Meet Mama Jan: The vocal coach who trained Usher and Justin Bieber
When someone walks inside Jan Smith's Atlanta-based studio, they are immediately met by her "wall of fame" in the lobby. The walls are covered with photos of music royalty like Ray Charles, Usher and TLC posing with Smith. The sight is impressive to say the least.
Smith, better known as "Mama Jan," is a vocal producer and coach. She specializes in artist development. She's helped shape some of the biggest stars of our time.
There's a rumor that Usher came up with the nickname," Mama Jan." The vocal coach cleared up the story for CBS News Atlanta.
"When Usher came in for the first time, he was 17," Mama Jan said. "I was also working with John Hopkins of the Zac Brown Band and another young artist locally named Jeffery Budds. When they would leave, they would say, 'See you next week, mama.' Usher heard that, and he started saying the same thing, but he was the first person who took that public in an interview, which is how it caught on."
Mama Jan helps people condition their voices. Think of it like working out, but for your vocals. It's especially important for artists starting young, like Justin Bieber.
"He had a great voice as a kid, but then we knew that puberty was going to hit, and so that was a big transition," Mama Jan said. "When people's voices are changing, and you have a record that is number one in the world [that can be tough]."
Mama Jan would go on to not only help Bieber conquer his vocal changes, but they also toured the globe together. Mama Jan did 86 shows with him.
So, how did this spunky lady become one of the most sought-after vocal producers in the country? She says she fell into it.
"As a songwriter, I was buying a piece of gear that would help me write songs and do more demos at home," Mama Jan said. "I bought a piece of gear from a guy that ran a Rock n' Roll guitar school, which was very new vogue at the time. He had a client that was losing his voice and asked me if I could help him, and I said, 'Sure.'"
Mama Jan helped her first client in the early 90s and hasn't looked back. She's gone on to be multi-platinum certified, Grammy-nominated, and in 2011, she was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. She's an artist at heart.
"When I see young talent come in and they've got great songs or a great voice, it's, like 'Ah!' It's so exciting to me to cultivate that."
Mama Jan's work isn't limited to singers.
"The ones people don't know about would be like Liam Neeson," Mama Jan continued. "Different actors and actresses, John Roberts, who was a reporter."
Despite the rapid changes in the male-dominated, ever-evolving music industry, Mama Jan clearly loves what she does and has no plans on stopping.
"The whole legacy thing, I laugh at that because I still work until 2 o'clock in the morning," Mama Jan said. "You know, and that's just part of it. You have to be willing to go the extra mile."