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BIO

Wondering - Preston Smith/ Cory James
00:00 / 00:00
//  Origin:  Houston, Texas
//  Genres:  Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Funk
//  Label:  Innervision Records
//  Website:  www.prestonsmithjazz.com
//  EPK:  www.prestonsmithepk.com
2018 Awards:
IMA Nominee Jazz/Funk Album
Independent Music Awards - Lincoln Center NY 
 
2017 Awards:
Finalist "Meatballin"
USA Song Writing Competition
 
Finalist "Endless Melodies"
Great American Song Contest
Artist of the Year
Album of the Year - On the Surface
Band of the Year
Song of the Year - Wondering
Best New Male Artist of the Year
Best Instrumental Recording - Highway 59
Best Jazz Recording - Wondering
Best Jazz Band - In the Pocket
Best R&B Recording - Naturally
Indie Music Channel Awards  - Hollywood, CA 2017
 
2016 Awards:
Best Jazz Recording "I funked it up"
 The 2nd Annual Radio Music Awards - Indie Music Channel 
October Best Song Award "I funked it up"
The Akademia
November Best Song Award "Endless Melodies"
The Akademia
FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES & HOST VENUES:

 Red Cat Jazz Festival (Sep 2017)
 Balconies Heights Jazz Fest w/ Phillip "Doc" Martin (TX)
 National Anthem Solo Performance at NFL Game Saints vs. Cowboys (LA)
One World Festival (CO)
 Hammond Toast To The Arts Festival (LA)
 Strawberry Jam Toast To The Arts Jazz Festival (LA)
 Red Cat Jazz Club, Host of Straight Ahead Jazz Night (TX)
 House of Blues, Host of Saturday Jazz Brunch (TX)
Alj's Jazz Lounge, Host of Friday Night Smooth Jazz (TX)
 Central Green Performance at Lacenterra (TX)
CHARTS:
2017
 #1 for two weeks on Indie Charts on 96.9 the Oasis
 #1 Most Added on Groovejazzmusic.com
 #4 Chartbound on Groovejazzmusic.com
 #3 & #4 Smooth Jazz most added Nielsen Billboard
#17 SmoothJazz.com Holiday Charts
 Top 30 in Smooth Jazz on Groove Jazz Music
 #2 Most Added, #4 Spincrease, #34 SmoothJazz.com Radar Chart

Innervision recording artist and radio personality, Preston Smith, is rocking the world of smooth jazz! His new radio show "endless melodies" airs 6pm - 8pm (central) every Monday on 101.5fm in Houston, Texas. His latest album release, On the Surface, was on the 2018 Grammy ballot for Contemporary Instrumental Album of the Year, and was a final nominee at the IMA Awards for Best Jazz/Funk Album held in the Lincoln Center on March 31st. Smith also won awards at the 2017 Indie Music Channel Awards in Hollywood, California for Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and six other major awards. His single Endless Melodies was a finalist in The Great American Song Contest and his song Meatballin was a finalist in the USA Song Writing Competition. He also won Best Jazz Recording at the 2nd Annual Radio Music Awards in 2016 for his single “I Funked It Up”, while “Meatballin’” spent two weeks at #1 on the charts at FM96.9 The Oasis and was the #1 most added single on groovejazzmusic.com. Both “Meatballin’” and “Wondering” were the #3 most added singles for smooth jazz on the Nielsen Billboard.

Preston performs regularly around the Houston area hosting the Saturday Jazz Brunch at Houston’s House of Blues and hosting Sunday Evening Jazz at The Cellar Door Winery. He was also the host of Straight Ahead Jazz Night at the famous Red Cat Jazz Cafe in downtown Houston which has a long history of showcasing jazz artists of various genres. He has performed at various festivals throughout the gulf coast including the Red Cat Jazz Festival in September 2017 and the Balconies Heights Jazz Festival with Phillip “Doc” Martin. He has also performed at festivals throughout the nation including the One World Jazz Festival, UNC Jazz Festival, and the Montana Traditional Jazz Festival. In 2002 Preston was invited by the owner of the New Orleans Saints, Tom Benson, to perform the national anthem solo before the game against the Dallas Cowboys.

When Preston is not performing or recording music he is the Director of Admissions at St. John XXIII College Preparatory and coaches High School and Club Volleyball in the Houston area. 

 Preston has released multiple albums prior to his latest release including One Night Stand (2002), In the Cool (2003), a 3-song EP titled In the Pocket (2012), and Beneath the Surface (2015). Smith’s newest release On the Surface was in the charts for over 8 months and is selling worldwide. Preston is an endorsing artist for Phaeton Trumpets and plays on a Phaeton PHT FX-1100 Bb trumpet and a Phaeton PHTF-LV 2900 flugelhorn. To learn more about Preston, please visit his website at www.prestonsmithjazz.com, or view his EPK at www.prestonsmithepk.com.

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