Dick Clark once said, “Music is the soundtrack of your life.”

That thought certainly holds true for Carey and Michelle Smith.

Carey, a musical fixture in Meridian, and his wife Michelle will leave the Queen City after 41 years filled with music, laughter, and good friends.

The community is bidding farewell to a man who, in the 1970’s played back up for popular entertainers such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Platters, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight and the Pips and many more.

While pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at North Texas State University (now The University of North Texas), Carey met Michelle, also a graduate student working on her Master of Science degree in Psychology/Sociology of Sport with a Minor in Education.

Carey was working part time at a local pipe and tobacco shop when Michelle came in to find a gift. The two married in May of 1980.

Three days later, they were on their way to Meridian, where Carey had been hired by Meridian Junior College as Director of Bands – a position he would hold for four decades.

In this capacity, Smith taught music courses and conducted MCC Community Band, Jazz Band, Winds, Brass Choir, Flute Choir, and Woodwind Quintet.

Michelle joined in on the fun with the MCC Community Band.

“I was Carey’s ‘roadie’ on many gigs,” she recalled. “Hauling music equipment, driving the van, and helping set up for the performances.”

Twenty-eight jazz greats came to MCC as guest artists to perform with Smith’s Jazz Band, including Ed Shaughnessey, the drummer from Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show Band, Clark Terry, who was famous for playing with Duke Ellington and Count Basie, Carl Fontana, a trombonist with the Woody Herman Band, and Butch Miles, Count Basie’s drummer.

In 1984, The MCC Jazz Band traveled to New Orleans to play the World’s Fair.

Then, under Smith’s direction, they were invited to play the 100th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall in 1991.

Through the years, Smith played bassoon with the Meridian Symphony as well as serving as a board member. He conducted and arranged music for the State Junior Miss Pageant and the Miss Mississippi pageant, and even composed the opening ceremony music for State Games of Mississippi.

In May 2015, MCC named the band hall after Smith in the Davidson Fine Arts Center.

High marks from students

Ben Johnson, a singer, songwriter, producer, and member of the sibling trio Track 45, was one of Smith’s students at MCC. He credits Smith’s instruction and guidance with his success at Belmont University.

“Before I headed to Nashville, I attended MCC where Smith was my music theory professor,” he recalled. “I’m so grateful for his excellent instruction. I was able not only to succeed, but to enter the program ahead of my peers in a program that has extremely high standards.”

Greg Johnson, Blues Curator and Professor at the University of Mississippi, remembers Smith’s impact on him.

“While still in high school, I played trombone in the Meridian Community Band, which Carey conducted. My experiences there led me to stick around home for a while after graduation and study at MCC. Carey brought in some incredible guests artists to perform with the MCC Jazz Band. I don’t think folks know how lucky Meridian was to get to hear such great performances, all made possible by his dedication to excellence and love of music,” he said.

“I remember sitting in with his jazz combo one night. Despite working on improvisation in the practice room, I was just too timid to take any solos, but one night, Carey just pointed at me from the piano and said, ’solo!’ What a trial by fire, but it was just the confidence boost I needed.”

Brian Stephens, who tours with Elton Live, The Ultimate Tribute, was also one of Smith’s students.

“Carey Smith is one of the biggest reasons why I’ve been playing music professionally for more than 25 years,” he says. “He was a kind and patient teacher when I was a student at MCC back in the early/mid-90s. He went out of his way to create new and exciting learning opportunities for students in our program. His fiery passion for music and his deep love for teaching have served as an ignitor for my own musical pursuits, both as a performer and educator.”

Stephens recalled how he still has the mixtape cassettes Smith made for him in college, mainly consisting of long out-of-print Count Basie Band albums and other rare jazz recordings.

“Carey was one of my first musical employers, hiring me for some of my first paid theater, wedding, and club gigs in the Meridian area.,” he said. “Working for him was a real-world training ground that enriched my musical studies and made thousands of hours of practice come to life in vivid technicolor. That on-the-job training filled in all of the practical gaps that traditional music instruction couldn’t adequately address. In the years since, he has been a consistent cheerleader for me and my musical endeavors. His mentorship continues to this day, and I am better for having Carey Smith in my life, both musically and personally. I am honored to call him both my teacher and my friend.”

Meridian Little Theater will certainly miss Smith’s musical talents. Having conducted at MLT for more than 30 years, it’s one of the few community theaters to still feature a live orchestra.

Executive Director Sidney Covington, who first met Smith when she was in the orchestra pit, says his absence will be felt.

“When Dr. Smith walks in and raises that baton, the atmosphere changes,” she said. “We are at the top of our game, and I credit that to him. Because of him, we increased the main stage of our seasons to incorporate three musicals. He brings such professionalism to everything he does. He may be leaving Meridian, but that legacy will live on.”

Looking ahead

While it will be hard to say farewell to Meridian, the Smiths are excited to move closer to family in North Carolina. They have one daughter, Cristen, and two granddaughters, Anna and Madeleine, who live there.

Carey plans to find the music scene there, after settling in their new home, and Michelle hopes to volunteer in the community.

“We will miss our friends the most,” Carey Smith said. “We’ve made lifelong friends here, and that makes it difficult to say goodbye. I will definitely miss the opportunity to play music in our community. This community has been so supportive of the music programs.”