You may remember Dallas Smith from a little alternative grunge rock band called Default back in the early 2000s. They had several hits including 
“Wasting My Time,” but when the band took a break in 2009, Smith successfully reinvented himself as a country singer who has since toured with the likes of Florida Georgia Line and recorded even more chart topping hits including the most recent “Kids With Cars.”
Smith returns to Lethbridge, March 3 to play the Enmax Centre.
He literally “Jumped Right In” with his debut solo CD has been pleasantly surprised by the success he has found as a modern country singer, literally.
“It’s been beautiful to get to the point where I am so fast. It’s been an amazing ride,” Smith said from Detroit, where he is playing one of several one off American dates including the ten man jam at the Fillmore in Detroit with several popular musicians including Clint Black, and Scott McCreery and Maddie and Tae.
“In 2009, when I released ‘Jump Right In,’ I had a really good feeling about it. It kicked a lot of doors open. I got to experiment and I got to be an irregular voice in country music on the radio,” he said.
“It’s been a fun ride. I feel very lucky to have been able to do this for 15-16 years now,” he said.
He has regularly been releasing singles. Last September he released an EP of some of his more recent popular hits including “Kids With Cars,” “Cheap Seats” “ Wastin’ Gas” and “Just Say When” and “Lifted.”
“It’s been great. I’ve been playing a lot, getting my name out there playing the music. There is so much competition today,” he observed.
He is working on a new full length album.
“Kids With Cars Will be on it. I’m heading down to Nashville in a couple of weeks to record a new single, though I don’t know what it will be yet,” he said.
Smith said it is important to choose the right songs to record.
“I’m a big believer in the best song wins,” he said.
Some songs, like “Kids With Cars” are easy to choose.
“As soon as I heard it, I knew I had to record it. It took me back to high school and I thought it would do the same for other people my age or older,” he continued.
“It’s great when that happens. It has to have a story. Sometimes it‘s the lyric, sometimes it’s the melody and sometimes I just like the guitar riff. I just want to create the best music I can and write the best songs I can,” he said.
A couple summers ago he released another big hit “Tipping Point.”
He is slowly getting back into the touring groove.
“We were pretty busy last year. I guess we played 200 plus dates. So in mid-December we shut it down. Well music usually shuts down in December,” he said adding that gave him the chance to go to Maui with his wife and 11 year old son and two-year -old daughter. While he was there he got to hang out with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler.
“I got passes for a couple of events and meet Alice Cooper and Steven Tyler. I’ve always been a huge Aerosmith fan. He was a super nice guy. So it’s great to meet someone you’ve idolized for a long time and find out they are great guys,” he enthused.
He last played Lethbridge in 2014 opening for the Florida Georgia Line. He is excited to return to southern Alberta, where he has kinfolk.
“I have cousins and an aunt in Coaldale, but I don’t get to see them very often. I also have family around Edmonton around Beaumont,” he said.
“I’m excited to come back. We’ll be doing what we do and we’ll be playing a couple of new songs,” he said.
Dallas Smith and Petric play the Enmax Centre, Thursday, March 3. Tickets cost $50 plus fees the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
