Robert W. Smith

• Name — Robert W. Smith • Birth Name — Robert William Smith • Born — 24 October 1958 • Birthplace — Daleville, Alabama, U.S. • Died — 21 September 2023 • Place of death — Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. • Instrument — Trumpet • Occupation — Composer, teacher

Robert William Smith was born in Daleville, Alabama, on October 24, 1958. He attended Troy State University, where he played lead trumpet in the Sound of the South Marching Band. While at Troy, he studied composition with Paul Yoder. In 1997, Smith became the Director of Bands at Troy State University, where he remained for four years. In 2001, he was hired by Warner Brothers Publications. His position with Warner took him all over the world, acting as guest conductor and clinician with many ensembles. Smith's career with Warner Bros. continued until 2005, when it was bought out by Alfred Music Publishing. His album Don Quixote was nominated for the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards for Contemporary Classical Album. Smith was the coordinator of the Music Industry program at Troy University as well as the Vice-President of Product Development for the C. L. Barnhouse Company and Walking Frog Records. Robert W. Smith died due to complications following heart surgery in Montgomery, Alabama, on September 21, 2023.

In addition to composing for bands, Smith enjoyed success writing for drum and bugle corps. He had been a member of the Charioteers Drum and Bugle Corps in Alabama in the mid-1970s. His first great success came in the mid-1980s while he was writing for the Suncoast Sound, from Clearwater, Florida – a tenure which included Suncoast's 1985 program, "A Florida Suite," the first completely original musical program ever done by a drum corps. He would later go on to write for Magic of Orlando for several years. Until 2007, he wrote for the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, of Toledo, Ohio. From 2011 to 2014 he arranged for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. In 2013, he began writing for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps. Before the beginning of the 2006–2007 school year, Troy University announced the re-hiring of Smith to the position of Coordinator of the Music Industry program. In December 2006, Smith announced his appointment as Director of Product Development for the C. L. Barnhouse Company along with an exclusive publishing arrangement with the firm.