Thanks to the Internet, independent singer/songwriter Corey Smith [ tickets ] has managed to build a grassroots legion of fans who continue to flock his concerts around the Southeast.

Smith, a former high school teacher, is getting ready to jump back on this road this week, starting Friday (11/2) with a gig in Auburn, AL. The Georgia native will play his home state as well as cities in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas and Alabama through mid-January. Details are listed below.

Smith is supporting his fourth album, "Hard-Headed Fool," which was released digitally in June and on CD last month. The set showcases his diverse mix of influences, which include country, rock and blues.

The singer/guitarist began performing right out of high school and into college, but put music on the back burner after graduating from the University of Georgia in 2001 and taking a job teaching high school social studies. Still, he continued writing songs and showcased many of them for students.

Then, on an impulse, Smith entered a songwriting competition and won the opportunity to record his debut album, 2003's "Undertones."

"It was a really raw acoustic album that I thought would be a demo," he explained in his bio. "I recorded it and sold it to friends and family and pretty soon it spread all over Georgia. I got calls from bar owners who wanted me to come and play shows. ... Eventually, I knew music was what I was supposed to do."

Smith followed his debut with 2004's "In the Mood" and 2005's "The Good Life." The overwhelming response to the recordings fueled his relentless tour schedule, which has seen him sell out more than 80 shows since last year, according to Gulf Coast web publication BalwinCountyNow.com.

The performer has relied on MySpace and other Internet tools to help grow his fanbase. He has reportedly sold more than 385,000 downloads since May 2006 and is currently the No. 2 unsigned country artist on MySpace.

"We haven't created some magical formula," Smith said in his bio. "It's just about writing songs that, for one reason or another, connect with people and impact their lives."

Songs from Smith's various albums are streaming at his MySpace page.