Biography

'Gus van Sant' included Smith's songs in Good Will Hunting (1997) prior to consulting him. Smith was flattered, and agreed to allow use of his material. He liked the fact that his mother, Bunny, would be able to tell her friends that her son was working on Good Will Hunting (1997) rather than living in Portland and recording "lo-fi albums".

While on tour of his "Either/Or" album, Smith attempted suicide once in North Carolina by jumping off a cliff while intoxicated, but a tree broke his fall on the way down.

Formed the band "Heatmiser" during his college years. They released four albums: "Cop and Speeder," "Yellow No. 5" EP, "Dead Air," and "Mic City Sons," which was released right after the band's break-up, due to Smith's two solo albums, which caused tension amongst the group.

Had a tattoo of the state of Texas on his shoulder, not to honor it, but due to the fact that it shaped him into the man that he was, and he respected it. He looked back on his childhood spent growing up in Texas with animosity, reflecting on the many fights he had being the skinny kid who learned the hard way how to deal with tough guys, and tattooed it onto his arm as a reminder.

Has a sister, who lives in Austin, Texas [2009].