Bet Smith is a Canadian singer-songwriter, artist, and craftsperson based in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.

A wildly versatile songwriter, Bet draws inspiration from a trove of lived experiences, mixing personal stories with imagined scenes and characters. Her intricate narratives range from zingy trad-country boot stompers like her recent single, The Rooster, to moody indie-folk songs such as 2017’s Tightropes.

In collaboration with producer and guitarist, Rob Currie, and multi-instrumentalist, Andrew Currie, Bet has released three full-length albums, including Downer (2021), Tightropes & Loose Ends (Bet Smith & The Currie Brothers, 2017), and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (2016). Rob’s intuitive, experimental approach to recording, paired with Bet’s exploration through genres, and supported by Andrew’s dynamic skillset on everything from drums to mandolin, has resulted in three remarkably different-sounding records.

Bet attributes some of her best song ideas to the scenery and events of her working life. Currently a carpenter, previously a welder, and no stranger to farm work, Bet has made her living outside of the music world, largely in trades, agriculture, and horticultural jobs. Bet is a trained Blacksmith with a small shop called Persephone Forge, where she creates a variety of hardware, including guitar hooks.

Bet was born in Toronto and spent most of her childhood and teenage years in Muskoka. In her twenties, Bet moved around between Toronto, the Interior of British Columbia and the West Coast before eventually settling in Muskoka once again. As with so many of Canada’s intrepid roots singer-songwriters, Bet’s music has taken her on many adventures and allowed her to perform array of venues and festivals throughout the country, from cozy cafes to passenger trains to grand outdoor stages.

Bet’s pandemic-era alt-folk album, Downer, was warmly received by community radio stations and independent music reviewers both in Canada and abroad and was shown strong support by CBC Radio 1 as well as Muskoka’s treasured community radio station, Hunters Bay Radio. The animated music video for the single, Forgive You, which Bet created from chalk-pastel drawings, was showcased at Folk Music Ontario’s Folk In Film Festival in 2023.

In autumn 2024, Bet and her collaborators released a humorous single titled, The Rooster, a tune inspired by a rooster attack that Bet experienced on a friend’s farm. The production process for Bet’s music is nearly always a community event that draws contributions from friends and family. In addition to the Currie brothers’ musicianship, The Rooster features solos by award-winning fiddle player Wayne Feguson, and Rodeo King, John Dymond, set down the bass track from his Nashville studio. The Rooster was released with a promise of more trad-country to follow.

Reviews for Downer

“Downer, so named because it unfolds like a stream-of-consciousness exploration of said anxieties, doesn’t feel like much of a downer to listen to. In fact, any twinge of melancholy evoked by the material is eclipsed by the thrill of discovering such a compelling talent.”

Roots Music Canada

“From the clarion beauty of its opening track to the intimate vulnerability of its last, Bet Smith’s new album, “Downer,” is a luminant collection of brave thoughts and purposeful reflection on the state of things, as we stand on the frontier of an uncertain future.”

Doug McLean for Great Dark Wonder

“Singer-songwriter Bet Smith has gained a reputation for the depth of her lyrical talents… Downer offers yet another captivating collection of songs by Bet Smith, delivered with vocal perfection…  Downer is an album which comes under the category of essential listening.” 

James Wilson for Indie Band Guru

“Deeply felt thought and experience permeate Smith’s lyrics bringing both the personal and the universal to the surface. Her songs remind us that we are all entwined to the earth whether or not we choose to recognise this fact; they are cautionary tales that deserve our attention.” 

Richard Phillips for Americana UK

“Bet Smith’s new album is fantastic. It’s folky, it’s country, it’s spiritual rock n roll, emotional and raw… Downer rejects the b.s. esthetic and does what any good album should, uplifts the listener. Listen with an open heart, you’ll know what I mean.”

Eyes on Wax – CFUV

“The album is an unabashed and honest testament to 2020, expressed through minimalist instrumentation, evocative lyrics and powerful vocals.”

Sarah Bea Milner for Exclaim!