High’s & Low’s – Caitlyn Smith Interview [Country Artist – 2023] This firecracker singer/songwriter has written songs for Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Meghan Trainor, Rascall Flatts and Miley Cyrus and has embarked on her solo career and is now setting Nashville on fire! She is set to release the second half of “High” this year which will complete the full project as “High & Low.” We talk about her music, her journey, her television appearances and with a little help from some tequila truth serum, we discover her biggest mistake ever!
Sue Bonzell
She has written songs for Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks and Miley Cyrus, just to name a few. I am absolutely thrilled to have Caitlin Smith in the studio today. Welcome, Caitlyn.
Caitlyn Smith
Thank you for having me.
Sue Bonzell
This is exciting. Like, I have got like a rap sheet of like your resume that is like, like sheets logged. So I’m excited about this. And, of course, we got to talk about some of the songs you’ve written for the people that most people know. Everybody knows Garth Brooks. Everybody knows Dolly Parton. We’re gonna talk about that. And then I really want to talk about your new project. Your Song Hi, first of all, which I absolutely love this song. Thank you. That’s the one that Miley Cyrus also cut. Right? So tell us about this song because it’s it’s pretty powerful man.
Caitlyn Smith
Well, I also love this song. I wrote it with my good friend, Jenna, Silvio. And when I when we wrote this song, like I knew it was the first puzzle piece of this new record, like it was the first song I wanted to put on it. And then it just so happened that other people kind of heard the demo of it started passing it around, it kind of made its way from Nashville all the way to LA. And then ended up in the hands of Mark Ronson. And he was like, Oh, my God, I need to play this for Miley casual. You’re like, she’s no big deal. So he played it for Miley. And she really connected with the song. And she changed a few words to really make it her own and put it on her plastic cards record, which I loved his insane. So it was just really a bucket list moment. And I mean, I love the song to itself, like, I grew up in church. And so like, there’s some god, there’s some kind of gospel element to this, like chorus that is just so fun to sing. So
Sue Bonzell
Well, the first time I heard it, I was like, and it was I wasn’t necessarily familiar with your music and who you were like, I think I had heard your name but didn’t really know. But I heard that song and I went, Holy crap. I was like, I gotta know who this girl is. And honestly, I mean, like I said, You’ve written for Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. Tell us tell us about that. I mean, how does that all happen?
Caitlyn Smith
Well, it all started. I mean, I grew up in Minnesota and a tiny little town, fell in love with country music at a really young age. But I remember that moment as like a six, seven year old I had this Alison Krauss cassette. Yeah. And I remember reading, like sitting on the floor with my boombox flipping it back and forth, reading the lyrics, just thinking like, How does anyone write music like this, like it’s speaking to me, like I didn’t, and it was very, like a very transformative moment. Because from that point on, I started trying to write music. And I never stopped I. I wrote music for my band in high school. And I was like, we’re playing this new one I wrote, sorry. And, you know, and then finally made a couple of indie records, but made my way to Nashville. All of that to say, when I when I discovered Music City, I knew I was going to fall in love. But what I didn’t realize I was going to find was songwriter city. And so I saw that, wow, this is a city where all of its made up. These artists that don’t necessarily like thing, their own songs, there’s a whole world, I fell in love with that and started taking trips back and forth from Minnesota to music, so you have to just write but it was a plan B for me always. When you say still this day when you say things like Garth Brooks has caught your song or Dolly Parton and I’m like, That is insane to me, like because I was just trying to make stuff up and and truly just to try and become a better songwriter. For my artistry. This whole world of songwriting credits that ended up happening was really a Plan B that ended up working, which I feel very
Sue Bonzell
well thank goodness for everybody in country music that your plan b turns in plan. So I’m so grateful for that. So now this, this first half of the project is high. There’s a second half of the project Yes, about the
Caitlyn Smith
full album, which I I’m an album artist. And so I kind of pictured this thing as a whole is so the whole album is called high and low. And I’m really proud of this record, you know, I’ve made this is my third album that I’m releasing through Monument Records. And it’s the first album that I self produced, which was really exciting, you know, to write write the songs and perform them but also be in charge of the sonic landscape. And so I’m proud of this record because of that, but also it’s been a wild season of growth for me. So I thought I was just signing up to make a record but like, paired with a record with with just like a big couple of years from me and in my heart. And so, I’m pumped for everybody here because a lot of it got put on Record. Yeah,
Sue Bonzell
well, I mean, a testament to your, to your talents. I mean, like you said, you’re producing the record, too. I mean, we just, that’s pretty cool. Now you had a big year and 2022 a couple of nominations. ACM nomination of the year nomination, and was it the breakout Video of the Year with Old Dominion? Old Dominion? Right? Okay. I love that song fan video. And I mean, I voted. I’m like, Thank you, because I’m also a big Old Dominion.
Caitlyn Smith
I mean, do I love those guys? So much?
Sue Bonzell
So, I mean, tell us about that. I mean, I that’s like your first time, right being like, through these big nominations.
Caitlyn Smith
It was my first time being nominated. And, you know, honestly, I moved to town 13 years ago, and started writing for a lot of people. And, you know, my artists career has just has just taken longer to kind of get traction. And I call it the long and winding road. And so, you know, all that to say with these awards, like a lot of that was like dreams I had as a kid. But then as I’ve been in the industry for a while, I kind of I kind of let a lot of that go, like that’s probably not for me. So it’s still wild to me that it’s like, oh, my gosh, I’m just over here making music that I love. And the fact that that that that just happened last year, I’m just, I’m grateful and blown away.
Sue Bonzell
I think it’s awesome. Now you’ve had a whole bunch of appearances as well. So I’m just gonna run down a quick little list here. Kelly Clarkson show. The today’s show The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, a CBS This Morning. I mean, which one was your absolute favorite? I mean, of course, besides up in country, I mean,
Caitlyn Smith
besides them in country, for sure. I mean, it would have had to win that, that Jimmy Fallon performance, it was my first late night experience. It was absolute magic. I I don’t even know how to explain it. It was an out of body experience. It was the next best day after getting married and my two babies being born. I’m pretty sure I’ve just like, All right, get to sing my song on national TV. And Jimmy Fallon is over there rocking out. Thisis the best.
Sue Bonzell
So after it’s over, you’re like, Wait, what happened? What I’d like oh,
Caitlyn Smith
it’s literally three minutes. It’s all this crazy. Like, okay, you wait your whole life and then three minutes. He ends. It’s, it’s bizarre. And then you have a lot of tequila. Okay. Well, is there in New York?
Sue Bonzell
We do have that in case we need it. Okay. Yeah, we may need it for later because we are gonna be playing a game. So we’ll see what Okay, good. We’ll see what happens. So now, you mentioned your kids stout. Are you touring with your kids, your family, like, tell us about life? We
Caitlyn Smith
bring them along? It’s crazy. They do boys six and four. So it’s, it’s busy. It’s insanity. But my husband’s also in band. We bring the whole circus. Yeah, it’s amazing. Thank God for the nanny. Yeah, there you go. She has to tuck the kids in while mom and dad are on stage. But they love it. And it’s like, what a wonderful opportunity to like, get to do this, like traveling scenario or doing music and our kids get to be there with us. It’s like,
Sue Bonzell
well, you kind of figure I mean, if you start young enough, it’s kind of like they don’t really know any different. It’s like, this is just the lifestyle. This is what’s normal. And that’s how you do it. Right. I was
Caitlyn Smith
like in the grocery store the other day. And we were like, in the cracker aisle, and like we passed goldfish. Yeah. And they’re like, Hey, Mom, that’s like what we get at the stage. They call it the stage. Because it’s like on I put like, kids snacks on our writer. Of course, so they see the world through like what’s in the greenroom? Yeah. Like
Sue Bonzell
you’re motivated by snacks. Okay, likely, it’s not about mom and dad being on stage or anything like that.
Caitlyn Smith
It’s like what kind of, like their own are writers? Yes, they are.
Sue Bonzell
Anything other than that special on the writer.
Caitlyn Smith
Oh, we do peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And actually, it’s a new addition to the writer and I’m pumped on it. Because you don’t die there. My band doesn’t eat. I don’t eat before the show. And what is better than a PB and J you kind of can have pizza so many nights in a row. So that’s the best way. It’s like the
Sue Bonzell
next best comfort food, right? Yeah, totally. Oh, yeah. It’s nice and filling too.
Caitlyn Smith
It’s the best. It’s good. Do you mean J popcorn? See? Yeah, yeah, there you go. And tequila.
Sue Bonzell
It’s just gonna say, and it goes well with tequila. So there you go. Tequila and PB and J pairing? I don’t know that might be next on the show. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens. Oh, well. We have a few more things to take care of. If you want to see Caitlin’s performance of her latest song, you can click the link in the description below and you can hear that acoustic performance and coming up we are going to play my world famous game truth or truth don’t go anywhere. You It’s truth or truth. All right, it is time for my world famous game truth or truth. Are you ready to play?
Caitlyn Smith
I’m so ready to play.
Sue Bonzell
She’s ready because we have shot glasses in our hands because we mentioned tequila earlier and look what I had to bring out. Okay, this is like so damn good. This is so pretty. Say azul. Sato. Okay, it’s the good stuff.
Caitlyn Smith
The good stuff. Yeah, rubbish. That was the good stuff. Well, look at this cool boy. Right? You could put like a little flower in there when you’re all done when you drink it all. Oh, fun. Cheers. Oh my gosh. The truth and truth.
Sue Bonzell
It’s the truth, the truth and this truth. Our truth serum. Let me put this right here. Ding ding ding. So I’m gonna get the truth out of Caitlin Smith. Right now.
Caitlyn Smith
We’re shooting these right? Yeah, we accepting these. Okay, cheers. Cheers, you guys. Oh, yeah. See? That’s amazing.
Sue Bonzell
Isn’t that so good? Oh, you don’t even wanna go? Yeah, no, they don’t need the law. I don’t use it. So
Caitlyn Smith
there’s like this. Vanilla says the vanilla. Oh, my goodness. They’re gonna sponsor this now. Right?
Sue Bonzell
Yeah, right.
Caitlyn Smith
What a great sponsor by a good sponsor. So good. So good luck. All right.
Sue Bonzell
Thank you. Okay. We’re gonna play truth or truth. You’re gonna pick three questions one at a time, and you’re gonna read the question out loud. And you’re gonna answer the question. That’s it. That’s That’s it. I’m not gonna give you and everybody wins because three of the story three of us just go one at a time. Oh,
Caitlyn Smith
God. We’re going one at a time. This is this is great. This is what is the biggest mistake that you’ve ever made?
Sue Bonzell
We’re going deep on also.
Caitlyn Smith
Wow. That isn’t there’s not that is not enough.
Sue Bonzell
I can see. Wow, one shot Look at that.
Caitlyn Smith
There’s not enough tequila to answer this question. The biggest mistake I’ve ever made, you know, that’s really this is what it is. When I was pregnant with my first my first son I was two weeks overdue. And I wanted to get that baby out. And so you know, I was doing all the things the watermelon the walking the spicy foods spicy food every day. And then one of my really crunchy friends told me castor oil and she sent me this recipe. Oh boy. Castor Oil. Yeah, you guys so I read the recipe wrong and I think it was supposed to be like a couple tablespoons of the castor oil and I somehow drank like half of the bottle of the castor oil. And yeah, it’s supposed to drink the oil and it’s supposed to like kind of clean you out and then anyway, labor right? Drink the half bottle of castor oil. And that was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Like God, I prayed that God would take my life literally on the toilet like no, no. And that’s the reason I say I’ve ever made because it was a big
Sue Bonzell
it was a big mistake. A big mistake. A massive
Caitlyn Smith
mistake. I mean, the good news. I was all cleaned out
Sue Bonzell
like right in labor, right? You’re like, I’m good to go. That’s an example. Okay, we are getting I mean a real truth. Barely real. The real real real truth.
Caitlyn Smith
The real reality. Not y’all probably didn’t want to know that. But there it is. There it is. You know if there’s any pregnant mothers out there I’m just gonna warn you don’t don’t do that. There’s no
Sue Bonzell
throne. Okay. All right.
Caitlyn Smith
Oh, good. Oh, wow. What’s the most embarrassing thing that you ever did while on a date? I’ve been married 13 years. It’s been a really long time. So and we’ve dated for three so it’s been 16 years. What are we okay, most embarrassing Jeopardy anything embarrassing. I mean, I gave my now husband mono, like pretty much our first day. I thought we were good. I thought it was good. And then I was like, Oh, I’m so sorry. ever tell you I like just kind of our motto. Either way, and then it really brought us together because then I was like bringing him soup and it was really my part of my whole plan. I guess right? Because now here we are. 16 years later. Sounds like something you did was missing though. Oh god, that was me. I’ve got bad news.
Sue Bonzell
Got bad news. I did not slip any castor oil into your
Caitlyn Smith
yard jello. You’re gonna get a good one. Now. The most drunk you’ve ever been okay, here we go. This is good. Most drunk I’ve ever been.
Sue Bonzell
Was it tequila? It was a lot. Okay,
Caitlyn Smith
it was it was in the Bahamas, I was playing a show a songwriter show with a couple other of my really good songwriters friends. And it was like you don’t eat a lot at the beach. I don’t know what it is, but you drink a lot at the beach. And, you know, we did the show, and that was good. I was professional. But then afterwards, we’re like, alright, party. Let’s gamble our money away and drink more. And so dancing, legends dancing on tables. It was literally the Katy Perry song. I remember, we went to finally get some food and I started falling asleep on the table, and I just the last thing I remember is my friends going. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t fall asleep. And then I wake up the next morning in my hotel room, to my eyelashes glued to my cheeks. But I did remember that I had ordered a burger. Okay, the night before. And at 8am I was like, hallelujah. I might be hung over where there’s a burger silly, my friend. Just like spat on my hotel floor. And
Sue Bonzell
it’s like, it’s amazing. It was like it was
Caitlyn Smith
literally like, been in the memories and they’re gone. Yeah. Dancing there was gambling then there was sleeping on the table. That’s it.
Sue Bonzell
And then that burger. The next day was like it
Caitlyn Smith
was like my eyelashes. hairs like oh my god. You know when you’re still in exactly what you are in. The shoes are still on? Oh,
Sue Bonzell
totally. Yeah. Yeah, I can totally relate.
Caitlyn Smith
Can you? You at least Yes. You at least take your shoes off before you’re drunk.
Sue Bonzell
I never said that. Okay. Oh my gosh. Well, I want to thank you so much for being open and honest and playing the game, I think. I think you know, you played full out for this one. And I really appreciate that. Thank you for being here. Thank you for playing. And hopefully we’ll, we’ll see you again soon. We’ll bring you back here again. I don’t know. We’ll have to do we’ll have to top this somehow. We’ll figure we’ll figure something out.
Caitlyn Smith
I’m so excited. I think I know. How can you drop this though?
Sue Bonzell
I know. Well, I think we can figure it out. Thank you guys so much for watching and keep an eye on Caitlin Smith. Thanks for watching up in country. Be sure to like and subscribe and leave us a comment. We do new episodes every Tuesday and be sure to follow up and country on Instagram Tik Tok and Facebook and you can follow me to add Sue Bonzell on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.
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