In his book, "American Guitar," the Italian author and composer Maurizio Angeletti said that Tom is "completely free from the barriers of commercial music...the playing is, and couldn't be other that a reflection about life, and the conceptual transcription of it into music..." Tom tends to call it "Contemporary Guitar." It could as easily be called "Neo-Impressionism," "Real Interesting," or just plain "Good Guitar Playing" judging from comments made by members of his audiences. Tom Smith's performances take his audiences on a creative tour through the world of their own imaginations. From dancing leprechauns and rose-scented evenings in Spain, to images perhaps darker and more mysterious, Tom uses his guitar, banjo and anecdotes to paint musical pictures for his listeners' enjoyment. Tom has a style all his own. This style shows the influences of Jazz, Country, Classical, Blues as well as other contemporary guitarists, while existing clearly in a universe unique to itself. Since he began playing in 1966, Tom has performed in 30 states and three countries. His musical career has taken him from coffee houses in North Carolina and bars in San Francisco to concert halls and festival audiences of 10,000. He has done PBS shows, and shared the stage with such artists as John Hammond Jr., Odetta, Livingston Taylor, Melanie, Tuck and Patti, Michael Hedges, Robin Ford, Dave Van Ronk, Jesse Winchester, John Fahey and Todd Phillips. He has two records, "Still Life," and "Musical Pictures," out on Lone Oak Records. With the common thread of artistic integrity, Tom's influences run from Beethoven to Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Tuck Andress as well as other acoustic guitarists like John Fahey and Leo Kottke.