Margot Smith

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Margot Smith | image = | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Margot Josephine Smith | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1966|9|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|2011|4|17|1966|9|19|df=y}} | death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | genre = Rock | occupation = Singer-songwriter | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|keyboards}} | years_active = 1985–2011 | label = {{hlist|EMI|Immersion/Phantom|Independent}} | website =  }}

'''Margot Josephine Smith''' (19 September 1966{{spaced ndash}}17 April 2011) was an Australian singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Her debut album, ''Sleeping with the Lion'', was produced by Eddie Rayner and Steve Kilbey and was released in October 1993. That album was nominated for the 1994 ARIA Award for Best New Talent. She issued her second album, ''Taste'', in February 1998. After Smith died Kilbey, and fellow members of his band the Church, organised a tribute concert in her honour in September 2011. A posthumous album, ''Inhumaninane'', appeared in the following year.

== Biography ==

Margot Josephine Smith was born on 19 September 1966.<ref name="Funeral Notice">{{cite web | url = https://www.heavenaddress.com/Margot-Josephine-Smith/388629/service_details | title = Funeral service details of Margot Josephine Smith (1966 – 2011) by Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park – Matraville | work = HeavenAddress | date = | access-date = 2 February 2021 }}</ref> She began her music career in Brisbane, where she performed in clubs as the lead singer of the Willie May Trio.<ref name="1998 Performance">{{cite web | url=http://www.gypsy.com.au/forms/margot.html | title=Margot Smith | website=The Gypsy Bar | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20001024232446/http://www.gypsy.com.au/forms/margot.html | archive-date=24 October 2000 | date = June 1999 | access-date=2 February 2021 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> By the early 1990s she had relocated to Melbourne where she recorded demos and was consequently signed to EMI Music Australia.<ref name="1998 Performance"/>

Her debut album, ''Sleeping with the Lion'', appeared in October 1993.<ref name="Leedham">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127512636 | title = Curtain Calls: EMI's 'next Big Thing' launched | last = Leedham | first = Nicole | newspaper = The Canberra Times. Good Times | volume = 68 | issue = 21,373 | date = 21 October 1993 | access-date = 26 September 2019 | page = 8 | via = National Library of Australia }}</ref> Smith provided lead vocals and keyboards, it was co-produced by Steve Kilbey of the Church and Eddie Rayner (ex-Split Enz): both also performed on the album.<ref name="McFarlane SK">{{cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | authorlink1 = Ian McFarlane | title = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Steve Kilbey' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040930211440/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=983 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=983 | year = 1999 | publisher = Allen & Unwin | location = St Leonards, NSW | archive-date = 30 September 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 | page = 346 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Nicole Leedham of ''The Canberra Times'' saw her performance in October 1993 and observed, "about 70 people listened enthralled to the half-hour of Margot's 'showcase'. Expect more from this lady."<ref name="Leedham"/> At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994 Smith was nominated for Best New Talent for ''Sleeping with the Lion''.<ref name="ARIA1994">{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109051551/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1994 | url = http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1994 | title = Winners by Year 1994 | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | archive-date = 9 January 2012 }}</ref>

After residing in the United States Smith relocated to Sydney where Kilbey and fellow members of the Church worked on her second album, ''Taste'' (February 1998), via Immersion Music/Phantom Records.<ref name="1998 Performance"/><ref name="Scatena">{{Citation | last = Scatena | first = Dino | date = 13 August 1998 | title = Personal ''Taste'' | periodical = Daily Telegraph }}</ref> In mid-1999 she toured with her backing band, Lodestar, comprising Mark Tobin on guitar, Wayne Tritton on rhythm guitar, Simon Wale on drums and Steve Waters on bass guitar and backing vocals.<ref name="1998 Performance"/> Smith provided guest vocals on the Church's Peter Koppes' fifth solo album, ''Simple Intent'', in August 2002 via Immersion Music.<ref name="Eliezer">{{cite news | url=http://www.themusic.com.au/im_m/archive/2002/020820-320/eliezer.html | title=Kopping It | author=Eliezer, Christie | website=Music & Media Business News | date=20 August 2002 | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040916103939/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10761/20030205-0000/www.themusic.com.au/im_m/archive/2002/020820-320/eliezer.html | archive-date=16 September 2004 | access-date=5 February 2021 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Smith died on 17 April 2011 in Bondi, aged 44.<ref name="Funeral Notice"/> A tribute concert organised by Kilbey, Koppes and Tim Powles (all from the Church), was held in her honour in September 2011.<ref name="Whyte">{{cite web | url = https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/bands-tribute-to-a-songbird-20110910-1k2y2.html | title = Band's tribute to a songbird | last = Whyte | first = Sarah | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | date = 11 September 2011 | access-date = 2 February 2021 }}</ref><ref name="Guitar Mag">{{cite web | url=http://www.avhub.com.au/events/tribute-to-margot-smith-415926 | title=Tribute to Margot Smith {{!}} Event {{!}} AVHub | website=Australian Guitar | date=16 September 2011 | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20170223020538/http://www.avhub.com.au/events/tribute-to-margot-smith-415926 | archive-date=23 February 2017 | access-date=5 February 2021 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> According to Kilbey, "one of the most brilliant singer/songwriters I have ever heard... She had a gift for composing on the spot."<ref name="Whyte"/> The concert included material from her two albums as well as previously unreleased works.<ref name="Guitar Mag"/> Her third album, ''Inhumaninane'', appeared posthumously in 2012.

==Discography==

===Albums===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" ! scope="col" style="width:11em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:17em;"| Details |- ! scope="row"| ''Sleeping with the Lion'' | * Released: October 1993 * Label: EMI (8270062) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Taste'' | * Released: 1998<ref>{{Citation | last = Crawford | first = Michael | date = 13 August 1998 | title = Spins from the soundtrack | periodical = Daily Telegraph }}</ref> * Label: Immersion Music/Phantom Records (IMM002CD) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Inhumaninane'' {{small|(with The 9 Lonely Spirits)}} | * Released: 2012 * Label: Margot Smith * Format: CD |- |}

===Singles===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col" width="220"| Album |- | rowspan="2"| 1993 | align="left"| "Fall Down" | rowspan="2"| ''Sleeping with the Lion'' |- | align="left"| "Adored" |- | 1998 | align="left"| "Bleedmore" | ''Taste'' |- |}

==Awards==

===ARIA Music Awards===

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Margot Smith was nominated for one awards.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.ariaawards.com.au/search?term=Margot%20Smith|title = ARIA Awards Search Results - Margot Smith|work = ARIA Awards|publisher = ARIA Awards|access-date= 1 August 2020}}</ref>

{{awards table}} |- | 1994 | ''Sleeping with the Lion '' | Best New Talent | {{nom}} |- {{end}}

==References==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Margot}} Category:20th-century Australian women singers Category:1966 births Category:2011 deaths