From Country Music to Ministry: Granger Smith Shares the Faith Journey That Set Him on a Path Beyond Music

Country singer Granger Smith started out young, playing in Texas venues at the fresh age of 14. But after nearly three decades in the music industry, Mr. Smith announced last year that he would take a break from making music to focus on his faith, deciding to become a minister and serve his local church.
His career was filled with ups and downs. “In 2005, I put out an album called ‘Livin’ Like a Lonestar,’ but no one bought it. I thought nobody cared. I spent all my money to record that album, so I thought I was done. But then, one of the songs called ‘We Bleed Maroon’ went viral, and sales soared on the single.” Mr. Smith stayed the course and even dabbled in comedy by recording comedic sketches under an alter ego he developed, Earl Dibbles Jr.
But in 2019, personal tragedy struck. His 3-year-old son River accidentally drowned in the family pool, and Mr. Smith went through a soul-searching journey to process the grief. His wife, Amber Smith, recounted, “It was by the grace of God that got us through each day because we realized we all grieve differently. Our daughter was very emotional, while our son didn’t cry for a year after the accident. You do your best to lift each other up when one is having a hard day or you understand when to give the other person their space,” she said.
Mr. Smith spoke about his future plans and his wish to spread hope to others going through grief.