Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer honours Midwest roots with scholarship

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ANN ARBOR, MI – The Red Hot Chili Peppers may be associated with southern California, but drummer Chad Smith's heart has never left the Midwest.

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A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who grew up in suburban Detroit is presenting a music scholarship to the University of Michigan.

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“A lot of people say, 'The Chili Peppers, the West Coast band, California this and California that.' I understand. I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Smith told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday, just hours before he made the official announcement during a surprise appearance at the Ann Arbor school's annual Band-O-Rama event. “The Minnesota connection is strong, the Michigan connection is strong.

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“And that's why we're here. It's a natural and authentic fit for us.”

Smith, 64, performed the RHCP hit “Can't Stop” with the Michigan Marching Band at Hill Auditorium.

The Curtis and Joan Smith Scholarship, named in honor of Smith's parents, will be awarded to a new student at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance beginning in 2026.

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The scholarship is a partnership between the School of Music, Theater and Dance and the Chad Smith Foundation and follows on the heels of a fellowship of the same name launched two months ago at the University of Minnesota. Smith's parents are Minnesota graduates.

Michigan's version of the Curtis and Joan Smith Scholarship will support incoming freshmen to the School of Music, Theater and Dance's undergraduate program who demonstrate financial need and a strong commitment to pursuing a music career. The scholarship reinforces CSF's mission to expand access to high-quality music education and career opportunities for aspiring musicians across the country.

Smith attended Lahser High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and began his career playing in Detroit clubs and bars. He thanks his parents for instilling in him a love of music and supporting his dream of pursuing it professionally.

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“My mother is 98 years old. She's still in business. She's here today – amazing,” Smith said. “So to be able to honor her (and), my father unfortunately passed away, but they helped me a lot in my musical journey.”

Smith has been with the Red Hot Chili Peppers since the late 1980s. During this time, the quartet, which also includes singer Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea, became one of the best-selling acts in music, blending layers of funk, punk, rap and traditional rock-based pop.

Smith, wearing a backwards baseball cap, kept the beat on hits like “Give It Away,” “Under the Bridge” and “Dani California.” The Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

“I'm lucky enough to be in a band that people like and I play drums and maybe some drummers or musicians will be inspired by my story,” Smith said. “So yeah, this is just an opportunity to give back to what I've been so fortunate to do and give the next generations of musicians the opportunity to do what they love.”

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