2001 National Fingerstyle Champion Richard Smith has been performing in public ever since he took the stage at Her Majesty's Theatre in London for a duet with fingerstyle guitar legend Chet Atkins—at the tender age of 11. A couple of decades later, Richard continues to be quite a guitar phenomenon, with a repertoire that spans an incredible range of musical styles from country, bluegrass, mainstream jazz, and rock to classical guitar. Showcasing tunes from his recent CD, Slim Pickin', Richard mixes original and classic pieces, interweaving the complex styles of many guitar greats including Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, and Lenny Breau.

Born in Kent, England, Richard now resides in Nashville. He owns numerous instruments, but his most prized is a guitar which bears the inscription: "To my hero, Richard," signed Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins.