Try That in a Small Town Podcast
In 2023, Jason Aldean's groundbreaking song and video "Try That In A Small Town" resonated with a resurgence of conservative values in America. The writers of the song, Kurt, Neil, Tully, and Kelley, took the opportunity to launch the Try That In A Small Town Podcast. This platform allows them to reveal the true inspiration behind the song and discuss the importance of common-sense values. With a lineup of influential guests, the hosts will entertain you with the stories behind their music, while also addressing challenging topics affecting our communities and country.
Try That in a Small Town Podcast
Granger Smith - Earl Dibbles Jr. Virality to Faith-Driven Ministry Journey :: Ep 37 Try That in a Small Town Podcast
What inspires a successful country artist to leave the music industry and embark on a journey of faith and ministry? Join our captivating conversation with Granger Smith, where he shares a deeply personal transformation that changed his life's trajectory. Granger discusses his evolution from a serious musician to embracing his viral YouTube persona, Earl Dibbles Jr., and how this unique blend has captivated audiences far and wide. Through laughter and tears, we explore the creative parallels between songwriting and sermon writing, and how personal tragedies, including the heart-wrenching loss of his son, have profoundly shaped his perspective and strengthened his faith.
Granger Smith captivated new fans with his humor, authenticity, and exceptional guitar skills. Our chat touches on the intriguing link between Kelsea Ballerini's song "Dibs" and Granger's alter ego, sparking lively debate and fan theories. We reflect on Granger's early career days sharing the highs and lows that come with the territory. The bond formed between diverse fan groups and the artist's relentless perseverance in the industry highlight a journey that is as inspiring as it is entertaining.
Granger's journey doesn’t end with music; it transforms into a mission of ministry. He candidly shares the pivotal moments that led him to pursue this path, including heartfelt encounters with fans who opened up about their struggles. The challenging but rewarding decision to leave music behind for a higher calling is detailed with sincerity and introspection. Granger's metaphorical view of God as a diamond on black felt provides a humbling perspective on life and faith. Through his story, listeners gain not only inspiration but also a powerful message about finding one's true purpose amidst life's trials.
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I had to kind of reconcile the idea that I had a viral YouTube guy that was funny and then people would go to my show and it was real serious and we took ourselves, you know, very seriously and I thought, okay, earl needs to be part of the show somehow. I don't know exactly how he's going to do it, but I need to write him a song. So I wrote him a song and then made a music video and then that video went viral. So that made it easy to kind of make it the last thing that we did every night. And the band would vamp and I would run to the trailer and change and come back out of Zorro as kind of the encore.
Speaker 2:God, I feel like an unworthy person because of my own struggles.
Speaker 1:Elaborate a little bit on what you mean by you feel like a, an unworthy person because of your own God.
Speaker 2:Granger, should I lay down on the couch?
Speaker 1:Writing sermons is so close it's like the same layer of my brain writing a sermon as writing a song and then preaching it.
Speaker 3:It also satisfies a very similar itch the try that in a small town podcast begins now all right, y'all, we are coming to you from the patriot mobile studios.
Speaker 2:This is try that small town podcast, tkk low thrash. I'm kurt. We appreciate you guys joining us today. It's a super special. They're all great and special. It's kind of like your kids they're all special and awesome in their own way. But, seriously, today is going to be I have a feeling it's going to be pretty powerful and awesome. We have a friend, granger Smith, coming on. Some people do know and then some people don't like a lot of his. How he got famous was his kind of alter ego, earl dibbles jr, which I think is brilliant and uh it's. It's incredibly interesting. He had a number one song. What was it?
Speaker 2:uh, background song, so he had incredible success yeah, on his own, but then he kind of created this alter ego which I definitely want to ask him about.
Speaker 4:I want to do that. You want to create an alter ego. I have a couple of them, but I want one more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was going to say you already do yeah you already do You're there.
Speaker 4:One more is good. I think three would be good.
Speaker 6:You're there, you're just not. I'm losing money with my alter egos, we all are.
Speaker 2:That's good, that's awesome. Granger we've known for quite a while, and those of you that don't know him, he lost his son in a drowning accident I think it was in 2019. But it's going to be powerful. Looking forward to it, for sure.
Speaker 4:Great guy and go back a long way with him, but to see what he's doing now is is it is powerful.
Speaker 6:You know, he and his wife, you know, really rely on God and um, and we're going to talk about his music. You know, we're going to talk about Earl Dibbles Jr. We're going to talk about his ministry, uh, and just all kinds of things and what an amazing journey he's had.
Speaker 2:Welcome, granger Smith.
Speaker 1:Thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 2:This is fun oh man, we appreciate you, hey. So talk about that real quick. The podcast, how long you've been doing it. Give us any tips that you might have for us?
Speaker 1:yeah, we're struggling man, uh, yeah, I was actually thinking about this the other day because it's we're going on almost eight years now, 2017. Yeah, it started. Uh, I started doing it on tour in the back of my bus, had a setup back there and I was like I'm just going to start doing a podcast and still doing it today. It's, yeah, it's it's crazy that it's gone this this far, that people still listen.
Speaker 2:I guess I should say Do you do it once a week, or how often is it Release it? Every Monday, okay, that's great. So everybody check that out. I'm sure it's on wherever you can listen to podcasts, youtube, spotify, all of that. Hey, let's go back quite a bit, because we've known you for quite a while.
Speaker 2:Some of us know you as Earl Dibbles but some of us know you, as Granger Smith Talk about, actually go to the Earl D Devilsink, because that thing is crazy. Like you were, you were viral before people knew how to go viral yeah, that's weird.
Speaker 1:It's weird to think about it that way. Um, it was 2011 and we had an album coming out and my brother and I two brothers and I were trying to think of unique ways to promote the album. And this is a time back when YouTube was. You know, there's just like a lot of goofy things on YouTube and and you could get something to go viral on there and everyone was watching it. Now there's so much stuff now that not everyone could watch it, but we were doing a series of just silly videos with these different characters trying to basically just bring eyes to the album, and Earl Dibbles Jr was just another one of them.
Speaker 1:It was another one of these characters and the goal was always to try to get a million views, and we weren't even anywhere close to that until Earl, and he was just a kind of an ultra redneck country boy. It wasn't talking about music at all. It wasn't talking about me at all or the album at all. Uh, just at the very end of the video it says grandersmithcom, like in small letters, and and then it just it goes viral. I remember that first day it had 25 000 views on on day one and I thought I think that was like all the other characters combined was that number in 2011. So I just thought there's something special, and then, just in a few weeks, it was. It was the first million view video that I had, so it it was.
Speaker 2:It's just absolutely ridiculous that it that people watch that and it became a staple, right? I mean, you had to do it in concert, you had. You had people needed to see the Earl Dibbles thing, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it lived as just a video, with no music, no, just kind of no reference. It lived for several months before I knew, lived for several months before I knew. In fact, there was a moment when a guy came up to me after a show and I used to go to the merchandise table and just stand there and just talk to anyone that was around. And this one guy came up and said, man, you're a funny guy. And I said, oh, thanks, man, and he goes, but I don't see that in your show at all. And I was like, oh, he's right.
Speaker 1:And I had to kind of reconcile the idea that I had a viral YouTube guy that was funny and then people would go to my show and it was real serious and we took ourselves very seriously and I thought, okay, earl needs to be part of the show somehow. I don't know exactly how he's going to do it, but I need to write him a song. So I wrote him a song and then made a music video and then that video went viral. So that made it easy to kind of make it the last thing that we did every night and I would, the band would vamp and I would run and to the trailer and change and come back out as Earl is kind of the the encore.
Speaker 1:And then I remember soon after that the yee-yee thing was taken off, because there was a little moment in the first video where Earl holds up the shotgun and he says yee-yee. And that kind of sparked this thing with people. They were coming to the shows and they were holding up signs that said yee-yee and I thought it might be something special. But I didn't really know until one day I was driving in a little town in Texas and I saw a truck dealership and in the windows of all the trucks that said yee, yee. And so that's when I knew I should trademark this before someone tells me that I can't use it anymore. So it was $5,000. I remember to trademark it and I remember thinking that was just ridiculous to pay that kind of money and what a stupid risk that would be to pay $5,000, but I did and I think it's paid off, yeah.
Speaker 6:Well, granger, there's so many things to compliment you on and we wouldn't have time in the podcast. I'm sure you have something directly after this to get to and we all have so many things we want to talk to you about. But I'm just proud of you. I mean, you were just a kid, you were a teenager First time. We wrote a long time ago at EMI and CEO and all that stuff, and you've had hits as an artist, like Kurt was saying, and it's just amazing to see that you kind of did it the Nashville way, but when you didn't want to do it the Nashville way, you did it your own way. It's just amazing. You've found avenues and you've created things and you keep creating things and you keep changing and altering and staying true to God and everything. And I wanted to comment on on one thing before I forget and compliment you mostly as the only male country artist that has surpassed garth brooks. I want to congratulate you on that in what way well hey, hey.
Speaker 6:well, chris, gain Earl Dibbles Jr. No freaking contest no contest I'll take it.
Speaker 2:I'll take it.
Speaker 6:You know you got it. Thank you, buddy, Congratulations.
Speaker 3:That's good, thank you, I'm going with Dibbles every time too.
Speaker 6:Well, and two, I was going to ask you two do you think and this is just kind of a true or false, or yes or no, and you may not even know and I don't know the answer Do you think that Kelsey Ballerini's Dibs was inspired by Earl Dibbles Jr.
Speaker 1:Have you heard that? I'd say probably 70%.
Speaker 6:Okay, yeah, I was curious about that.
Speaker 5:Oh, you're going to make people dig now. You're going to make people go. Yeah, that's funny.
Speaker 4:That's fun. Now. You were such a hard worker too. I remember we talked to Jason about it when you were at Broken Bow and we did a few shows together, like random festivals or fairs, and Jason always said you know, you're hustling, doing your thing and it was. It was as a as a new artist and young artists and establishing yourself. It seemed like you were the fans, like they stayed with you. Did you feel that out there, like your fan base, they just it felt like watching you grow. In that time we knew you. It felt like it was just really you were holding all your fans growing it. That's not easy to do. It's from year to year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's so interesting. I don't think I could take credit for that. I think for some reason the fans just kind of stuck with it and united. We saw over the decades we saw some strange things happening with fans. We saw the original fans and then the Earl Dibbles fans started coming and the original fans are like these people don't look like us, they're different, but they kind of started getting along and sharing commonality with each other.
Speaker 1:And you know, this guy would like this older song of mine and then this guy was an Earl Dibbles guy and then they would kind of share and end up walking away liking a little bit of each. But then when we started having national success, then the new radio people started coming in, you know, and they're looking at these two other groups going. These, these are not like me, but but you know they for some reason they started getting along. So you got these old underground people meeting the Earl Dibbles rednecks meeting the. Now that you know how radio people look, they they're different in their in their own right. So all three groups kind of started coming together and just stuck with it and found, you know, they became friends, which is so interesting to me.
Speaker 4:See, maybe you missed it. You could have sold two separate tickets to each show and doubled your money?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 4:That was great. It was always fun seeing you and watching you do your thing and your success grow.
Speaker 1:You guys too. I met Jason probably in 99, something like that Back when Jason was on Capital or when he first got signed to Capital.
Speaker 4:Wow, You're one of the very few people that would remember that, that Capital signing and we talk about it a lot because he gets signed and we were young, we were trying to be a band and he gets signed and we're excited and then it doesn't happen. And that's part of the business that no one really sees. After you have success, they only see the success, they don't see the bumps. But that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I didn't realize that you even knew about that. The capital signing, yeah, you know, um, it was Michael Knox was the connection, but it was a long time ago and I used to come up and hang out with those guys and Jason and I would go and you know, like, just try to see what we can kick up in Nashville, and I remember he lost his deal and that was. It was kind of the first big reality for me that. Oh, you know, I thought Jason was going to make it and now I guess he's. I guess he's not. Yeah, he's not going to make it.
Speaker 4:It's a. You know, I love talking to people like yourself who can remember those days and how people don't even know about that, how that was. We all thought we had our first chance and next thing you know the deal's gone and you're back to. We probably showcased 10 times to get that deal lost. It. Now we're back to square one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, people think you have a record deal, you've made it. Oh wow, have a record deal, you've made it. Oh wow, that's amazing, you've made it. No, that's actually the beginning of the that part of the journey yeah, and kelly remembers that from brad same thing yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6:There are four artists coming out around the same time, you know, and yeah, and one of them made it out yeah, losing losing a record deal was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.
Speaker 6:Yeah yeah, I will say um, like when you mentioned brad paisley and watching your video. By the way, your videos are amazing. I mean I could sit there and watch them all day long, one after another another. I said he got another one and checking them out, I'll say your guitar skills and sound, what you can get out of an acoustic guitar. Brad Paisley and Keith Urban combined couldn't get out what you get out of acoustic guitar in that video. America, america, america.
Speaker 6:He's flat wearing it out. It's just so funny. I was like oh my God, it's just hilarious, funny. I was like, oh my God, it's just hilarious.
Speaker 1:Oh man, You're just giving me all kinds of strange accolades today. Well see, I definitely don't deserve.
Speaker 6:Well, there's four of us, so I got to think of things that these guys might not think of Well mission accomplished yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, america was another. That was another commonality that you and I have kelly, because that was. That was a frank rogers thing. Frank, you know when, when we were working on different earl dibbles things, frank was like we could do whatever you want, as long as I get to write a song called america with you, there you go.
Speaker 6:It's really great, I love it.
Speaker 2:Speaking of america, I know you're a uh, you're very passionate about the military and that's how we did. You know you did a new share of USO things. We've been able to do that and just the unbelievable experience that is. But from what I understand, it kind of led you to do some parties at the White House or a Christmas party during the Bush years. Is that right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I was thinking about that the other day. Some wild things that you could just, sometimes you can walk away from all that and just go. Was that a dream? Did I dream that that stuff happened? But yeah, that was the Bush administration. We kind of became friends with them. Christmas parties, parties for wounded warriors, we did his farewell party from the White House as he stepped down from the administration. So yeah, those were. Those were some fun times, yeah yeah, that's unbelievable.
Speaker 2:We're hoping we might get to do a little inauguration party here coming up, but I guess we'll see. Hey, I know you're a huge college football fan, let's go to here real quick to do a little inauguration party here coming up, but I guess we'll see. Hey, I know you're a huge college football fan, let's go to here real quick because we love discussing football. And now we got the playoff. Who do you first of all? Do you like the playoff? Second of all, who you got.
Speaker 1:Man, yeah. So it's crazy because I wanted this 12 team playoff, because I just thought, oh, this will make everything better, because you could make an argument that number five team should be in there, but you could never make the argument that number 13 should be in there. And then here we are arguing that 13 should be in there. But what's driving me crazy right now is this transfer portal thing that's happening. Did you guys hear about Penn State? The quarterback for Penn State Just happened, right.
Speaker 1:No I he just stepped down from the team they play this weekend. They play the first playoff game this weekend and he's saying he's going to go into the portal.
Speaker 5:Wow, oh Lord. I can understand somebody not in the playoffs doing that, but not where they're at. I can't see that.
Speaker 6:It doesn't seem like a smart business move.
Speaker 1:We're hoping our quarterback sits down Crazy. So yeah, there's a lot of things in college football.
Speaker 6:a lot of things need to be fixed, for sure oh yeah, yeah, well, and you're, uh, and talking about the service, the military and the and the, the tours that you've, you've done and played for the soldiers and things like that. You're an a&m guy texas a&m right, yeah, and and you're in the corporate cadets there, correct? I did a little research on that. Do you think, think I mean with that that is such a highly disciplined and military thing? Do you think that kind of carried over to your success now, being that disciplined and that kind of stuff instilled in you, do you think that helped your success?
Speaker 1:I think so. I think there's a lot of and all of us could probably say the same the same thing that life. So many times I think of it like a Jenga game, and if you start pulling out those little blocks, you pull out different blocks, the whole tower falls. And so that's for me, that's definitely one of those blocks, and we all, we all have those things that you look back and you go you know, I think if I didn't have that, I wouldn't have built anything. And you go you know, I think if I didn't have that, I wouldn't have built anything. So, yeah, certainly there was.
Speaker 1:There's a certain amount of, there's a certain amount of mental discipline that just goes into the music business. You just have to have it. And if you don't, then the, the long nights and the, the tired days and the rejection and the, the months that turn into years, they get the best of you and you just say I'm gonna, I'm gonna go do the dad's dad's business. You know, I'm gonna take up, take over dad's business that I've been wanting to do. We see that happen all the time. Yeah, yeah, certainly go ahead, bud.
Speaker 4:I was gonna say um, I wanted to just tell you real quick. I saw you on Brad's podcast, brad Warren's podcast and, uh, this one. I went on that podcast with him one time and I wanted to. You know, brad's got a way of making you feel really comfortable. I felt really comfortable talking to Brad about about things. I wanted to commend you on your um on that. I thought it was wonderful.
Speaker 4:Seeing you and Brad together Did my heart good for Brad. I know Brad and you share some things and it's meant a lot to me to see you guys talking to each other in that way, cause I remember you know he had me on there talking about the vegas thing that we went through years ago and I'd never talked about that really to anybody. And brad, you know, known brad a long time and he had this way of making it feel real comfortable for some reason and I and I felt that with you guys and it was, it was inspiring. I just wanted to say that it was really inspiring for me to see you two guys talking together. You know so well thank you, man.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, that that's encouraging and, uh, we all have our. We all have our our things. You know, we all. I call it for me I used to call it the slideshow a lot, and, um, you got a different slideshow. What you saw that day, um, that's something I can't possibly understand. And what Brad saw, I can't understand that either. So we kind of all have our things and it's encouraging to get together and talk about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, I think, like Tully started to allude to, and maybe you even as well like when we talk about being being in las vegas and that whole time I find myself, if somebody asks me about it, I actually have a hard time talking about it because it's like no, you don't understand and but you know like what? Totally, we talk about it like it's just not common, but it's an easy conversation. Obviously, when you and Brad were talking, you could feel the similarities there. But even on your own, I've noticed that you're able to talk about this a lot. And just to you know, if there's people that don't know, you obviously lost your son. He was three years old, I think this was in 2019.
Speaker 2:Old, I think this was in 2019, but the way that you've been able to communicate to people, talk to people and literally preach to people through this is, you know God, I feel like an unworthy person because of my own struggles. Maybe talk to people about the book, because we said you're an author. You have a book called Like, like a river. Can you talk about that a little bit?
Speaker 1:yeah, could you? Could you, before I do that, elaborate a little bit on what you mean by you? Feel like a, an unworthy person because of your own?
Speaker 2:well, so there's this get him granger, get him.
Speaker 2:No, but listen like I. I watched that podcast with you, and brad as well, and something was really powerful to me and one of them was talking about guilt and the difference between grief and guilt and the evil that shame and guilt has. That, to me, first of all, was powerful, powerful. But when I'm talking about with mine, it's like you found a way to talk to people and to preach to people, whereas maybe in my experience I can't, like I don't know how to talk to people that haven't been through that like my experience, and they say what was that like?
Speaker 1:and I'm like, uh, you won't understand and why does that make you feel unworthy? What does that have to do with god?
Speaker 2:granger I'm curious, I'm curious yeah, it just does and I mean I can't explain it. It just you know, I see people that have picked up pieces and you know, like I lot of Brad's podcast and what you're doing, and I'm just like wow, that's just incredible. That's incredible to me to be able to spread your message like that.
Speaker 1:I understand people that have been through trauma, because when you see other people articulate it and and help others with it, that makes you feel like you're a little bit less, because you, you, you don't speak of it in that way, right right, when reality, that's just a, that's just a personality trait yeah, I have a lot of faults well, I think what's what's so important when I hear unworthy um, what's so important to me and I mean you talked about my book, like a River, really, what I had to come to grips with.
Speaker 1:And it's very interesting because this morning I keep a journal and it's digital, so I get to look back on several years, instantly, right there, you know my little iPad on several years instantly, right there, you know my little iPad. And six years ago today, we were on a flight to Boise, idaho. I'm not sure where we're coming from, but we were on a West Coast tour and it was pretty grueling and that was the, you know, six months after I lost my son and that tour, that a particular day, we were doing back to back nights in Boise. And so as I look back on that journal, I know what was coming next. But that's that's the night.
Speaker 1:I lost all control, ended up putting a gun to my head six years ago in Boise on the back of my tour bus, and the reason was this idea of worthiness or guilt, and the world kept telling me a conflicting message with what I was feeling and experiencing. The world was saying you're not guilty, granger, you are worthy, you are a good father you are. You're not guilty, granger. You are worthy, you are a good father you are. You're a good person. It kept saying it and I'm thinking but you weren't there with my son, you know, I let him down. What would qualify as a good? You say I'm a good dad. What would qualify as that? Keeping your kids alive till they're 18? Like that's the joke. People say, you know, just trying to keep them alive till they're 18, get them out of the house. That's kind of the joke. So what if I failed one out of four of those? Then I wouldn't actually be a good father. These are all the thoughts I'm wrestling with. You know, I'm trying to be practical about it, and that eventually caught up with me, and it caught up with me in Boise, idaho, six years ago.
Speaker 1:But what happened afterward was what matters. That night might've been the catalyst for a lot of things, but what happened after that was I encountered the true gospel of Jesus, which I always thought that I knew. I always thought that I was a Christian, but when I encountered the truth of it, the truth of it was this that's the only message in the world that says you aren't worthy, you aren't a good person. You aren't sufficient. I make you whole, I make you worthy, I make you clean. Look to me in my sacrifice on the cross. I cleanse you of all this and you take my righteousness, I take your sin upon my body. And that just blew my mind.
Speaker 1:When that finally took root in my heart, I could say I am guilty, I am not worthy. He is. And so I looked at him and then God sees me as worthy, not because of me or anything I've done or because of the way I could help other people through their tragedy. But he looks at me and says you're worthy because you're in my son and he's worthy. And then through that, through that reality, I'm able to live it out and then and actually start feeling good about the message and feeling good about helping other people. Not because it's earning me anything or certainly not because I'm worthy of it. Man, I'm not worthy. I'm just a songwriter that created a stupid, stupid alter ego and, and you know, and traveled for a long time on tour and made people laugh doing music. That doesn't make me more or less worthy than anybody else. Jesus does that. So that was the reality and that's really what the book was about wow, that's powerful amen yeah, I tell you what church on monday morning which was really, um, this is.
Speaker 4:You know, god put people in your path for a reason and I, I believe this. I've I've known too many people that I've lost children and I've known people, um, I grew up with that, I've lost children and they, their way of dealing with it was it turned to alcohol or turn away from God or go down a dark path. And then, you know, I met you and I've been friends with Brad and Casey Beathard for a long time and you guys have both been through unspeakable things that I I can't imagine or, but I know if it happens to me, I know what I want to be. Like you guys. You guys inspire, really do inspire.
Speaker 4:Like I often wonder how would I deal with this? And when you, what I've learned myself is like I have people to look up to in this, like you and Brad and Casey, who have inspired through the tragedy, and I know a lot of people who went the other way, you know. So it's just a testament to you and the way you've turned that into a teaching moment. I think for people like myself that you know what. What would I do if it? How would I deal with it you know um, but just a well, very powerful, totally.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it, man. Those, those are super kind words and and it means a lot, but that's not what I said, though. The testament is not me, it's a. You said it means a lot, but that's not what I said though. The testament is not me. You said it's a testament to you. It's not because I was on the back of a tour bus with a gun in my mouth and he saved me. It's a testament really to him. And I know you didn't mean to say it so that I would turn it around that way, but I just have to say I did turn to alcohol, I did turn to becoming a workaholic, I did try to just be the man of the house and move on, and it caught up with me quick. But the Lord really put a hook in my mouth and jerked me around in my mouth and jerked me around.
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Speaker 2:Well, we can see why you're a minister now and you're so you did retire from music, right? And was this basically the reason why you just felt like, hey, this, this is my purpose?
Speaker 1:well, it's interesting, that's. That's an interesting question and I think about quite a bit. But, um, as as this, this whole thing we've been talking about really is, this started to develop over the years. And I was still on tour, people started coming to my meet and greet and they would say, and I would know it as soon as they walked in to the step. And I was still on tour, people started coming to my meet and greet and they would say, and I would know it as soon as they walked in to the step and repeat, and I could just see their face that they got to tell me something. They lost their dad in October, or their mom just got diagnosed with cancer, or they lost their 14 year old to a-wheeler accident. And I know it. And here they come and they're going to talk to me and sometimes they'd be wearing the t-shirts you guys have probably seen this where they're wearing the t-shirts that says you know the kid's name and the date. And Jason Aldean was his favorite band, so we're all coming to watch the show on his birthday in remembrance of him. It's been three years. You show on his birthday in remembrance of him. It's been three years. You guys have seen that right.
Speaker 1:And this was just happening over and over, especially because of my story, and it began to nag at me that I didn't have enough time with them. I thought I would get to thinking I wish I could just talk to these people. They need my help, and yet I'm too busy. I'm going to play a show, and so then I thought, well, I'll use the show and I'll talk a little bit during the show. And then that began to nag at me, thinking I don't think this is enough.
Speaker 1:And I did the further I went down that road. Um, I know now it was. It was a calling from the Lord, clear as day. But I just thought I think I need a pivot. I don't think I have time, as crazy as it sounds, to do music. I think I need a pivot where I could go straight to the people. And and I was still. I was built for traveling to them and I was built for talking for long periods of time, and and so it's like the Lord had prepared me. The Lord, you know, prepared me how to use a microphone and stand on a stage, and and it was just not what I thought he was preparing me for at the time.
Speaker 2:And when was that? When? When did that moment happen?
Speaker 1:Well, the the first, it was really. The first thing was really, you know, such a weight on my shoulders. I thought it was the record deal and I thought it was promoting radio singles. So I, I was telling my brother who's my manager and he was pretty mad at me, you know, for saying this. Um, it's taken years for Tyler to truly to understand. We're in a good place now. But he thought, why would anybody with a perfectly good record deal try to get out of it? And but it was, it was just a heavy weight on my shoulders. I ended up going to John Loba and I told him this and he knew my heart, you know he was, he's been with me that whole journey and by God's grace he understood. And they went to Germany and they had I remember they had some board meeting to vote me off, because it was kind of a weird thing that an artist wants off and he's not going to go to another label, it's not like he found another deal, and so they had to vote me off in Berlin and I thought, okay, now it's good, now I don't have to promote a single, I could use that time now to shift into ministry and talk to people and we'll still tour.
Speaker 1:But the feeling didn't go away and it was still wearing on me. I thought. I said I think there's more. I think the Lord needs me to surrender more. And when I started thinking that maybe it was touring itself, I went to my wife and she said, well, what are you gonna do? And I said I think that's it. I think it was like around this time of year and I thought maybe I'll just, I just won't come back January 1st and she goes. You can't do that. You got to do a farewell tour. You have to appropriately say goodbye to the people that have supported you. And I said, yeah, you're right. That was wise of her to say that. So we scheduled an eight-month farewell tour and made the announcement and told the band which was it was all of. That was extremely difficult. But I instantly that weight left me. It left my shoulders and through that I knew, oh yeah, this is, this is the right decision.
Speaker 6:That would have been hard. You know, just thinking about telling that story If I'm in your band or if you and I are co-writing and we're rocking and got some things going out, and I'm thinking, hey, man, I'm one of my closest friends Now, we're having hits and success, this is great, and he's young and we're going to ride this horse all the way to retirement. And then all of a sudden you say hey guys, I think I'm going to step down and do ministry full time and be like whoa whoa Granger. There's a lot of ways the Lord can use you.
Speaker 6:I mean, let's think, let's step back and really think about this. Did you have did?
Speaker 1:you have some of that, you know, cause that would be a human response probably. Oh man, yes, it was. Uh, I was so nervous. I was in Minneapolis and it was in January, a few years ago two years ago, I guess? No, it was. It would have been um Two years ago, I guess no it was. It would have been January 23, I guess I.
Speaker 1:We were in Minneapolis and I had a. I had scheduled a meeting with all the band and crew, the drivers. It was a fly date for us, so the drivers were all home, or they, I think they were. Their buses were somewhere else, so we FaceTimed them and put the computer in there. So everyone knew, like this is weird, the drivers are on there, everyone's talking, what are we doing? And I came in.
Speaker 1:My heart was pounding, you know, and just because I knew what that meant, once I let that go, it's something I've. I did it for 25 years and and once I made that known, you can't put that toothpaste back in the tube, you know it's out, yeah. So I told him and my heart was beaten. I just said guys, um, this is going to be last year touring for me and I just feel the air, you know, leave the room.
Speaker 1:Some of the guys were like saw this coming, I understand, brother, whatever you need. Other guys were like, well, this sucks. What am I supposed to do now? I gave him all my 30s. You know what am I supposed to do? So I told him. I said if you guys don't say anything to anyone except your wives until March when I make it public, and then you stay with me if you don't leave Sounds like a transfer portal, you know. So if you don't get the transfer portal and you stay with me until we finish this out early September, then everyone's going to get all of the money from everything that I sell Buses, semi-truck trailers, gear, all of it. I'll sell all of the money from everything that I sell buses, semi-truck trailers, gear, all of it. I'll sell all of it and everyone will get according to how many years you've been with me. You'll get that percentage, which would be a really big chunk and, by God's grace, every single one of them stayed all the way till September.
Speaker 4:Wow, and that says a lot about you as well. Do you ever because it's in your blood as much as this is like the music and what you've done do you? Do you miss it? You ever wake up one day and say you know what I'm gonna, I think I might do two months worth of shows. Or you know, I think I want to go cut an ep. You know, I mean, you ever have that tugging feeling, you know? Or is it? Or is it just in a different spot now, kind of I missed.
Speaker 1:I missed, do miss the camaraderie of being with the guys and playing music, the, the stage aspect, the performance aspect, even the songwriting aspect actually. Um, writing sermons is so close, it's like the same layer of my brain writing a sermon is writing a song and then preaching. It's like the same layer of my brain writing a sermon is writing a song and then preaching. It also satisfies a very similar itch as getting up on that stage. I'm not glorifying myself, I'm glorifying God now, but when I preach I just preached this past Sunday, as we record this podcast that was yesterday and you know I prepare the message, I put my time in there's a level of in the preparation, there's a level of kind of practicing and you know timing yourself and getting your pacing down and you go up and you deliver and it feels very much like we know walking up on a stage and you're delivering a message, you know whether it's music or an actual sermon and so I get that itch completely scratched. I don't think of, I don't miss it in any way in that aspect.
Speaker 6:Yeah, Is it harder going out when you're about to deliver a sermon and you walk out there? Is it challenging without a guitar? Do you think about it? You know, when you walk out and say, man, I wish I had a guitar and I could deliver this thing.
Speaker 1:I used to. Yeah, I used to. So now you know, I've got my iPad. That's kind of my guitar. Now. Something I do now I started doing lately is I did this yesterday I walk, kind of get everything set up as I walk out there and then I'll just stop and just look at the audience and just take maybe 10 seconds, 15 seconds max, and just kind of breathe for a second and that helps the weight of what I'm about to say hit me and it kind of takes away the old anxiety that I had of go up on the stage and hit them with a bang, get their attention right off the bat as a musician. It kind of takes that away and I'll let it sit, let the air sit for about 10 seconds, catch myself and then begin.
Speaker 4:It seems to me I don't know why that what you're doing now would be so much more challenging, in the sense that you know, when we take the stage to play, it's like people are there, like to forget about a lot of their problems. They come to our shows to have a good time and I feel like they're there to what you're doing now. They might be there to a much heavier reason you know what I mean when it's like a lot more at. That's how I'd feel about it. Like they're, they're looking for more help. I'm used to like just having a time, these people drinking and forgetting about their problems, and they're there to kind of put those on you and and in a way, maybe, or it's totally, that's good.
Speaker 3:I'm gonna have to remember that the music just feels like it'd be way more challenging.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're totally right. Music helps people forget the problems and a sermon the goal is, so that they'll know their problem.
Speaker 4:Or maybe even absorb some of that from them, which is way heavy I I'd be way very nervous to be a nervous wreck.
Speaker 6:I pat quivering, you know it feels like. How does he know?
Speaker 2:I have to tell I mean iPad quivering, you know.
Speaker 6:He's like how does he know that's so right man.
Speaker 1:I have to tell. I mean, in some way or another, I have to tell them through the word that they have a problem and I have the solution for them and I have to make them aware of that problem. And in music it was the opposite. Right, it was. Hey, just watch us and have fun and don't think about your problems.
Speaker 4:Exactly, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 5:Dude, listening to you talk and listening to you tell your story, I think all of us, especially men, we have a tremendously huge selfish nature. Speaking, you know, from me personally and listening to you tell your story, it it's going to be a it's not. It's not a destination that you ever get to, but it's a constant battle of making it not about me and more about him and hearing your story. Just it's so thrilling and so inspirational to hear you tell your story that way and I think it's's a battle not just the four of us, but every man and woman alive today. That battle of making it not about you and more about him will be. I just want to commend you for the choices that you've made, for what you've been through and the choices that you've made.
Speaker 1:That's it. That's the problem I have to tell people is that it's not about you. I know that you've built a world around yourself that makes it feel like it is about you, but it's not, and that separation between who we are and who God is. All knowledge could be summed up in that right there who God is and who we are. And it's not like you know.
Speaker 1:When you take a diamond and in order to really see what that diamond is made of, you put it on that little black felt and you put a microscope on it and you just see the intricacy of the diamond itself. It just blows you away. So that, knowing the diamond, it helps to put it on that black felt to know the diamonds. You can see everything. And sometimes, when we think about knowing God and knowing ourselves, we think about here's two diamonds, God and us. And God's the big diamond, real intricate, and we're the little diamond. In fact, we're not the diamond, we are the black felt. So you put God on that black felt and it's the knowledge of us. In comparison to him, we just highlight him, we just show that we are really nothing but black felt. And the more we think about things like that, meditate on things like that, the more we could release what you're talking about and say you know what it's not about me.
Speaker 1:It's not.
Speaker 2:That's incredible. It's an incredible message. And listen, we know you're a busy guy. We can't thank you enough for being here. We're so thankful for you From all of us. We love you, brother. God bless you. I don't know many words to describe that, but powerful is first thing that comes to my mind. And just how good of a human being is granger smith.
Speaker 6:Oh gosh I mean, I could sit there and talk to him for another hour if we didn't have his producer saying that he was ready to cut it off I was ready to talk more football with him too. I know it was amazing. I was gonna. The one thing I wanted to ask him about uh or talk. He had uh in 2020. He got a cmt award and I think it was for like the best quarantine song so I've.
Speaker 6:I've read that too, as I was it's called don't cough on me right, and so I watched the whole video. That's the first thing I looked up and it's the first one I watched and it's and it's about toilet paper and hand sanitizer like the whole thing. So it really the hand sanitizer caught me yeah, of course.
Speaker 6:Of course, sucked you right in but it reminded me of like in the, you know, when you had the pandemic and everything. Uh, the first thing to go, or one of the first things, was toilet paper, not food. But you don't need toilet paper if you can't get food. It's's just funny that that went first.
Speaker 5:The first thing. That was hard to get. It's weird, I know, and you got to have food before you need the toilet paper. I agree, we're right in line. Usually we're right in line.
Speaker 6:That's the order of things right, yeah, wow, I mean, it's just basic. You know body mechanics.
Speaker 4:But back to Gr. It is. It is an um, inspiring though to. I don't know if inspiring is the right word, but I often wonder okay, if that, if that happened to me, then how would I deal with that or get through that?
Speaker 6:and that's, and we say that you're talking about the loss of his son.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, yeah and you know, neil, you kind of alluded to it because you do have you instinctually have selfish thoughts of like how would I do this or how would I get over it, how would I, how am I going to get through this? Yeah, how would I deal with it? Fair question too. It is a fair question and, and you know, you hear him talk about it and through christ and through that, you know he, he is able to surrender those feelings. But that still seems really hard, like. I know that, I've heard that, but applying that seems like a monumental task Right.
Speaker 4:It is one thing to say that and actually to see that play out. I'm not sure how that would go. Hopefully none of us ever feel that I've kind of lost the words with that it was interesting.
Speaker 6:Each time that one of us would applaud him for how he handled it, he turned it to God, every time with a smile. He wasn't trying to make anybody feel bad. It was like, guys, it wasn't me. I keep saying it, it wasn't me, it was God he did put me on the spot.
Speaker 2:He really did. We're like get him Granger, I can it. You know it wasn't me, it was god. You know he did put me on the spot. He did, oh my gosh, and we're like, we're like get him granger, I know, I can feel the feel it in the room. No, I mean, and it was. It was actually a great question and a fair question, uh. But yeah, I was like a little taken back, like oh my god, how do I answer this?
Speaker 6:well, I wanted what I wanted to ask him sorry but before I forget because I almost forgot it here too is okay.
Speaker 4:It it's one thing you know to keep yourself strong through God, and but I want to ask him to like his wife, because you can't necessarily control how how she gets through it. I know she's following this in the same path, but still, when she has a weak, weak moments and she overtakes her, you know you have to take care of her as well, and and that that's a great point and you do feel the responsibility just and, like Neil said, as a man like that's, that's your job, right.
Speaker 5:Right but you still, but you still you know, and people will take offense to that.
Speaker 6:Well and too, oh and two, but how many times have you read, or maybe know of a couple there's a high percentage of couples that go through something like that that will divorce Right One. They're just too depressed to handle it, or they blame it on the other one. You know what I?
Speaker 4:mean or it's just too much, or it's just too much.
Speaker 6:It's easier to handle on your own, but the fact that they're together and thriving as a godly couple is a miracle in itself.
Speaker 2:I think it is and that's kind of why, you know, I was like I don't know if I chose the right word, but like unworthy it's because, like I don't man, that's him, I don't know how you did that.
Speaker 4:That's incredible and like I'm not sure when he made it clear to me when I said the same thing like he, he, he didn't just walk through it, you know, he had the point where he hit rock bottom, which is an amazing story. You know, I know people that hit rock bottom and didn't come back out of it. So something in him.
Speaker 5:That's where Satan wants you.
Speaker 4:You know he wants you to hit rock bottom.
Speaker 5:He doesn't want you to make the right decision.
Speaker 6:He wants you to pull the trigger.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know, like, I don't know how deep he just got into it, but totally brought up the podcast with, uh, brad warren, um, and I encourage everybody to watch that um, it goes through his story quite a bit. And just listen to granger's podcast as well, in his ministry it's will be inspired. Yeah, absolutely, yep, 100%. We really appreciate you guys being with us. Like I said, go check out Granger's stuff. It's really good and we feel good about promoting that. And, of course, if you're watching us, subscribe right like Download, follow us on the socials, download all that stuff. This is, uh, try that in small town podcast. We got what am I going to call you today?
Speaker 6:thrash money nice neil nice neil, nice neil, okay, okay nice like it wait till the next one klo and tk.
Speaker 2:I'm kurt. We appreciate you guys watching.
Speaker 4:Nice Neil.
Speaker 3:Make sure to follow along. Subscribe, share, rate the show no-transcript.