"I’m especially fond of Tex’s train songs, they have a certain lonely feel to them that I’m very drawn to. While he’s never dour, Tex can be quite sentimental, he has the ability to make you almost as chilly as the characters of which he sings about." - Murry Hammond (Old 97’s)

“Smith’s sound is equal parts Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, and Ramsay Midwood through a Sun Records filter" - Linc Leifeste. TEXAS MUSIC magazine.

A Wayfarer’s Lament “takes the listener beyond trite lost-love laments of pedestrian songwriters and into a heartfelt room of wreckage and recovery,” - Diana Hendricks, REAL SOUTH magazine.

"Tex delivers songs that hint at his eclectic musical influences (Johnny Cash, Elvis, Beatles, Ernest Tubb) but are also altogether unique. His songs are unornamented, raw, and pleasing. They have an ache and a quirkiness at the same time, not to mention an honesty that fits with this very authentic new friend I have made. Great guy, great talent" – Fly Fish Chick

"You get a sense of real country roads when you listen to Tex Smith", says Bill Jeffery of Austin’s Waterloo Records. “It’s Central Texas Americana at its finest" - Bill Jeffery, Waterloo Records, Austin TX

"Smith’s approach to these country, folk and root rock numbers are simple and affecting; A Wayfarer’s Lament is well worth a sympathetic listen" – SMarx, www.recorddept.com - Quotes

Austin-based singer-songwriter Tex Smith has released his third album, Wayfarer’s Lament, completing a trilogy of sorts, chronicling his struggle to carry on after the summer 2009 suicide of his wife of nearly nine years, Laura, who suffered from Bipolar Disorder. Smith, whose sound mixes equal parts Johnny Cash, Roger Miller and Ramsay Midwood through a Sun Records filter, describes the album as “a Lamentation, dealing with God, life, death and ultimately hope.” The album was recorded at Superpop! Records, the Austin studio of Seth Gibbs (Archibalds, Brother Machine, Bobby Jealousy). The release was marked by a January record release party at Austin’s Hole in the Wall, which featured Tex playing to a full house on a bill that also featured Ramsay Midwood (who appears on two tracks on the album), The Bluebird Specials and Union Specific.
While Tex dabbled in songwriting earlier in life, self-doubt, love’s allure and life’s demands stopped him from writing for the first five years of his marriage. When he again picked up the pen, he initially kept the songs to himself before deciding to record a handful for his first album, late 2009’s eponymous Tex Smith. “Laura had never heard any of my songs up until that point, I kept them all bottled in for the most part over the years. About a month before she passed away, I played a rough mix of the record and she saw me sing live just one time. That’s it. But she was an instant believer and that was a big motivation for me to continue.”
“My first record was a falling in love record. The second (To a Bird Singing Woe) was written within the first year of her passing and deals with the immediate loss of her as a person. It’s a tribute record of sorts, to her, to me, and to anyone that’s ever lost someone close. A Wayfarer’s Lament picks up from there, about a year after she died. I still missed her tremendously, probably more than ever, but I knew I had to continue on my journey. Figuring out how to get by on a daily basis, and trying to come to a point of acceptance, led me to a lot of philosophical and spiritual discussions. I started questioning God and life, just trying to understand the purpose of everything. The record captures that but amongst all of that I feel there’s a lot of hope in there, hope that there’s a greater purpose. I clung to that hope every day, even in the darkest hours. It’s all I had at times. I turned a huge corner during the recording of that record. I finally came to peace with everything. It was like a spiritual re-birth.”
Tex is already busy working on material for his next album, which he currently plans to be made up of pop-country duets. While the road has been rough, Tex now finds himself in a place where he’s healthier, happier and more spiritually content than he’s ever been. “I’m still learning, but I’m thankful for the way things have happened. That may sound weird to people but I believe it’s all been part of the plan. I think my future albums will reflect that perspective, be a little more evenly weighted. However, I’ve also learned that you never know what life’s going to throw your way, so don’t get too comfortable.” - Linc Leifeste - Texas Music Magazine

A Wayfarers Lament is Austinite Tex Smith’s third project, through which he finds a comfortable niche of high quality, lyric based original songs. His 2009 self-titled debut was a rough-cut, roots record that walked the honky tonk rail. His second album, To a Bird Singing Woe, showed and intimate glance into heartbreak, with a melancholy nod toward recovery. This project take the listener beyond trite lost-love laments of pedestrian songwriters, and into the heartfelt room of wreckage and recovery. And today, his third album, Wayfarer’s Lament, continues along the road of a promising young songwriter who has stumbled along the rail and found his voice and place. We listened to Smith’s new album after listening to Kristofferson and Buddy & Jim. And he held his own. Enough said. –Diana Hendricks - Real South Magazine

You may know by now that songwriter Tex Smith has long been an Austin Music Minute favorite. After exploring his albums – his self-titled debut, the heartbreaking To A Bird Singing Woe (2010), and A Wayfarer’s Lament (2012), you find this wonderful combination of poetic magnificence, vivid storytelling and real country. Smith opens heart and mind to bare all, revealing a journey through love, terrible loss, and new beginnings on the not-so-distant horizon.

Very excited to report on a great show coming up with Tex Smith at one of the best places to hang and enjoy live music in South Austin. Tex will croon the tunes to make you swoon tomorrow night at The ABGB, 1305 W. Oltorf. The music starts at 8:30 p.m. You won’t want to miss it. Highly recommended. - Austin Music Minute - KUTX 89.3FM

Music has always been an instinctive thing for Tex Smith, from the time he was a kid. He was inspired by everything he’d heard along the way – country, Americana, rock and folk, so it came quite naturally to pool these influences together into an eclectic mix for his self-titled debut, recorded in 2009 at Superpop! Records. Tex Smith includes a bit of everything, both up-tempo and laid back, but it’s strikingly introspective.

Sadly, before its release, Smith faced the terrible, heartbreaking death of his first wife. But rather than isolating himself, he chose to concentrate on his music and actively became involved in Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. It was through this group that Smith would write and debut the songs that appeared on his next two albums, To A Bird Singing Woe (2010), and A Wayfarer’s Lament (2012), both revealing a lot about his journey through loss and pain, and looking toward the road ahead as he moves on.

The days are far better and brighter this year for Smith, who recently remarried and eagerly anticipates getting back into the studio to work on his fourth album with a load of new songs. Be sure to catch Tex Smith tonight at his regular Monday-night haunt, the Hole In the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe. The bill also features Andrew Blanton, Boot Money and Josh Buckley. Tex Smith starts the night out at 8 p.m. Recommended. - Austin Music MInute - KUTX 89.3FM

Tex Smith knew he loved music since he was a kid. He was writing songs when he was still in college at the University of North Texas in the early nineties, and continued to pursue songwriting after moving to the Hill Country in 2006. He was inspired by everything he’d heard along the way – country, Americana, rock and folk, so it came quite naturally to pool these influences together into an eclectic mix for his self-titled debut, recorded in 2009 at Superpop! Records. Tex Smith has a bit of everything, both up-tempo and laid back, but it’s strikingly introspective. There are deeper questions lingering beneath the honky-tonkin’ surface bemoaning foolish romantic woes.

But before the album’s release, Smith was faced with a terrible, heartbreaking loss. His wife of nearly nine years took her own life, leaving him devastated and feeling completely alone. However, rather than isolating himself, Smith chose to concentrate more on his music and actively became involved in Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. It was through this group that Smith would write and debut the songs that appeared on his next two albums, To A Bird Singing Woe (2010), and A Wayfarer’s Lament (2012), both revealing a lot about his journey through loss and pain, and looking toward the road ahead as he moves on.

The early evening Monday gigs by Tex Smith at the Hole In the Wall are a must-see. Check him out tonight at 8 p.m., followed by The Hard Pans, Alpine-based songwriter Anthony Ray Wright, and The Old Five and Dimers. Shaping up to be a lovely Monday night, indeed. Recommended. - Austin Music Minute - KUTX 89.3FM

Tex Smith knew he loved music since he was a kid. He was writing songs when he was still in college at the University of North Texas in the early nineties, and continued to pursue songwriting after moving to the Hill Country in 2006. He was inspired by everything he’d heard along the way – country, Americana, rock and folk, so it came quite naturally to pool these influences together into an eclectic mix for his self-titled debut, recorded in 2009 at Superpop! Records. Tex Smith has a bit of everything, both up-tempo and laid back, but it’s strikingly introspective. There are deeper questions lingering beneath the honky-tonkin’ surface bemoaning foolish romantic woes.

But before the album’s release, Smith was faced with a terrible, heartbreaking loss. His wife of nearly nine years took her own life, leaving him devastated and feeling completely alone. However, rather than isolating himself, Smith chose instead to concentrate more on his music and actively became involved in Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. It was through this group that Smith would write and debut the songs that appeared on his next two albums, To A Bird Singing Woe (2010), and A Wayfarer’s Lament (2012), both revealing a lot about his journey through loss and pain, and looking toward the road ahead as he moves on.

Chalk up Tex Smith as a new Austin Music Minute favorite. See him perform tonight at the Hole In the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe. The bill also includes a set by local songwriters Kullen Fuchs‘ and Jenifer Jackson‘s musical project The Saddle, and local mega-twang delight Robobilly. The music starts at 8 p.m. Go on. Get you some. Recommended. - Austin Music Minute - KUTX 89.3 FM

Who: Tex Smith has made some damn good albums. The Austin Music Minute recommends taking time to check out Smith’s self-titled debut, plus the beautiful and heartbreaking To A Bird Singing Woe (2010), and the rich roots introspection of A Wayfarer’s Lament (2012). All of it’s a journey through heart and soul, love and loss, and onward to new beginnings. Ever been to hell and back? Smith tells the tale with poetic magnificence and real country.

What: Tell you what – there’s a Tex Smith show tonight, the kind that sends away a long, rough Monday. Treat yo’self.

When: Tonight, starting at 8 p.m.

Where: Hole the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe, with songwriters Josh Buckley and Garner Sloan.

Why: It’s good for winding down. Be sure you’re there to catch all three. Recommended. - Austin Music Minute - KUTX 89.3FM

A Wayfarer's Lament - #1 Choice, Euro Americana Chart, July 2013
A Wayfarer's Lament - #9 Debut, FAR Chart, June 2013
A Wayfarer's Lament - #12, FAR Chart, July 2013
A Wayfarer's Lament - #102 Roots Music Chart, Aug 2013
A Wayfarer's Lament - #8 & #25 in Top 100 Tracks, Soma FM
To A Bird Singing Woe - #20, FAR Chart, Feb 2011
To A Bird Singing Woe - #114 Texas Roots Radio Airplay Chart, April 2010 - various