American indie singer Elliott Smith had a short but impactful career. He passed away in 2003 at the age of 34, but his unreleased and remastered songs are still coming out today.
Smith’s music appeals to people for many reasons. Some may remember him from the soundtrack of Gus Van Sant’s “Good Will Hunting” (1997), some may be drawn to the simplicity of his notes, often accompanied with an acoustic guitar, and some, like me, may appreciate his poetic lyrics.
As a tribute to Smith, Amplify Decatur hosted a music festival at Waller’s Coffee Shop on April 30, where four local musicians — James Richards, Jason Waller, Ian Rowland and Blake Rainey — each played three of Smith’s songs. The musicians incorporated their own style into Smith’s songs while staying true to his simplistic, acoustic guitar style.
Richards, the opening musician, started with “Between The Bars” (1997), one of Smith’s most popular songs. He added more high notes and improvised hummings in his covers, performing a quieter version of Smith’s “Thirteen” (2007), which is ranked in the Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest songs of all time.
Waller, who owns Waller’s Coffee Shop, followed Richards. He began his set by telling an anecdote about singing Smith’s songs with his wife. The audience laughed alongside Waller, empathizing with the nostalgic memories that Smith brought to the audience, which ranged from elementary school students to gray-haired couples.
The following two performers, Rowland and Rainey, both work at the coffee shop as baristas. Rowland played “Angel In The Snow” (2007), which Smith never got to play live, and “Miss Misery” (1997), which, when Smith played it live, was shortened by two minutes by cable TV. Rowland’s choice fit like a missing puzzle piece in Smith’s live music career, making up for songs Smith never got to fully play live.
Rowland also paid tribute to Smith’s musical spirit, expressing his wish to bring the audience together.
“I feel connected to the music of Elliott Smith, and I wanted the opportunity to be among other people who felt just as connected to his music as I am, while also benefiting the community here in Decatur,” Rowland said.
Rainey, who has been working at the coffee shop since before the COVID-19 pandemic, is the lead singer of his band, Blake Rainey & His Demons. He ended the show with a sorrowful and peaceful love song, “Waltz #2 (XO)” (1998). Using more chords instead of separate notes to play the full melody, Rainey gave the songs a more relaxing, country music sound than the original.
Smith’s songs felt even more nostalgic and heartening when surrounded by the cozy decorations of the coffee shop, including posters advertising nearby community events, polaroid photographs and a bookshelf.
At the end of the show, Waller announced that the coffee shop would donate the event’s proceeds to the Decatur Education Foundation, an organization devoted to improving children’s education.
“A group of us over a decade ago were very excited about the concept of working together to do something in the community,” Mike Killeen, the founder of Amplify Decatur, said. “We just had that feeling. A lot of people … felt like it was time to do something for others.”
Just like the lyrics in “Waltz #2 (XO)” — “I’m never gonna know you now / But I’m gonna love you anyhow” — we will never listen to Smith sing live again, but his music lives on within the Atlanta community. Waller’s Coffee Shop and Amplify Decatur have been working to reconnect people through music, creating precious moments of inspiration and genuine human interaction.
“We chose music because we believe there’s a universal love for music that everyone can relate to,” Killeen said. “Everything else has some ability to divide us. But other than late-night arguments with your roommate about the Beatles or the Stones, who’s better, music usually brings us together. The best part is just watching people sway to the music and think about how hard so many people worked, and know also that every ticket sold, every T-shirt purchased, every beer that they bought is gonna go help somebody have a chance at a better life.”
