Interview with Cody Smith

Former Cheerleader Turns Rock Star

Exclusive Interview with Cody Smith

CheerHome.com recently sat down with aspiring rock star Cody Smith. Cody cheered at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and went on to coach for several years as well. These days he has focused on writing and recording his music, and has recently released his debut cd I Wanna Be The Man.

CheerHome: Tell us a little about yourself.

Cody: Ha, ha, I could go on for hours with a question like that. I would say the most striking thing about me is that I am almost always laughing. I always try to see the humor in any situation and the good in any people I meet. 

CheerHome: How has cheerleading helped you in your music career?

Cody: I was pretty shy and timid when I first started cheering. However, cheering at a small school means I was thrown into the action pretty quickly. So I found myself cheering at games with thousands, and even tens of thousands of people. Trying to lead a crowd of that size at home games was tough enough, but trying to cheer in front of a crowd like that at away games was humbling. So performing music in front of a crowd at a bar or coffee shop is pretty easy. After you’ve been booed by several thousand people, you can take anything a few hundred can dish out.

CheerHome: Tell us about your music. What is it about and what ideas are you trying to convey?

Cody: Each song is different and should provoke a unique idea or feeling for the listener. Of course, love, romance and heartbreak are all covered in songs like I Wanna Be The Man, Curled Up And Died, I’ll Wait For You and If I Say Goodbye. In addition, emotions like pride and loneliness are strong themes in Pride and Be That Way. Remember When and Crazy Day take a nostalgic look at the past, focusing on the good times and new experiences that we all share. Overall, I try to be optimistic and fun without sacrificing meaning and depth.

CheerHome: What is some of the music that you listen to?

Cody: That’s a tough question because there is so much. My iPod has songs from every decade in the past 50 years. I have a soft spot for 80’s music in general. Some of the bands that have influenced me are The Who, The Goo Goo Dolls and The All-American Rejects to name a few. Really, I just like any music that has good lyrics and can bring out any kind of emotion in people.

CheerHome: Is there anything you would like to say to CheerHome.com readers?

Cody: Whatever you do, whether it’s sports, music or anything else, just give it 100%.  Get all you can from these experiences and apply what you learn to everything in life. Most of all, learn to live, laugh and have fun every day!

CheerHome: Where can we find out more about you and your music?