Artist: Valerie Smith (with Claire Lynch and Irene Kelley)
Hometown: Bell Buckle, Tennessee
Song: “From a Distance”
Label: The Single Factory/Bell Buckle Records
From the Artist: “It was an honor to be a part of the recording of ‘From a Distance,’ which sends a powerful message of hope, love, faith, and peace. It was beautifully written by Grammy-winning songwriter Julie Gold. When producer Midnite Mike Pokalsky called me to record this well-known song I was hesitant to do it, because Bette Midler and Nanci Griffith had already established the classic sound and captured the beauty of the lyrics. However, when I was offered the chance to share vocals with dynamic artists Claire Lynch and Irene Kelley in a new acoustic arrangement, I jumped at the chance! The all-acoustic treatment in this fresh new version really captures the meaning in the lyrics because it brings things down to the purest form. True to the song’s purpose, the recording includes a lineup of amazing instrumentalists (Becky Buller, Jim Hurst, Frank Solivan, Mike Munford, Ronald de la Vega, Mike Pokalsky). The world is really hurting right now and we can only hope that a higher power is watching over our big bright blue ball from a distance.” — Valerie Smith
“Wow, I love this beautiful version of ‘From a Distance.’ It is sung with such unadulterated purity. Just straight-ahead honesty. There’s no pretense. Just love. Val Smith gets right to the heart of the song, and right to the heart of the listener. Plain and simple GREAT.” – Julie Gold, songwriter
Photo credit: Lisa Scimeca
