited about that one - it’s my mother’s favourite song that she always requests. I wrote it probably two or three years ago, so it’s been on the back burner a minute, but it’s super super cool. A lot of people are writing songs about how somebody did them dirty, and this one’s kind of more like, how can you do somebody dirty?
Is it one that you’ve played live a lot before?
Yeah, it really gets people listening and engaging. There’s no better feeling than being on stage. It’s the wildest thing, like you can’t explain it, only people who have done it get it, to be honest. It’s gotta be the craziest drug known to man, to be honest. It’s the only thing that matters on stage for however long you’re up there. Your life could be crap, but for those 40 minutes, cloud nine.
You’ve had a bit of time over here now, so is there anything you’ve been doing with your time?
Dude, we walked 30,000 steps yesterday. We’ve been trying as much food as I can possibly eat, and since we got booked for State Fayre, I’ve been noting all the spots I want to eat. I finally had fish and chips in the pub last night. Loved it - vinegar, mushy peas, the whole nine yards. I had a Full English this morning!
With Black Pudding?
It’s the most terrible thing I’ve ever seen - it looks like a hockey puck, but it was very nice.
Don’t think about what it’s made of either.
Yeah, we made that mistake - we were trying to figure out what it tastes like, and we looked it up. Hopefully, we are gonna get some meat pie and mash with liquor later.
I’m impressed you chose to walk 30,000 steps on the hottest day in June’s history in the UK.
Yeah, it was probably a mistake. It was fun though, I had a blast, it’s not as humid as it is in the Southern US.
It’s jokes, on a day where you were doing iconically British things, I was doing iconically US things - my fiancee and I went and bought Stetsons for our wedding! I just won’t think about how much they cost…
Hell yeah, dude, that’s awesome! Oh, you’ll pass it down; it's a forever purchase. I’ve got a couple myself that I hardly ever wear.
Back home, things are going really well for the USA in the World Cup! Have you got involved and been taken by World Cup fever?
It’s really cool that the World Cup is over in the States. I’ve never really watched football or soccer, but it’s the biggest sport in the world. We watched Canada vs Switzerland last night, and it was really entertaining. It’s crazy that the one time I come to Europe everybody in Europe’s over the States! People are experiencing America for the first time and flipping out about the All-Star special at the Waffle House, and I’m flipping out about black pudding, and we’re both like, this is crazy!
So just to finish, I wanted to ask you a question I’ve asked all my interviewees this year - what song from your own catalogue would you recommend for a wedding playlist?
Hmmm - All the slow songs are sad - I wouldn't play those at a wedding. Probably Pawn Shop Collectables. That's just a good vibe, you know, it's all about running away with your person, I guess.
Sounds brilliant, you’re added to the list! Good luck with the shows this week!
Yeah, it really gets people listening and engaging. There’s no better feeling than being on stage. It’s the wildest thing, like you can’t explain it, only people who have done it get it, to be honest. It’s gotta be the craziest drug known to man, to be honest. It’s the only thing that matters on stage for however long you’re up there. Your life could be crap, but for those 40 minutes, cloud nine.
You’ve had a bit of time over here now, so is there anything you’ve been doing with your time?
Dude, we walked 30,000 steps yesterday. We’ve been trying as much food as I can possibly eat, and since we got booked for State Fayre, I’ve been noting all the spots I want to eat. I finally had fish and chips in the pub last night. Loved it - vinegar, mushy peas, the whole nine yards. I had a Full English this morning!
With Black Pudding?
It’s the most terrible thing I’ve ever seen - it looks like a hockey puck, but it was very nice.
Don’t think about what it’s made of either.
Yeah, we made that mistake - we were trying to figure out what it tastes like, and we looked it up. Hopefully, we are gonna get some meat pie and mash with liquor later.
I’m impressed you chose to walk 30,000 steps on the hottest day in June’s history in the UK.
Yeah, it was probably a mistake. It was fun though, I had a blast, it’s not as humid as it is in the Southern US.
It’s jokes, on a day where you were doing iconically British things, I was doing iconically US things - my fiancee and I went and bought Stetsons for our wedding! I just won’t think about how much they cost…
Hell yeah, dude, that’s awesome! Oh, you’ll pass it down; it's a forever purchase. I’ve got a couple myself that I hardly ever wear.
Back home, things are going really well for the USA in the World Cup! Have you got involved and been taken by World Cup fever?
It’s really cool that the World Cup is over in the States. I’ve never really watched football or soccer, but it’s the biggest sport in the world. We watched Canada vs Switzerland last night, and it was really entertaining. It’s crazy that the one time I come to Europe everybody in Europe’s over the States! People are experiencing America for the first time and flipping out about the All-Star special at the Waffle House, and I’m flipping out about black pudding, and we’re both like, this is crazy!
So just to finish, I wanted to ask you a question I’ve asked all my interviewees this year - what song from your own catalogue would you recommend for a wedding playlist?
Hmmm - All the slow songs are sad - I wouldn't play those at a wedding. Probably Pawn Shop Collectables. That's just a good vibe, you know, it's all about running away with your person, I guess.
Sounds brilliant, you’re added to the list! Good luck with the shows this week!