Chad Smith

Smith has been married to architect Nancy Mack since 2004. He was previously married to Maria St. John, with whom he has a daughter.

Smith has five children: Manon St. John Smith, Justin Smith, Ava Maybe Cardoso Smith, Cole Smith, and Beckett Smith. His daughter Ava is a singer-songwriter who competed on American Idol in 2022.

Smith joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in December 1988 after the departure of drummer D. H. Peligro. He was among the final musicians to audition, and although the band initially thought his appearance suggested a hair-metal background, his audition impressed them. He recorded his first album with the group, Mother's Milk, in 1989.

Smith became the band's longest-serving drummer and has appeared on ten studio albums, including Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Californication, By the Way, Stadium Arcadium, The Getaway, Unlimited Love, and Return of the Dream Canteen. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

His playing with bassist Flea has also received recognition. Spin ranked Smith at number 91 on its 2013 list of the 100 greatest drummers of alternative music, while readers of Rhythm ranked Smith and Flea as the fourth-greatest rhythm section of all time.

During a break in the Red Hot Chili Peppers' touring schedule, Smith joined Chickenfoot in 2008. The hard rock supergroup also featured Sammy Hagar, guitarist Joe Satriani, and bassist Michael Anthony. Chickenfoot released the studio albums Chickenfoot and Chickenfoot III, along with a live album and a box set.

Smith formed the instrumental funk and fusion band Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats in 2007 with guitarist Jeff Kollman, keyboardist Ed Roth, and bassist Kevin Chown. The group debuted at the 2008 NAMM Show and released Meet the Meatbats, More Meat, and the live album Live Meat And Potatoes.

Smith has recorded with artists including Glenn Hughes, Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, the Chicks, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Eddie Vedder, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Lady Gaga, and Elton John. His work with the Chicks on Taking the Long Way contributed to an album that won five Grammy Awards. He also co-wrote and played drums on Ozzy Osbourne's Ordinary Man and played on every track of Patient Number 9, co-writing nine songs on the latter album.

He recorded the children's album Rhythm Train with Dick Van Dyke and Leslie Bixler, and worked with Jon Batiste and Bill Laswell on The Process. Smith hosted the PBS concert series Landmarks Live in Concert and co-hosted the SiriusXM music talk show VOLUME West with Lyndsey Parker.

Music education has been a recurring focus of Smith's charity work. He has supported organizations including the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, Little Kids Rock, MusiCares, and SeriousFun Network, and has lobbied in Washington, D.C., for music education in public schools. He later established the Chad Smith Foundation to provide scholarships, equipment, and music education for children.

Smith is known for his resemblance to actor and comedian Will Ferrell. The two first met at the premiere of The Ladies Man in 2000 and later made the resemblance part of joint television appearances and charity events. They performed a drum battle on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2014, followed by a Red Hot Chili Peppers performance that referenced Ferrell's Saturday Night Live "More Cowbell" sketch.

Smith and Ferrell reunited for charity events in 2016 and 2018. Their work together included the Red Hot Benefit Comedy + Music Show and an event supporting Cancer for College. Smith also appeared in the SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night episode about the "More Cowbell" sketch.

Smith's drumming is associated with ghost notes and a fast right foot. His influences include Buddy Rich, John Bonham, Ian Paice, Mitch Mitchell, Bill Ward, Keith Moon, Stewart Copeland, Neil Peart, Ringo Starr, Ginger Baker, Roger Taylor, and Topper Headon.

He has endorsed DW drums, Paiste cymbals, Remo drumheads, Vater drumsticks, and LP percussion. He also entered the Guinness Book of World Records for playing a drum kit consisting of 308 pieces.