Smooth singer

Maison thomas eudy mother
Smooth santana
Smooth santana meaning

•

Itaal Shur on Songs, Business and Life in General

This is a re-post of part one of a two-part interview originally published in Fall, 2010.

Itaal Shur is a Grammy winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer and who is probably best known for co-writing the massive single “Smooth” that re-launched Santana’s career. In addition to writing with Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 on “Smooth”, Itaal has also written songs with or for Carol King, Ricky Martin, Maxwell, Jewel and Lucy Woodward. As one of the most common questions I get from artists is “How do I co-write or write songs for other artists?” I figured I’d ask a guy who has done it many times over with great success.

Music Consultant:

Itaal, thanks for your time. I know you moved to New York in the early 90s. Tell me about how assimilated into the musician community as a kid who just came to NY and didn’t have many contacts or resources?

IS:

I want to preface everything I say right now with… Actually have you read Malcom Gladwell’s new book Outl

•

The freedom to compose and create a dynamic body of work is afforded to a special few artists of each generation, musicians who deftly coordinate the chemistry of exceptional talent and exceptional opportunity. Itaal Shur is one of these rare and free musical craftsmen, with a career that includes top-shelf status as a songwriter, producer, and a Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the multi-Platinum hit “Smooth,”, recorded by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas. Having experienced great success in the commercial music industry and the diverse array of opportunities that comes along with it, Shur has marked his career with the same innate eclecticism that marks his person. He is never just one thing. He fills several roles, in several styles and genres, and in this way his music is defined not by what he does, but who he is.

A left field guy who hits a home run in right field every once in a while, Shur found his music lust while growing up in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Cincinnati in a family where artistry was the norm and a desire to be a doctor or lawyer was black sheep territory.

•

Smooth (Santana song)

1999 single by Santana

"Smooth" is a song performed by American rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, who sings the lead vocals. It was released to radio on June 15, 1999, as the lead single from Santana's 1999 studio album, Supernatural. It was physically released as a single in August. It was written by Itaal Shur and Thomas, who re-wrote Shur's original melody and lyrics, and produced by Matt Serletic.^[1]

The song was an international success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks. It was the final number-one hit of the 1990s and the first number-one hit of the 2000s, and the only song to appear on two decade-end Billboard charts. "Smooth" was ranked as the second-most-successful song ever on Billboard's Hot 100 60th Anniversary listing. In 2000, the song won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. "Smooth" also peaked at number one in Canada and charted within the top 10 in Australia, Austria,