Blog by Berks Country Fest
May 3, 2017
Saturday Night Live, Hall & Oates, Mike Meyers, David Bowie and Berks Country Fest. Only G.E. Smith can tie these names together.
Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Smith started playing guitar when he was seven. By the time Smith turned 11, he was making money playing the guitar. As Smith’s aptitude for the guitar began to grow, so did his career. In 1977, Smith earned a spot playing alongside Dan Hartman who he toured with in Europe. After returning home, Smith moved to Manhattan where he worked on Broadway in the show Gilda Live.
But Smith’s success continued as he would later join Hall & Oates as the lead guitarist. Smith toured with the 
band for six years before returning home and joining SNL as a music director. It was on SNL that Smith played with musicians like Eddie Van Halen, Keith Richards, and Al Green. He also wrote the theme song to Wayne’s World while Mike Meyers’ future movie series was still just a sketch on SNL. While Smith’s impact on rock music is cemented in his storied history, a true monument to Smith’s legacy is having his own Fender guitar model. Fender issued the G.E. Smith Fender Telecaster in 2007 to honor Smith’s accomplishments as a modern master of the Telecaster.
With about 50 years of professional guitar-playing under his belt, we here at Berks Country Fest are thrilled to have Smith as a performer. Don’t forget to grab tickets on our website to see him perform live at Guitar-A-Rama.
Pennsylvania's Americana Region is thrilled to have G.E. Smith perform at for a second time at Berks Country Fest's Guitar-A-Rama. Now in its third year, Berks Country Fest combines its outstanding Americana Music Concert Series with community events. This unique 16-day festival provides truly enjoyable experiences across Pennsylvania's Americana Region.