We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful “Mama Jan” Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with “Mama Jan” below.

“Mama Jan”, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope that I will be remembered for changing the world one voice at a time :) If people think of me for having helped others strive for excellence and influencing them spiritually to be better people, then I will have fulfilled my purpose.

“Mama Jan”, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A nationally recognized singer/songwriter/musician, Jan Smith is also a Grammy nominated producer, GA Music Hall of Fame inductee, and a multi-platinum certified vocal coach/vocal producer who has tended to some of the most distinctive voices in the business. Owner of Jan Smith Studios in Atlanta, a state-of-the-art vocal coaching, artist development, and production facility offering services nationwide to record companies, artists, producers and motion pictures. Clients include Usher, Rob Thomas/Matchbox Twenty, Shania Twain, Justin Bieber, The Band Perry, Jill Scott, India Arie, David Crowder, Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, Sugarland, Drake, Mastodon, Nicki Minaj, FLA/GA Line, Jesus Culture, etc. (www.jansmith.com). Vocal consultation and production credits also include Tyler Perry Productions, Warner Bros Pictures, Universal Pictures, Paramount, Disney, New Line Cinema, Fox Television, as well as work with award winning actors Liam Neeson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Christina Applegate, Ed Helms, Jamie Chung, Terrence Howard, Christian Serratos, the girl group STAR on Fox, and White House Correspondent John Roberts.

Jan continues to see clients worldwide, produces records in her Atlanta studio, and develops aspiring artists under Homegirl Entertainment and Mama J Music. Jan Smith Studios has created employment opportunities for many others and currently sports the largest roster of charting artists of any vocal coaching facility in America.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Word of mouth and delivery. In the music business, it’s all about being worth your salt. People talk a LOT, but we are known by what we actually really DO. For me, it was about blazing a trail that hadn’t yet been blazed … I was one of the first singers who began to coach other singers in the styles of rock, R&B, country, pop, and even rappers. Building a client base of national artists took a minute for the actual industry to catch onto and trust my work, but helping to prep artists for better performances, saving tours when someone’s voice went down, and helping artists to raise their bar is all of how I proved to be trustworthy.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I started out as a recording artist and performer in the music business. Most of my life, the focus was always on chasing that “brass ring” of success myself. After a pretty good run and touring past the age of 30, it became apparent that the music business was changing directions, and the demands for my time in the industry was for my expertise in helping other artists be great. It became apparent that God was honing my skillset to build a business through the work of my hands, but it wouldn’t be through my own voice necessarily but through the voices of others that I would mentor. HUGE paradigm shift!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jansmith.com
• Instagram: MamaJanMusic
• Facebook: MamaJanMusic
• Twitter: MamaJanMusic
• Youtube: MamaJanSmith

Image Credits
Mil Cannon