I was consistently touched by this man's beautiful music.  Foremost, it's 
very sad obviously to those who knew him and cared about him.  For those like me 
who didn't know him and were mere fans, it is disturbing that a man of such 
immense talent could not sell more records or get the help he so obviously 
needed.  He probably couldn't live with the fact that his career was limited to the 
alternative music business as opposed to the mainstream rock star business 
where people make millions.  There are just a few melodic outstanding artists 
left on major labels, but they appear to be a mere hobby for the companies that 
put their music out.

Let's hope artists close to Smith's league can break through so that, at the 
least, they struggle merely with their inner demons as opposed to record 
company bureaucracy, the endless waiting game and the self doubt that has to be 
inspired by the Seagrams era.  Where even Kobain couldn't go on despite his 
mainstream success,  do we have a shot to break a truly worthy artist in this era?  
Someone has to be on the horizon who can break through and keep it 
together...Smith was one of those who had that potential.  It's a huge loss.      

Casey Fundaro