Ash Breeze

American Bluegrass Band from Moore County, North Carolina. Formerly known as The Smith Family Band, featuring dad Allen Smith (14) (bass) and his four kids: Nellie Smith (3) (vocals and fiddle), Corey Smith (14) (guitar), Eli Smith (5) (mandolin) and Luke Smith (24) (banjo). The band members were classically-trained as children but gravitated to bluegrass. Their name comes from a sailing term referring to the ability to row a sailboat when there’s no wind (oars are typically made of ash.) “Sailing by ash breeze” is a major theme (overcoming struggle) in the book Carry on Mr Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham, a Smith family favorite.