ABOUT THE SINGER
A Creative Presence
Bee Smith, born and raised in San Diego, California, grew up in and out of a small town. With a split family, half her younger years were spent in a small cow town in the outskirts of San Diego county, the other half spent in urban city life. Although Bee now lives in the mountains of the the NW Peninsula, she says her heart still belongs to the beaches of California.
Bee grew up listening to folk and country music with her mom and pop, funk and rock with her dad. Having the mix of country idols (like Shania Twain and Dolly Parton) and pop/rock idols (like Michael Jackson, The Police and Journey), this gave way for an eclectic taste in music. To this day Bee still listens to a healthy mix of most genres.
Although life was nothing short of chaos for the singer in her younger years, and up through her young adulthood, Bee always turned to music as a way to escape and express herself. Holding on to the encouragement she received from her music professors throughout school, she kept the hope alive that she could continue to make others smile with her gift of song.
"My style is not for everyone. But, for those who I am able to reach, I hope my music elicits emotion, and is used as a way for others to express themselves when simple words may not be enough."
BEE SMITH
Singer/Songwriter
For Bee, singing is in the blood. “I grew up with a Mother who sang in various bands, and an older sister who sang in multiple choirs. I too joined choir from a young age, but my voice never seemed to fit the mold.”
Despite feeling out of place in the standardize world of choir, that didn’t stop Bee from finding her voice. “Starting out in elementary school, my classically trained music instructor was not so impressed with my voice. I was often stuck singing with the boys, because I just didn’t have the soft soprano voice she was looking for. Later as I got into middle and high school, I had very supportive instructors who pushed me to continue to find my sound, which ultimately led to my first paid gig when I was 16 in down town San Diego.”
Did Bee picture her music career this way? “No, never. I loved music growing up, and have friends who wanted me to succeed in that dream, but alas, I fell in love with a boy who didn’t support me and told me I wouldn’t amount to much. I gave up trying to do anything with my voice professionally, until 2018 when I came back into it and went back to college to get my degree, and was pushed by a new music instructor who saw something special in me. She sparked a whole new desire and opened up a door to the music world I didn’t know existed. I owe so much to Elaine [my music instructor] and all she has pushed me to achieve!”
