Michael Peter Smith

A giant in the Chicago folk music community, Michael Peter Smith (sometimes billed as Michael Smith) was best known for writing the song "The Dutchman," which would become a standard recorded by Steve Goodman, Jerry Jeff Walker, Tom Russell, Suzy Bogguss, Liam Clancy, and many more. Blessed with a rich, supple voice, Smith was also a first-rate songwriter. The strength of his lyrics, spinning eloquent tales of the lives of ordinary people (sometimes poignant, sometimes witty), were a fine match for his instrument, filling his performances with warmth and intimacy. His first tw...