Mama Jan Smith is a famous American singer, songwriter, vocal coach, and producer. She has played across several genres, including country, folk, and blues.
The Atlanta-born singer and songwriter has worked with several artists such as Ciara, Drake, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber.
Jan Smith has performed at several venues, including The Armadillo World Headquarters where she first met Townes Van Zandt. She has also performed at Threadgill’s World Headquarters and other venues.
She released her debut album dubbed “The Song Remembers When” in 1980 under Rounder Records. In 1998, she released “No More Sad Refrains,” which earned her a Wammie award from the Washington Area Music Association in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.
Jan Smith has an estimated net worth of $5 million. This post shares the interesting biography and lifestyle of Mama Jan Smith.
| Name | Mama Jan Smith |
| Date of Birth | August 30, 1956 |
| Age | 67 |
| Birth Sign | Virgo |
| Place of Birth | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Nationality | America |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Education | North Dallas High School, Southern Methodist University, and University of Texas |
| Husband | James Smith Jr. |
| Net Worth | $5 million |
Early Life and Biography
Jan Smith was born in Atlanta on August 30, 1956. Her singing-songwriting career started at the age of 15 and since then, she has worked with top artists like Drake, Justin Bieber, Ciara, and many more.
For unknown reasons, Smith’s parents got divorced. She was just 2 years old at that time. After the divorce, her father remarried and migrated to Houston, Texas. She was raised by her father and her stepmother.
Her step-mother had a daughter, who was within Jan Smith’s age bracket. As toddlers, they had chemistry and quickly became friends. Jan Smith was enrolled in North Dallas High School, where she met her husband-to-be, Mr. James Smith Jr.
It was the efforts of James Smith Jr. that ushered Jan into the world of music. Upon graduating from high school, Jan Smith proceeded to Southern Methodist University, where she studied for two years before moving to the University of Texas, Austin.
In 1966, Jan Smith bagged a degree in English Literature. Jan Smith is married to James Smith Jr., who is a lawyer and later emerged as an influential judge in the court of law.
Career
Jan Smith is an accomplished singer and songwriter who has written some of the biggest hits. She is remembered for releasing her debut album at 15. She has recorded several albums as a solo music artist and collaborated with other artists in different music projects.
She is popularly known for the song “If I Could Find Someone.” She wrote songs such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “You Light Up My Life.”
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough is her first hit song and it was dedicated to her then-husband, Nickolas Ashfohe song was recorded by Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye in 1967. In 1968, Jan wrote “I Will Always Love You”. The song was inspired by Elvis Presley’s version of it.
In 1970, Jan Smith composed the lyrics for “You Light Up My Life,” which was written for her then-husband, Bruce Wasserstein. The song was originally recorded and performed by Debby Boone and it was a hit in the country.
In 1995, she released a solo album titled “Rain” under Rogue Records. She also released other albums such as “The Other Side of Time” and “The World Is Falling In Love Again” in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
She co-wrote and produced “Where Are You Now?” by Justin Bieber, which became a bonus track on the Wal-Mart and Australian version of Justin Bieber’s album “My Word 2.0.” Additionally, Jan Smith has been involved in the composition and production of many singles and albums through her eponymous production company.
Mama Jan Smith runs the production company Jan Smith Studios, Inc., which is named after her. Her company has allowed her to work with some of the biggest artists in the United States. Her company is based in Atlanta, Georgia, where she offers a variety of services to musicians as a producer and vocal coach.
She has worked with Taylor Swift, Madonna, Drake, Usher, Justin Bieber, Rob Thomas, TLC, Legarda, The Band Perry, MattyB, India Arie Simpson, and Ciara, to name a few.
She got the nickname “Mama Jan” from American R&B star Usher who worked with her at some point. Jan Smith has made guest appearances in TV shows and documentaries such as Behind The Scenes, Duet, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and R U the Girl.
Aside from her amazing music career, Jan Smith is the author of two books namely – So You Want To Sing Rock-n-Roll, which is a handbook for singers who intend to become music artists. The second book titled Run The Other Way is a compilation of her spiritual beliefs.
In 2002, Jan partnered with fellow producer Huston Singletary to establish a production facility known as Smith & Huston Productions, which will help unsigned artists record and produce their demos.
In 2010, she created Plumbline Music Group together with Andre Young and Jeff Wooten, providing a wide range of music services such as production, marketing, promotions, management, booking, and legal representation.
The next year (2011), Smith teamed with a business partner, Jim Ramseur, and together, they formed the Bridge Music Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that guides upcoming musicians on the business side of the music industry.
Jan Smith’s Awards and Accomplishments
On the 11th of September, 2011, Jan Smith was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. She received the Chairman’s Award on that occasion. Her clients Justin Bieber and Usher, who were present in the event joined her on stage to receive the award.
With more than 50 years of experience, Jan Smith is a veteran in the American music industry and has been honored by several organizations.
She has been recognized by ASCAP and for over 25 years, she served as an honorable member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, including as a trustee of the Atlanta Chapter.
Jan Smith is also a member of the Georgia Music Industry Association and the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
In 2005, she was included among the expert committee members for the Chinese Golden Disc Awards, which recognizes songwriters, artists, and members of the Chinese recording industry.
Jan Smith’s Net Worth
Jan Smith has had a glorious music career from working with top music stars to producing and writing some of the best hit songs in the world.
She is widely recognized as a vocal coach, songwriter, singer, and producer. The Grammy-nominated producer has created several music platforms to incubate up-and-coming music artists and also has a company that provides several music industry-related services.
She has lent vocals (lead and background vocals) for artists and written songs for many musicians. She also has her own albums and songs credited to her and her company. In addition, she is the author of two books.
Undoubtedly, Mama Jan Smith makes a lot of money from the services provided by her business ventures. Her net worth is estimated to be around 5 million dollars.