Country singer and songwriter Ernest Smith, known as ERNEST in the music industry, has written some of country music’s “hottest hits.” While many people know the singers who are the face of these hits, few see the writer behind the music.

Smith showcased his ability as a lyricist by writing songs for others and himself, and recently, he has begun releasing his own music. As he builds a platform for himself, he continues to boost other artists’ platforms.

“I think it’s unfair for ERNEST as an artist to have written the song and have it top charts, but not get as much recognition as those who sang it,” gym teacher Kevin Fisher said. “He deserves more recognition.”

Though Smith is not incredibly well known to the public as a country music artist, he has caught the attention of the Country Music Association (CMA) for his work on the 2024 summer hit “I Had Some Help.” 

“ I think those who perform it get a lot of credit versus those who write it,” gym teacher Derek Hall said. “But most times, those who win [a CMA award] will shout out the songwriters.”

With the CMA Awards happening tonight, Smith may receive the big break he needs to solidify his reputation as a country singer.

“Chris Stapleton was kind of the same way as ERNEST,” Hall said. “He wrote songs for everybody else, and now he’s finally got a name for himself as a solo artist, not so much as a songwriter anymore. But he finally got his foot in the door, and I think it’s a matter of time before ERNEST gets his foot in the door.”

Though he may not have as much publicity as artists such as Morgan Wallen, Smith has the support of other artists in the industry.

“ERNEST and Morgan Wallen hang out a lot outside of making music,” sophomore Logan Flora said. “I believe that [their relationship runs deeper] than just the popularity of the country music industry because they grew up together as friends. [Because of their relationship], even if Morgan Wallen gets a bunch of fame now, fame will also come to ERNEST soon.”