Christian, Kerri & Samson (of "Dog Shake
That Squirrel" fame)

When asked to describe her music, Kerri said "I think that listening to me is like folk meets Jesus near a rolling meadow stream, with a funny bone."

She can write the songs that bring a tear to your eye and usher a tangible sense peace into the room,  but she also can't help but let her sense of humor come out as she writes and sings.

Kerri Lee Smith got her start as a toddler tinkering on her toy wooden piano.  After picking out commercial jingles, her parents agreed that she should take lessons on a real piano.

Several instruments and many years later, Kerri ended up with a guitar in her hands and lyrics on her tongue.

"It just kind of happened.  I attended the concert of a guitar virtuoso my freshman year of college and decided that I should do that too (i.e. play guitar).  The next weekend I bought a cheap guitar and taught myself how to play."

Next came singing, then songwriting.

"My songs became an extension of my journal.  It's hard to keep those deep emotions to myself.  It became natural for me to let them out in song."

Kerri's first full-length CD is a compilation of the God-centered songs she's written since graduating from Grove City College in 1999.  "For the past several years God has essentially had me in an incubator - learning how to write and worship in His presence so that I can take that out on a stage where people may not have a personal relationship with God."

There is a raw passion behind Kerri's voice and lyrics, which  can't be missed when listening to her.

"My goal with this first CD was to make it very personal.  It's hard to catch that in a digital medium, but I wanted the experience to be that you could close your eyes and it was almost like I was in your living room."

This first CD may seem a bit "Sunday morning" to someone who isn't familiar with Kerri Lee Smith's music, but you might be surprised.  Sit in that peaceful green pasture and let the lyrics and melodies wash over you.

Kerri Lee Smith lives in State College, PA with her husband Christian and dog Samson.  When she's not playing music, she does web marketing consulting and operates www.NittanyWeddings.com while playing football in a wedding dress.