WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather, and Sports |Homeless musician sees career take off

Homeless musician sees career take off

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – An self-taught musician who was once homeless on the streets of Nashville is now seeing his career take off in the city.

Adam Smith was born in Virgina, but grew up in Cloverlick, Kentucky.

He moved to Music City a year ago with only $300 to his name and a dream.

Smith told News 2, "I came here, like a lot of musicians do, and just kind of went for it."

With no place to live, Smith played his guitar wherever he could, including the street corner of 2nd Avenue and Broadway, for anyone who would listen.

"I slept in my car," Smith said, "and I played open mics and played here on the street and just tried to get attention, you know, to my music."

During the 2009 CMA Music Festival, Smith was discovered by his current manager.

Smith said, "It just kind of took off from there. I was on a plane to Sedona recording a record, and before that, I was on tour."

Monday night, Smith will be back on 2nd Avenue and Broadway, but this time, he will perform on stage at the Hard Rock Café with five other musicians on the Home Sweet Home Tour.

Smith told News 2 he is excited to see some of his hard work starting to pay off, and he hopes his music career will continue growing.

"It has kind of been like a slow build up. A lot of people opening their hearts and being really generous," he said.

The Hard Rock Café just reopened in June, after last May's floods.

Smith will be playing in the Reverb Room at 8 p.m. with Shane Cooley and The Melillo Brothers.

Doors open at 7:30p.m. Tickets cost $5 each.