Mindy Smith got her first record deal after recording a version of Jolene for a Dolly Parton tribute which caught the attention of Dolly herself. In 2004, she received the best new/emerging artist award at the Americana Awards.
She grew up in New York to adoptive parents who were involved in the church. She listened to what was popular on the radio at the time, artists like Cindy Lauper and the Cure, but was always intrigued by country music.
Later in life she connected with her biological family who were from Appalachia and involved in playing the traditional music of the region.
She has several albums in her catalog and numerous collaborative efforts and co-writing credits. Her latest release is the 2024 album Quiet Town.
Hear her perform live from the JPR, Steve Nelson performance studio and talk about her life and career.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club featuring cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at
