80. Todd Smallie

My guest today is bassist, Todd Smallie. After his family moved to Atlanta at the age of 14, Todd got very involved with the local scene and attended the Atlanta Institute of Music, where he got to learn from the likes of Jimmy Herring. Connections with Herring, Tinsley Ellis, Col. Bruce Hampton, and others led him to an audition with The Derek Trucks Band in his early 20s. He toured and recorded with Derek up until 2010 when Derek teamed up with Susan Tedeschi to start Tedeschi Trucks Band. Todd didn't sit stagnant for too long, as he started playing with JJ Grey & Mofro just a few months later, and has spent the last 11 years as a member of that group. (NOTE: The band, Greyhounds, made up of former Mofro members Anthony Farrell and Andrew Trube were my guests on the very first episode of this podcast). When he's not touring, Todd can be found playing at bars, clubs, and festivals with an assortment of acts all over Colorado. In our conversation, we chat about getting back on the road for the first time since COVID, his upbringing and history as a player, and all of the new projects he's involved in locally. If you enjoy the podcast, please let others know, subscribe or write a review. 5 star ratings and reviews on Apple Music as well as subscribing to our YouTube Channel help us out the most!! IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST IN A MONETARY WAY, I'M NOW ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/andysydow You can support my artist career and this podcast for as little as $3 per month. The price of one cup of coffee helps keep this podcast on its feet. Any and every contribution is greatly appreciated! Guest Links: JJ Grey & Mofro Website: https://www.jjgrey.com/home Todd Smallie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Todd-Smallie-232770094105/ Episode Music: **All original music by Andy Sydow Sponsors: A huge thanks to our sponsors, PQ Mastering and Narrator RF. For any sponsorship inquiries, shoot me an email at [email protected] http://pqmastering.com https://narratorrf.com