48 Facts About Chad Smith

1.

Chad Gaylord Smith was born on October 25,1961 and is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988.

2.

Chad Smith worked with the Chicks on Taking the Long Way, an album that won five Grammy Awards in 2007.

3.

In 2020, Chad Smith co-wrote and performed as part of the backing band on Ozzy Osbourne's album, Ordinary Man, and again in 2022 on Patient Number 9.

4.

Chad Smith is known for his charity work especially with young musicians.

5.

Chad Smith has been a lobbyist in support of music education in US public schools.

6.

Chad Smith is the host of the PBS concert series Landmarks Live in Concert, which began in January 2017.

7.

Chad Smith was born in St Paul, Minnesota, the third child of Joan and Curtis Chad Smith.

8.

Chad Smith spent most of his childhood in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he graduated from Lahser High School in 1980.

9.

Chad Smith started to play drums at age seven and grew up listening mainly to bands such as Rush, the Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, the Who, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Kiss.

10.

Chad Smith did not receive formal drum lessons, and gained drumming experience by playing in school bands.

11.

Chad Smith ran away from home when he was 15, but returned home after a summer.

12.

Chad Smith spent his early years in various rock bands, starting in high school with a band called Paradise, where they won the battle of the bands in Birmingham, Michigan, in 1977.

13.

Later, Chad Smith decided to move to California to pursue his musical aspirations.

14.

Chad Smith was one of the last drummers to audition for the band and the band felt that on looks alone, Chad Smith would be the wrong fit as he looked more hair-metal than punk.

15.

Singer Anthony Kiedis admired Chad Smith and found his persistence impressive.

16.

Chad Smith joined the Chili Peppers in December 1988 and within a few months was recording his first album with the band, Mother's Milk.

17.

Chad Smith confirmed that the Chili Peppers would begin work on their eleventh studio album that same month.

18.

Chad Smith said that the band would be focused on making new music and hope to have a new album out in 2020, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recording of the album was delayed.

19.

On May 25,2021, Chad Smith said that the band is currently near completion on their twelfth studio album and will tour in 2022.

20.

In 2012, Chad Smith rejoined Chickenfoot for a four-song encore and the band briefly reunited for only two shows on May 7, and May 8,2016, at Harrah's Showroom at South Lake Tahoe.

21.

Chad Smith released an app in March 2012, which is free mobile application for iPhone, iPad and Android devices and features his "Drummer GPS".

22.

The GPS section of the app spotlights drummers Chad Smith has been influenced by and those he regards as some of the best modern drummers.

23.

Chad Smith joined Sammy Hagar in the studio to work on music for his twelfth studio album.

24.

That collaboration with Post Malone led to the creation of Osbourne's 2020 album, Ordinary Man, which Chad Smith co-wrote along with Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan and producer Andrew Watt.

25.

Chad Smith contributed to the charity tribute album The Metallica Blacklist, released in September 2021, backing Miley Cyrus on her cover of the Metallica song "Nothing Else Matters".

26.

Chad Smith's technique is recognized for its use of ghost notes, and his fast right foot.

27.

Chad Smith cites Buddy Rich, John Bonham, Ian Paice, Mitch Mitchell, Bill Ward, Keith Moon, Stewart Copeland, Neil Peart, Ginger Baker, Roger Taylor and Topper Headon as influences on his drumming.

28.

Chad Smith is an active supporter of a number of non-profit organizations including Surfer's Healing, SeriousFun Network, MusiCares, Silverlake Conservatory of Music, Guitar Mash NY, Camp Korey and Little Kids Rock which he discussed in an interview with Making Music Magazine.

29.

Chad Smith has since been invited back to lobby in April 2014 in support of public school music education.

30.

In 2014, Chad Smith joined Bystander Revolution a group that speaks out against bullying in schools and tries to find solutions.

31.

Chad Smith released a few videos discussing his own childhood being bullied along with his son's recent experiences with bullies.

32.

On May 21,2014, Chad Smith appeared along with other celebrities in Washington, DC at a White House talent show held by Michelle Obama which was organized to raise awareness for Turnaround Arts, a program enacted under the guidance of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities to increase performance and achievement at some of the lowest-ranked schools in the country through arts education.

33.

Chad Smith adopted a school in Greenfield, California lobbied Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner for increased funding for arts education and that it is a personal issue for him.

34.

Chad Smith appeared at Sammy Hagar and James Hetfield's 2nd annual Acoustic-4-A-Cure benefit concert in San Francisco, California on May 15,2015.

35.

Chad Smith was joined onstage by Pat Monahan of the band Train and comedian Adam Sandler for a performance of Aerosmith's "Dream On" and Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On".

36.

On February 12,2018, Chad Smith again teamed with Will Ferrell for his One Classy Night event at the Moore Theater in Seattle to help raise money for Cancer for College.

37.

Chad Smith has two other children, Justin Smith was born on 1998 and and singer-songwriter Ava Maybee Cardoso Smith was born on 2001 and through other relationships.

38.

In 2004, Chad Smith married his second wife, architect Nancy Mack, with whom he has three sons, born 2005,2009 and 2012.

39.

Chad Smith has two elder siblings, brother Bradley and sister Pamela.

40.

Chad Smith struggled with alcoholism and cocaine use for many years.

41.

Chad Smith is an avid fan of his hometown Michigan sports teams, including the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.

42.

Chad Smith's singing of the fight song made national news as the University of Michigan and Ohio State are longtime sports rivals.

43.

At shows in Ohio, Chad Smith's drumset has sometimes featured the Michigan Wolverines logo.

44.

Chad Smith is widely known for his strong resemblance to actor and comedian Will Ferrell, who is almost six years younger, which he has acknowledged by wearing shirts reading "I Am Not Will Ferrell" in live performances.

45.

Chad Smith said that the two first met during the premiere of the film The Ladies Man.

46.

Chad Smith looks me up and down and says, 'You're very handsome,' and walks away.

47.

Chad Smith was diving offshore when the shark began circling him.

48.

Chad Smith attempted to keep still as the shark approached, then fended it off when it attempted to bite him.