Michael Smith
Michael Peter Smith is a Chicago, U.S.-based singer/songwriter. He has been singing and composing since the 1960s, and his rich and challenging songs have been recorded by more than 30 performers. He is best known for writing “The Dutchman,” which was popularized by Steve Goodman and also recorded by Tom Russell, John McDermott, Gamble Rogers, Jerry Jeff Walker, the New Kingston Trio, Liam Clancy, Anne Hills, Suzy Boggus, Norm Hacking, and Robert James Waller.
Smith also writes music for theatre; most notably in 1993 Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theatre premiered his autobiographical play Michael, Margaret, Pat and Kate. The play won four Jeff Awards. Smith has performed at dozens of major folk festivals including the Kerrville Folk Festival, Black Mountain Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Owen Sound, Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, and Winnipeg Folk Festivals. He has also appeared on a number of radio programs including WUMB’s Circle in the Stream, interviews with Studs Terkel on WFMT, a series of interviews on All Things Considered and Good Evening on NPR as well as interviews for the BBC in London for All Things Considered.
