At the 2025 30A Songwriters Festival, host Jason English caught up with Bradley Cole Smith, who was the very first guest on Curious Goldfish (see below), a "unicorn" of the Atlanta music scene who has spent decades blending roots rock with Southern soul. Known for his expressive voice and seasoned songwriting chops, Smith’s work on the soundtrack for the documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President further cemented his status as a pivotal Georgia artist.

Their conversation centered on the following three themes:

Smith identifies deeply with his Atlanta roots, noting that while he once thought he lacked an accent, a stint in Colorado proved otherwise. He views his regional identity as the bedrock of his creativity, stating, "Actually every song I've ever written is influenced by the south. It's all in there". For Smith, authenticity requires a connection to real people and places; he finds it impossible to write a compelling story that doesn't mirror someone he knows.

For Smith, the pen is a tool for processing the heavier aspects of life, including the "heartbreaking gravity" of substance abuse that has claimed several friends. He describes his lyrical process with stark honesty: "Writing songs lyrically for me is therapy. I don't even wanna pretend that I have figured life out". This is evident in tracks like "High Flying Friend" and "Atlanta," the latter of which he describes as a "love song" to the city that also serves as a reflection on loss.

A highlight of the episode is Smith’s discussion of his "inseparable" bond with multi-instrumentalist Nelson Nolen. Having played together since roughly 2000, Smith describes Nolan as the "yin to my yang," a positive force who balances Smith’s "sad songs" with infectious energy and versatility on the mandolin and guitar.

In this episode of The Curious Goldfish, host Jason English sits down with Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Bradley Cole Smith to discuss the delicate balance between the drive to create and the patience required to let a song breathe. Known for his soulful blend of Americana and roots-rock, Smith has spent years honing a sound that feels both weathered and urgent. Though it has been five years since his celebrated Hilltop EP, Smith remains a fixture in the Southeast scene, recently releasing singles like "Springtime Magnolias" and "Holding On."

The conversation explores three pivotal themes:

1. Performance Over Popularity Smith opens with a refreshing take on the modern musician’s hustle. While most are chasing "likes" and ticket counts, he prioritizes the sonic integrity of the moment. "I'm more interested in us sounding good and playing well than a bunch of people being there," he notes. For Smith, the physical act of singing is the reward itself, a sentiment that anchors his approach to live shows with his band.

2. The Discipline of the "Clean Slate" Creativity often requires clearing the mental and physical clutter. Smith shares how a New Year’s resolution led him to literally throw away a third of his belongings to make space for a new musical chapter. This "cleaning house" mirrors his songwriting process for his upcoming track, "Atlanta," proving that sometimes you have to strip everything back to find the heart of a new tune.

3. Resilience and the "Ted Lasso" Way Reflecting on the show’s central theme of curiosity, Smith draws a parallel between a music career and a soccer match. He emphasizes that stagnation is the only true failure. "If you're not curious, you're not going to learn anything," Smith says. "You have your good days and your bad days, but you got to just keep kicking it down the road."