About Debi

"'Soaring,' 'ethereal,' 'radiant,' 'lilting,' 'majestic'- just a few of the adjectives critics use to describe the voice of Grammy-nominated musician Debi Smith. Drawing upon her own life experiences, observations and emotions to create her pop/folk sound and heartfelt lyrics that range from the sad to the funny, introspective to up-tempo, Smith's performances at festivals and concert halls across North America uniformly garner plaudits from audiences and reviewers alike" --The Kennedy Center. "As for Smith's genre of music…she is equally at home with country…pop…folk...opera…jazz or Irish music. She is a first-rate guitarist, accompanying a crystal-clear singing voice that has a range of at least three octaves. And she is a master of the bodhran (Irish hand drum)"--Chapel Hill News. And, from folk music legend Tom Paxton, "Debi represents great songs sung with a God-given voice like few others. She is pure music."

Aside from her solo appearances, Debi also performs as a member of The Four Bitchin' Babes and as half of the sibling duo The Smith Sisters, as well as having had an early stint as part of the all woman Irish group The Hags. She has recorded ten solo albums, seven albums with the Four Bitchin' Babes, five with The Smith Sisters, and has also been included on numerous albums and compilations.

Debi's early albums with her sister Megan, as The Smith Sisters, were produced by guitar legend Merle Watson and featured the playing of Doc Watson, Mark O'Connor, and Sam Bush. "In My Dreams," Debi's first solo album, was co-produced with Grammy award-winners John Jennings (Mary Chapin Carpenter) and Al Petteway. Her second album, "More Than Once," marked her debut on the Shanachie label, and won the Wammie for "Best Contemporary Folk Album." Debi's third solo album, "Red Bird Red", was named one of the year's best by the Washington Post. "Cupid", Debi's fourth solo CD, was co-produced with instrumentalist/songwriter extraordinaire Billy Kemp, includes appearances by Kemp, Doc Watson, Mike Auldridge, Jon Carroll, and others. Debi's double-disc CD, "The Soprano" and "The Soprano Christmas," contain a collection of favorites and originals mainly featuring Debi's soprano voice. A first ballot Grammy and Wammie nominee, the album features talented performances by guitarist Al Petteway and multi-instrumentalist Marcy Marxer.

Debi's release, "Hits and Holidays," is a collection of re-mixed, re-sung and/or re-mastered audience favorites in a variety of musical stylings, paired with holidays throughout the year. It features guest performers Doc Watson, Tom Paxton, Mike Auldridge, Al Petteway, Mark O'Connor, Marcy Marxer and The Smith Sisters. Debi's, "If I Were an Angel," is a self-penned and traditional collection of Christmas holiday music with orchestra arrangments by James Kessler -- whose past arrangements include pieces for such events as The Kennedy Center Honors, A Capitol Fourth, performed by international orchestras from the London Symphony to the Boston Pops, and recording artists from Renee Fleming to B.B. King. "Deep Tracks," released in 2018, is a collection of songs “from the vaults” that had never been recorded by Debi. Debi’s 2021 CD “Then and Now,” is a retrospective album of traditional songs that is a tribute to her inspirations in music. In February of 2026 Debi will release “Flight of the Robin," with all new original music recorded/produced with Nashville legends Pat Buchanon and Shawn Fichter, and also featuring Tammy Rogers, Billy Noble, The Smith Sisters (on a cut featuring the late John Jennings), and Bitchin' Babe Marcy Marxer.

Smith has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center, Minneapolis's Guthrie Theatre, Harvard University's Sanders Theatre, Madison Civic Center (WI), Capitol Theatre (Columbus, OH), Wadsworth Theatre (UCLA), Great American Music Hall (San Francisco, CA), Spirit Square (NC), The Keswick Theatre (Philly), The World Theatre (St. Paul), Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), Norris Cultural Center (Chicago), Detroit Opera House, Museum of Fine Arts (Salt Lake), Myrna Loy Center (MT), Portsmith Music Hall (NH), Lincoln Center (NY), and The Epcot Center (FL); in Canada, Europe and Russia; and appeared on NPR's Prairie Home Companion, All Things Considered, Mountain Stage, and World Café.

She has appeared on syndicated PBS music specials including "The Smith Sisters in Concert," as well as CMT's "New Country," CBS Sunday Morning, and Good Morning America. Debi's bodhran playing with Al Petteway was featured on the title song of Ken Burns PBS special, "The National Parks."

Debi's songs have garnered her numerous ASCAP popular music awards and a Grammy nomination, and have been recorded by a growing number of artists including Tom Paxton. Debi and her songs have been the recipients of a number of Wammie awards (Washington Area Music Awards), among them, Best Contemporary Vocalist and Album. Her song, "Virginia," was selected as a Virginia State Song Finalist.

Debi's work has been published in a book called, Look Up at The Hawks and more recently, Flight of the Robin, both of which she helped create and edit with her mother, Vivian Douglas Smith. Debi and her mother have performed readings and music from Look Up at the Hawks which have been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered" with Susan Stamberg and Noah Adams, on National Public Television, and on Radio Smithsonian. Debi's lyrics have been published in two Random House books, Crème de la Femme and Life's a Stitch (Random House), benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, andAmFAR.

Debi Smith lives in Falls Church, VA, near Washington, D.C.