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Terrence Wintersmith
Terrence Wintersmith is a 50 year veteran of the music business.
About Me
If you had to sum up Terrence Wintersmith’s
musical career in one singular word, it would be
an easy thing to do: diversity. Over a career
spanning forty years, Wintersmith has performed
and recorded with such eclectic artists as eighties
pop diva Laura Branigan, surf music pioneer Dan
Hamilton, country legends Chet Atkins, Floyd
Cramer, Boots Randolph , and jazz musicians
Chester Thompson , and Jeff Coffin to mention a
few.
His musical roots run deep in the foothills of
southeastern Oklahoma where Wintersmith
played back road honky tonks on Saturday nights,
and then sang southern gospel music at little
churches around the area on Sunday mornings.
In the summer of 1979 Wintersmith relocated to
the west coast and immediately landed a job with
Chrysalis Records. Chrysalis was the hot label in
town in the early eighties. Their roster included,
Jethro Tull, Blondie , Pat Benatar and the Babys
The following year, Wintersmith purchased John
Fayhey’s Takoma Studios which was located
across town in Santa Monica, California.
Wintersmith began recording artists such as
Bonnie Rait, Maria Muldair, Taj Mahal, to mention
a few.
In the mid-eighties, Wintersmith returned to the
stage performing alongside of his dear friend,
Danny Hamilton in the Hamilton Joe Frank and
Reynolds Show. Their hits included ‘Don’t Pull
Your Love’ and Fallin’ in Love. 1n 1984,
Wintersmith and Hamilton joined Laura
Branigan’s Self Control tour as her support
vocalists.
1994 Wintersmith began to direct his talents
toward the world of jazz, and with his wife by his
side founded the jazz vocal group, TRIAD. Along
with fellow band member, Frederic Boyle they
began playing jazz festivals across the country.
Consequently, they were signed to Nashville
based jazz label, Artifex Records. Their 1985
release, Terry’s Tavern was a critical success.
While touring to support the album they were
invited to perform onboard the famous ocean
liner, the Queen Mary, which was permanently
docked in Long Beach, California. They were a
huge hit with southern California jazz aficionados
and they became the house band performing
nightly in the Queen Mary’s Observation Lounge.
In 1997, Triad decided to go their separate ways.
Wintersmith and his wife, Patricia decided to stay
in Nashville. Wintersmith was offered the position
of label manager for Artifex and accepted. During
his tenure, he signed jazz saxophonist, Jeff Coffin ,
among several others. Wintersmith also
produced the Third Coast Jazz Ensemble which
featured many of Nashville’s top studio musicians
playing their original smooth jazz compositions.
In 2012 Wintersmith began composing and
producing kindie rock music which was gaining in
popularity with young moms and their kids.
Wintersmith set all of his kindie tunes to
animation. He began to work with his three young
daughters, and the following year, they became
known in kindie rock circles as the Treetop Sisters.
In December the following year, The Treetop
Sisters released an original holiday song written
and produced by Wintersmith and performed by
the Treetop Sisters. Nicki and the Crew was a
huge success, making it’s way onto the holiday
radio charts.
So what is Terrence Wintersmith doing these
days? He has a six-song ep coming out Oct. 21.
There are twenty musicians playing on this
collection of original jazz and world music.
Wintersmith wrote and produced all the tracks. It
includes guest performances by legendary
drummer Chester Thompson, Brazilian guitarist
Marcel Camargo, who tours with Michael Bublé ,
as well as his old friend Jeff Coffin , saxophonist
for the Dave Matthews Band and the Jeff Coffin
Mutet.
Wintersmith’s friend, and former Head of A&R for
Warner Records, Michael James mixed the songs
at his northern California studio. He has an
outstanding talent for bringing out exceptional
performances sonically, and they really enjoy
working together. Wintersmith could not be more
excited about getting his latest music out to the
global community.