Icar Smith

Icar Smith “Mexican- American guitarist with 25 years of musical career, started studying guitar from his Brother Benjamin, the rest is history… 20 albums out. His musical education parts from joining Dick Grove’s School.

He is a founder of Cristal y Acero rock group (1980-1989) (the band was granted the “Manuel M. Ponce” award for best original music for theater, given by the Union of Writers and Critics of Theatre in México City, for the music score of Kuman rock- opera which counted more than 1000 performances. The band was portrayed as the “Best Spanish Act” on the Metal Forces Magazine (UK 1985).

As a band member, he worked for: Betsy Pecanins (here, he shared stage with such artists like Charlie Musselwhite, Jimmy Witherspoon, Freddie Robinson, Stiff Stiff Blues Band (1989) Transfusion (1991) Sergio Arau and the Montezuma Revenge (1992) (here, he toured with Los Lobos and performing for the American Theater Workshop and Pregones Theater in NYC) Los Humanos (1994) (Universal Music, awarded with the Golden Sun, CINPE 1997″ as the best rock band of that year. Icar also receives the nomination of the “Phonos” medal as the best guitarist 1996-1997 in the Mexican rock scene. In 1999 Icar is invited by Valor Kand of Chistian Death to record the solos on the “Born Again Anti-Christian” album (1999). Studio guitarist for several top artists in the Latin music industry and tours/performs with artists/bands such as: Michael Angelo Batio, Stu Hamm, J Hayes, Enanitos Verdes (Argentina) Intergalactic Circus (2000) Ricardo Arjona, Paulina Rubio (ERES Awards 1994), Fernando Arau, Ola Englund, Benny Ibarra Sr, Emmanuel, Simmy Simpson (NY), Polvo de Hadas, Carmen Leñero, Los Concorde, Transfusion, Trilce, etc.

In 2003 Icar goes on a clinics-tour with super-guitarist Michael Angelo Batio in the main cities across México. He is currently an endorsee and clinician for WASHBURN guitars, BLACKSTAR amps, HIWATT amps, and D’ADDARIO strings and teaches music in clinics, seminars and private lessons. Writer for Musico Pro, Sound:Check, EQ en Español Magazines, reviewing music gear.

Washburn Gear:

WI66PRO
WI560
PXM20 FRF