On Saturday, April 4, 2026, English fingerstyle guitarist Richard Smith will perform in the River Room at The Manor on Front. The doors will open at 6:00 PM, and the show will begin promptly at 7:00 PM.

Seating is limited to the first 85 interested persons who sign up at this site. To support our artists, we recommend a donation of $37.50 per person for this concert. All donated proceeds are directed to the artists.

This will be a private, BYOB event; wine, beer (no liquor), and cold food snacks. If you are reading this, you are invited. Our attendees are invited to contribute and share their favorite baked goods, munchies, and other delightful snacks. Polly and I will provide bottled water, hot coffee, hot tea, and a good supply of Polly's now-famous chocolate chip cookies (these should not be missed).

To learn more about our Mansion Concerts, go to www.mansionconcert.com.
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About Richard

Richard Smith is widely regarded as one of the pre-eminent instrumental guitarists in the world, occupying a rare space where dazzling virtuosity meets deep musicality. Effortlessly blending the thumb-driven country swing of Jerry Reed, the refined fingerstyle elegance of Chet Atkins, and the gypsy-jazz fire of Django Reinhardt, Smith has developed a voice that is both encyclopedic and unmistakably his own. His performances are celebrated not only for their technical brilliance, but for their warmth, humor, and sense of storytelling — qualities that have made him a favorite on concert stages, in intimate listening rooms, and among guitarists who recognize true mastery when they hear it.

Now based in Nashville, Smith is a global ambassador for acoustic guitar, equally at home dazzling audiences solo, collaborating with his wife, cellist Julie Adams, or leading ensembles such as the Hot Club of Nashville. His accolades include multiple Thumbpicking Guitar Association “Thumbpicker of the Year” awards and a National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, honors that reflect the respect he commands among peers. Whether interpreting ragtime, jazz standards, or original compositions, Smith plays with an ease that belies the astonishing complexity under his fingers — making the impossible sound joyful, musical, and inevitable.

That sense of inevitability traces back to a career that began remarkably early. As a young performer in England, Smith was already touring and performing at an age when most musicians are just discovering their instrument. His extraordinary talent caught the attention of legends, culminating in a defining childhood moment when, at just 11 years old, he was invited to share the stage with his hero, Chet Atkins, at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London. That experience was not merely symbolic; it marked Smith as a once-in-a-generation talent whose command of the fingerstyle tradition was already fully formed.

Smith’s musical journey began even earlier, at age five, when he picked up the guitar after watching his father play a Chet Atkins–inspired piece. From that moment, his immersion was total. He absorbed the rhythmic drive of American thumbpicking, the harmonic sophistication of jazz, and the melodic freedom of Django Reinhardt’s gypsy swing — all while still a child. Those formative years, spent listening, touring, and performing alongside seasoned professionals, laid the foundation for a lifelong career that now stands as one of the most complete and compelling in the modern guitar world.

Career Achievements

1999 AFG Golden Thumbpick Award
2001 National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion
2008 Thumbpicker of the Year
2009 National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame Induction
Played with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Nato Lima, Boots Randolph, Tommy Emmanuel, John Jorgenson, Marcel Dadi, Tommy Tedesco, Joe Pass, Biréli Lagrène, Mark O'Connor, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Martin Taylor, Jorge Morel, Earl Klugh, Suzy Bogguss, Victor Wooten, John Cowan and countless more.

Endorsements

Contact the host of An Evening with Richard Smith (Live in Concert)