Michael Peter Smith facts for kids

Michael Peter Smith (born September 7, 1941 – died August 3, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He lived in Chicago for many years. Rolling Stone magazine once called him "The greatest songwriter in the English language." This means they thought he was an amazing writer of songs.

Even though he wasn't as famous as some other musicians, his many songs were just as powerful and important. He wrote and sang songs from the 1960s until he passed away. Over 30 different artists have recorded his rich and interesting songs.

Michael Peter Smith is most famous for writing the song "The Dutchman". Many artists made this song popular, including Steve Goodman, Suzy Bogguss, and Liam Clancy. He also wrote fun and playful songs like "Zippy" and "Famous in France."

Michael Peter Smith's Life Story

Early Life and Influences

Michael Peter Smith was born in South Orange, New Jersey, in the United States. He went to Catholic schools. These schools helped shape many of the stories and ideas in his songs. For example, his song "Sister Clarissa" was inspired by his school days.

Smith had three younger sisters and one brother. His family life was the basis for his play, Michael, Margaret, Pat and Kate. This play told the story of his childhood and his family after his father passed away early.

While attending Passaic Valley Regional High School, he found his love for the guitar and rock-and-roll music. His first big musical hero was Elvis Presley. He also really liked Roy Rogers. Smith said that music "ruined my grades," but his love for English class never suffered. He loved to read, and this helped him use smart words and tell great stories in his songs. One magazine said that listening to his songs was like reading amazing short stories.

Starting His Music Career

After high school, Smith's family moved to Florida. A couple of years later, he started college. This is when he became very interested in folk music. He said that The Kingston Trio and Harry Belafonte were his first folk music heroes.

In the 1960s, he worked at a music club in Miami called The Flick. He played there six nights a week for three years. For a while, he was in a folk trio with his wife, Barbara Barrow, and Ron Kickasola. They sounded a bit like the famous group Peter, Paul and Mary. Later, they formed a rock band called Juarez and recorded one album. After that, Smith and his wife played as an acoustic duo for several years.

"The Dutchman" and Moving to Chicago

In 1973, Steve Goodman recorded "The Dutchman" on his album Somebody Else's Troubles. This made "The Dutchman" very popular and introduced Michael Peter Smith's songs to many new listeners. Because Steve Goodman lived in Chicago and often played Smith's songs, it created many chances for Smith in Chicago.

So, in 1976, Smith and his wife moved from Detroit to Chicago. He became a regular performer in Chicago's folk music clubs. This allowed him to stop traveling so much for shows. In the early 1980s, he formed a band called Paradise. He also had a day job as a clerk for Time magazine. During this time, other musicians continued to record his songs.

Famous Songs and Collaborations

Besides "The Dutchman," many of Smith's other classic songs were recorded by different artists.

• "Spoon River," a song inspired by poems, was recorded by Steve Goodman.
• Jimmy Buffett and Steve Goodman both recorded "Elvis Imitators," which was a funny song about people who pretend to be Elvis.
• "Dead Egyptian Blues," a song about ancient Egyptian rulers, was recorded by Trout Fishing in America.
• "Crazy Mary," a song about an unusual neighbor, was recorded by Bonnie Koloc.
• "Last Day of Pompeii," a smooth jazz song about the famous ancient city, was recorded by Trout Fishing in America and Anne Hills.

In 1986, Smith started performing regularly again. He began working with Anne Hills, who helped him record two albums for Flying Fish Records. These albums were Michael Smith (1986) and Love Stories (1987). They are now considered important albums for singer-songwriters. Anne Hills also recorded her own album of Smith's songs called October Child.

Theater Work and Awards

In 1987, Michael Peter Smith met theater director Frank Galati. Galati asked Smith to write music for the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's play The Grapes of Wrath. This play became a huge success, playing in Chicago, London, and on Broadway. It even won Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Director.

The success of The Grapes of Wrath allowed Smith to quit his job at Time magazine. Working in theater brought new ideas and styles to his songwriting and performances.

Smith continued to perform often, both by himself and with Anne Hills. He recorded more albums, including a duet album with Hills. He also kept writing music for plays, like The Snow Queen for a children's theater.

In 1993, Chicago's Victory Gardens Theatre showed his autobiographical play Michael, Margaret, Pat and Kate. This play won four Jeff Awards, which are like the Tony Awards for Chicago theater. It won for Best Original Music and Best New Work. The music from this play was officially released in 2000.

In 2009, Smith won the International Hans Christian Andersen Prize in Copenhagen. This award is given to people who help share and understand the works of Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote famous fairy tales like "The Little Mermaid."

Michael Peter Smith passed away on August 3, 2020, from colon cancer.

Discography

• Juárez (1970) (With Barbara Barrow & Ron Kickasola)
• Mickey & Babs Get Hot (With Barbara Barrow) (1972)
• Zen (With Barbara Barrow) (1974)
• Michael Smith (1986)
• Love Stories (1988)
• Time (1993)
• Michael, Margaret, Pat & Kate (1994)
• Pasiones: "Songs of the Spanish Civil War" (With Katrina & Jamie O'Reilly) (1997)
• Paradise Lost & Found (With Anne Hills) (2000)
• Two Man Band Two (With James Lee Stanley) (2000)
• Weavermania! (With Barbara Barrow, Tom Dundee & Mark Dvorak) (2000)
• There (2002)
• Fourtold (With Anne Hills, Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen) (2003)
• Such Things Are Finely Done (2003)
• Michael Peter Smith Live at Dark Thirty (2003)
• The Gift of the Magi (With Jamie O'Reilly) (2003)
• Just Plain Folk: John McDermott and Michael Smith (2005)
• Michael Peter Smith: Anthology One (2005)
• Love Letter On a Fish—Michael Smith Live at Tales From the Tavern Too (2008)
• The Selfish Giant (2008, 2015)
• Old Man Dancing (2012)
• Songs of a Catholic Childhood (2012)
• Songwriting (2018)
• Fifteen Songs From Moby Dick (2019)