Granger Smith: 5 things to know about the country music star who gave up his career for the church

blacksmith farmer, 43, retires from country music to devote himself to serving his local church. Granger made the announcement via a heartfelt Instagram video that he shared on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. “I was really nervous about doing this video just because of the implications of what it means to my wife and family,” he noted. before revealing. that his next tour at River will be his last. The tour, which kicks off April 13, is named after their 3-year-old son. Riverdrowned at his Texas home in June 2019.

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“I have a strong desire to enter the ministry,” the “19 Forever” hitmaker continued in his video. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to start a church or a crusade or a revival. This means that my family and I will serve in our local church. We will pour into that church as members and my pastors and leaders will pour into me.” She also revealed that she is working towards a master’s degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“I’m so relieved and hopeful and excited and overjoyed for the next chapter, but for the most part I have no idea what it’s going to be like,” Granger wrote in her caption. “I just want to glorify God to the best of my ability. I want to learn, grow and serve my local church and empower my pastors to equip and affirm next steps. God willing, I want to be used to help people find their purpose.” She also announced his book of hers, like a riverwhich explores his life after the death of his son.

Read on to learn about Granger before his retirement from country music.

1. Granger’s most famous song is “Backroad Song”

The hit reached number 4 on the chart boardBillboard Country Digital Songs Chart. “I’ve never had a top 10 single on the iTunes chart before; this is the first time,” said Granger. board in 2015. “He just showed up and started climbing the charts. I started thinking, ‘Wow. We have something here.’”

“It’s a testament to how loyal our fans are, and they’ve always been great at telling their friends about us and spreading the word,” he continued. “They talk about it a lot. When someone says, “I just heard the new Granger Smith single, and it’s the song of the summer,” that’s golden to me. I will never convince their friends who don’t know me better than they do. This is the story of how it happened and how strong the grassroots approach is.”

Granger landed “Backroad Song” and four other songs on the Country Airplay chart: “If The Boot Fits”, “Happens Like That”, “You’re In It” and “That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads”.

2. Granger signed with EMI Music Publishing when she was 19 years old.

The country singer was a freshman at Texas A&M when he recorded his debut album in 1998. Waiting forever. His work caught the attention of EMI Music Publishing and a few years later they signed a “writing and publishing deal” with him, for All music. Granger eventually moved back to Texas to finish her degree, but she continued to perform at local bars as she released new music. Her first major record deal came in 2015, and then came the 2016 album. remington.

3. The death of Granger’s son changed his relationship with God

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Granger always identified as a Christian, but his religion became more important to him as he recovered from the loss of his son. “Reading the Bible, I found things with a new heart and open eyes. During my recovery I was reading things like Mark 8:36 where Jesus said, ‘If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Because whoever wants to save his life will lose it. but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” He then goes on to say, ‘What is the use of a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul of him?’” Granger explained to PEOPLE in April 2023.

“I was sitting there looking at this through my interrupted healing, and this was during COVID, and I wasn’t touring, and I was reading like, ‘What part of country music am I modeling this for other people? Because all I’m doing, as far as I can see, and I’m not talking to any other artist, is glorifying myself,’” he continued. I realized that now there is a turning point, a new direction for my life”.

4. Granger is a family man

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Granger and his wife Amberthey have been married since 2010. In addition to their late son, River, they have three children together: boys lincoln AND independentand daughter, London. Lincoln was 7 and London 9 when their parents welcomed their fourth child into the family in 2021. Maverick’s birth marked a new chapter for the Smith clan.

“We really needed a fresh start,” the former country star explained PEOPLE in March 2021. “We didn’t need to forget anything, we just needed a new change of pace where we really put new roots in new ground with new neighbors, a new grocery store and a new way of working. . And to get us out of a rut that’s easy to fall into, especially after a tragedy, where you start driving down the same road and you start having the same thoughts and you get sucked down the same road.”

5. Granger is an actor and author

Granger has ventured into other creative outlets besides writing and recording music. In 2022, Granger starred in his first film called Lunar dawn. The film follows a widower’s journey back to his daughter, career and happiness after forming a strong bond with a horse.

Also, in August 2023, he will release his first book as mentioned above. “There are things here that are extremely vulnerable. It’s very personal,” she revealed to PEOPLE before its release. “But the overwhelming feeling was that if my story could help other people, then it would be worth it, then it would matter.”

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