Tabour smashed by churlish minstrel (10)
I believe the answer is:
troubadour
'minstrel' is the definition.
('troubadour' can be a synonym of 'minstrel')
'tabour smashed by churlish' is the wordplay.
'smashed' is an anagram indicator.
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'churlish' becomes 'dour'.
'tabour' anagrammed gives 'trouba'.
'trouba'+'dour'='TROUBADOUR'
(Other definitions for troubadour that I've seen before include "Medieval lyric poet" , "Mediaeval singer-poet" , "Poet-singer" , "love poet" , "composer of lyrics" .)