Meet Jason Smith | Commercial Music Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, how do you think about risk?
Being afraid to take risks can be one of the best ways to ensure that you are never successful! When it comes to the field of arts and entertainment, risk taking has always been a way of life for us. I have been pushing the envelope and doing things that were out of my comfort zone my entire musical career. Before the COVID-19 pandemic I left my job as a music director for a church and walked away from a guaranteed salary. I gambled it all and the risk paid off because one of my Youtube videos caught the eye of a marketing executive for a major national brand. Since then I have produced the music for almost 48 tv commercials and I am currently working on spots for Sirius XM radio. Sometimes we are afraid to take risks because the environment we are in and the people around us expect us to remain there! If you know in your heart that you have more to do in your life take every necessary risk to get there. You can not be afraid to fail! I would not be doing what I am doing today if I would have listened to others, I had to follow my dreams.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My job is to create, write, and produce commercial music for a variety of advertising applications. When people think of the music profession many of them think about an artist in a studio recording an album. Anytime you turn the tv on you are hearing music that is being produced in commercials, movies or sitcoms. There is not much stability for musicians in the music business when it comes to artists. Many musicians go on the tour with major artists for months and then can’t find a job once the tour is over, or the artist takes a break between albums. I produce music for an industry that will never go away. Marketing and advertising will always provide a great platform for musicians, writers, and producers. I learned several different genres of music at an early age, and had to do it at a greater level in the US Army Band when I was in the military. The knowledge of several musical styles is what made my transition to commercial music possible. I got this gig from a Youtube video I posted where I explained how so many styles of music share a similar chord and melodic structure. I got a call from a marketing guy and was invited to sit in on a tv commercial recording. I was then asked to play for a few projects and the rest was history. In my early years I spent all of my time learning the theory of music and focused on playing it, but I learned very fast that I did not know enough about the recording part. In 2021 I went back to school at Liberty University and enrolled in their Commercial Music Production program. This program along with my earlier education that I received in the military and from the University of Maryland prepared me for this new career. With that being said I must encourage anyone reading this that you should always bet on yourself! I could count on one hand the amount of people who believed that I could be doing what I am doing today. You have to be willing to go all out!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since we’re talking Atlanta I would have to say a trip to the aquarium and the botanical gardens. These are two jewels in the city! For entertainment the City Winery of Atlanta is a must! You can catch some greats artists there. One of my favorite spots to eat is Wegmans Bayou Louisiana Kitchen in Roswell. To get out and see a really great view of the city nothing beats Stone Mountain!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could not have done this alone. I have an awesome woman in my life, mother, and a few close friends that have supported me like crazy over the years. When you have a great talent sometimes people in the public feel as thought they are co-owners of your talent! Many people will get upset with you when you feel its take to make a change or do something different with your abilities. The people mentioned above have supported me when others could not see my vision. A really good support team makes all the difference and can really keep you grounded! Over the past few years I have met so many producers and brand managers and I have been soaking up so much knowledge. There are too many individuals to name, but I really appreciate the people who took the time to share so many industry tips with me.

Website: www.jsmusicpro.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsmusic4real/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JSM4Real/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jsmithmusic77

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jsmithmusic4real