What This Story Is About
Shinedown lead singer Brent Smith, a Knoxville native, sat down with a local reporter ahead of the band’s concert at Food City Center to talk about “growing up in K-Town,” his old jobs and his family still in the area.
Why It Matters
Shinedown holds the record for the most No. 1 songs ever by a mainstream rock band. The front man’s local ties give Knoxville audiences a personal connection to one of the biggest acts in rock music.
What Happens Next
Shinedown performs at Food City Center Saturday night. Some tickets remain available.
For Context
Smith attended Elementary, Middle and High School in Knoxville before his music career took off. He said family members, including his father, still live in Knoxville.
Catch Up
Shinedown is a mainstream rock band known for a record-setting string of No. 1 hits. Smith, 48, spoke with reporter Ted Hall. The full interview is available on WVLT+.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — Shinedown lead singer Brent Smith grew up in Knoxville and attended New Hopewell Elementary School, South Doyle Middle School and South Doyle High School before the band went on to record the most No. 1 songs ever by a mainstream rock band.
Smith spoke with reporter Ted Hall ahead of Shinedown’s concert at Food City Center on Saturday.
Knoxville jobs and school days
Before his music career, Smith said he worked a string of jobs across the city — including at restaurants along the Cumberland Avenue Strip, Musician’s Friend on Pellissippi Parkway, Winn-Dixie on Chapman Highway, and in landscaping and irrigation.
“I worked at pretty much every single restaurant on the Cumberland Avenue Strip,” Smith said.
He also played multiple sports at South Doyle, including football, basketball and wrestling.
“Out of all of them, I was probably a better basketball player,” Smith said.
Family ties to Knoxville
Smith, 48, said his father and his cousin Doris and her husband still live in Knoxville. He said he enjoys surprising his father with unannounced visits — laundry bag in hand.
“I’m blessed to be able to call myself a Knoxvillian and be born and raised in K-Town,” Smith said. “It’s always a blessing when I can come back.”
Shinedown performs at Food City Center Saturday night. Some tickets remain available. The full interview with Smith is available on WVLT+.
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