Texans by birth and friends since childhood, country music duo Trey and Jennifer, better known as Smithfield, fit as perfectly together as a Texas Two Step at an Austin honky tonk. The pair is garnering national attention with their latest single, “Hey Whiskey,” which includes a recent endorsement with Rebecca Creek Distillery and a spot on the upcoming Sirius XM Highway Finds Tour with Steve Moakler and Drew Baldridge. While the two may be considered fresh to the Nashville scene by some, the pair has been putting those harmonies to use since 2011. And it all started with a Facebook message.
“Trey got a hold of me when Facebook was still The College Facebook!” Jenn admits. “His rock band had broken up and he said, ‘hey let’s get together.’ I couldn’t say no because he was a family friend and I’ve known him since I was a kid!”
Jenn anxiously met with Trey, not knowing what to expect, but the minute their harmonies blended, she says, “I know this sounds cheesy, but my hair stood on my arms.” They spent the next little while perfecting their sound and going back and forth to Nashville to play writers rounds, bars. . . whatever they could do to get into the Music Scene and learn the ropes. Finally, they decided enough was enough and set their sights full-time on Tennessee. Within the first year, Jenn says they scored their first record deal, which is almost unheard of in a town that notoriously takes ten years for huge breakthroughs. But three months before their radio tour, the label flopped and it was back to the drawing boards and the part time jobs they had when they first moved.
But the fall of the label only proved to be a small setback in the world of Smithfield. Trey and Jennifer continued to pursue their dreams of traveling and playing music. And their devoted fans paid it forward by using a Kickstarter campaign to fund their current EP, which has been out for the last year and includes songs like “Nothing But the Night” and of course, “Hey Whiskey.”
The duo is now making plans for the future and hoping to add some new music to the roster within the next year. “I’m going to go ahead and aim high,” says Jenn. “We’re going to find our label this year. I feel like we deserve that. We’ve got a lot more going on than we ever have to set us up better in the long run.”Smith
And if by a lot more going on, she means their multiple Opry appearances in 2016, the last one being just a few short months ago where the pair sang, “Hey Whiskey.” You can bet Smithfield’s other goals are not too far beyond reach. Jenn describes playing the Opry as an “out of body experience,” while Trey considers it a “symbolic accomplishment” for anyone in the country music industry.
From the Opry stage to the national stage, Smithfield is embarking on their first major tour, alongside Drew Baldridge and Steve Moakler. Starting March 16 in Charlotte, NC, The Highway Finds tour stops in 27 cities, including a May 18 Nashville slot at The Cannery Ballroom. According to Trey, playing for Highway listeners who know the songs and connecting with fans on the road is something he’s looking forward too.
Highway listeners can agree that the Highway Finds tour is just the beginning of a long and illustrious career for these Texas natives. With video play on CMT and mention in Rolling Stone as one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know,” Smithfield continues to impress music industry pros and fans alike. And as for those who would like to follow in Smithfield s footsteps and pursue their own career in the music industry, Trey had this advice to give: “You gotta grow really thick skin. There are people who will tell you you’re not good enough or that this isn’t working. Find the champions, the people who get behind you. It really is about the momentum.”
For more information on Smithfield, visit www.smithfieldmusic.com and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @smithfieldmusic.