1 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: Hey, what's up. It's Granger Smith. This is the Granger 2 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: Smith Podcast. Episode two. This is a fun one. This 3 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: is going to be the story of how I started music, 4 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: how I ended up on this crazy path. So here 5 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: we go, Episode two. Well, this has been a day already. 6 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: It's only noon and I'm supposed to be sitting in 7 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: Nebraska side stage at a county fair, going through a 8 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: normal show routine. But I'm not actually not even close 9 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: to that. We never made it. We broke down early 10 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: this morning. We had a fire in the trailer. Don't 11 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: get scared. It happens sometimes. Well let's talk about that. 12 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: Maybe you didn't know, maybe you want to hear we 13 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: actually do break down. You see, we're trying to travel 14 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: with two buses, two trailers, thirteen people, one hundred thousand pounds, 15 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: and a lot of miles. So I guess it's a 16 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: miracle that we make it as many times as we do. Honestly, So, 17 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: why did I get into this? Why did I start 18 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: such an unpredictable life, something that's not normal, something so 19 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: far from the nine to five, something with so much uncertainty. 20 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: I'll tell you this is episode two. Close your eyes, 21 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: you're dreaming green fields, blue sky, white clouds, summer breeze. 22 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: Then suddenly you're falling. You know the dream I'm talking about. 23 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: You're going down, down in darkness. Then you're in a sewer, 24 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: a dark dungeon of a sewer with water, slimy water. 25 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: It's coming up your legs, it's getting higher above your waist, 26 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: now coming up to your chest, and you've got to 27 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: find a way out. You can't breathe. You're looking for 28 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: a way out, and you see a tiny bead of light, 29 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 1: so you got to make it to it. And there's 30 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: a ladder. You're grasping onto the ladder as the water's 31 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: coming up to your chin. You take one more breath 32 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: before it crosses your nose, and this is it. You 33 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: got to make it to this hatch or you're gonna die. 34 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: Wake up. It was just a dream. So we call 35 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: that a bunk tear. It's because we sleep in basically 36 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: a coffin. It's about six and a half feet long 37 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: at about two and a half feet high two and 38 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: a half feet wide, with a curtain. It gets black 39 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: as the night and these things, and you're pretty much 40 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: shut off from the world. So imagine laying in there, 41 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: you're trying to sleep, You're bouncing up and down to 42 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: the rhythm of the road, and you're half asleep, You're 43 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: kind of half in that dream world. And the driver 44 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: slams on the brakes and you hit a rumble strip, 45 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: and then your last thought is is this? It is 46 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: this the time the bus is about to wrap around 47 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: a tree or an overpass, and this is the way 48 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to go. I mean, it's terrifying and helpless. 49 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: And this is why I put so much trust in 50 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: my driver, because eventually you have to just let it 51 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: go and say I trust him, and I do. I 52 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: trust Bullshipley driving this ship, And how could you have 53 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: it any other way? I think my worst fear is 54 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 1: probably fire, though I sleep in the back towards the engine, 55 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: and if we have an engine fire, or if a 56 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: wheel catches on fire because of the brakes, which happens 57 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: a lot, then that sucker is burning up and I 58 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: pretty much have no choice than to open the window 59 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: and jump out for dear life. Sounds like fine, doesn't it. Man? 60 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: What a good night's sleep. You get used to it 61 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: over the years. I guess you never really sleep well, though, 62 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: So that brings me to last night early this morning, 63 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: when this exact scenario actually happened. Let's talk to bull 64 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: my bus driver and get his take on it. I 65 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: stopped at the truck stop, fueled up, got water for 66 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: the bus, did my normal walk around, checked everything, and 67 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: then got about fifteen miles up the street full speed 68 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: on the highway and noticed sparks and a fire coming 69 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: out from the front of the trailer. So I pulled 70 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: off the side of the road, grabbed my fire extinguisher, 71 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: ran in there, put out the fire, and realized we 72 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: just tore up a bearing and we're about ten seconds 73 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: away from losing the wheel. It was like six in 74 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: the morning, so I had very little luck. We got 75 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 1: about five miles limping it before the back tire almost 76 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: caught on fire. You never know when something's gonna go wrong, 77 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: because I had just checked the tire and everything was fine, 78 00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: and it can go with no warning. This is bullshit, 79 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: My very ocd and very aware bus driver in a 80 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: good way, and sorry about that road noise. I was 81 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: actually recording him on my phone as we were driving. 82 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: I can't help that, and sorry about the backwoods Michigan accent. 83 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: He can't help that. How often do you think we 84 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: break down. I would say we probably break down on 85 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: an average of once every three months or so. Something 86 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: usually minor happens and we can get it fixed and 87 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: keep going. And we did keep going. We're able to 88 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: find some awesome guys at this place called John Pitzer 89 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: Sales and Glenwood, Iowa. They hooked us up, fixed the trailer, 90 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: and got us on the road to meet the rest 91 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: of the band and play the show in Nebraska. You 92 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 1: up three hours, six minutes, one hundred and sixty eight 93 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: miles ten for on the road again. Just can't wait 94 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: to get all on the road again. Why I love 95 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: is making music with my friend Rod again? On the 96 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: road again? So why do we do it? Why? Why 97 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: don't we hit the road again? What's up with this 98 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: beautiful mess that we live in? Why do we stay 99 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: away from our families for so long and months at 100 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: a time on the road and uh, chasing a ghost? 101 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: Sometimes you know it's it's so rewarding, but it's so 102 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: lonely at the same time. And what fuels that? What 103 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 1: was the beginning? What was the very beginning? I know 104 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: what it was? All my friends, I should leave you alone. 105 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 1: You've got a hard luck Crystal. That damn guitar. That 106 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: damn guitar, That's what it was. That's what I blame. 107 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: I say blame. My life is a huge blessing, but 108 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: it would be very different without that damn guitar. It 109 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 1: was a Yamaha classical nylon stream. It was in my closet, 110 00:06:57,760 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: basically in storage in the house I grew up in, 111 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: and it was there because my grandmother actually gave up 112 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: on it. She had it, she bought it, I think 113 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: she wanted to play it at church, and she bought 114 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: a book with it that had little dots on a 115 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: front board that showed you where to put your fingers 116 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: to make chords. And that book was underneath the guitar 117 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: in a case. And I don't know why or the 118 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: exact moment, the exact day, but I remember there wasn't 119 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: much deciding. It was this feeling of all of a sudden, 120 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: I got to learn this guitar. I was fourteen years old, 121 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: and so I pulled it out, and you got to understand, 122 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: nobody in my family plays an instrument, and so this 123 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: is me cold turkey guinea pig. And it was a 124 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: challenge because my parents were like, what are you doing, 125 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: and I'm going to learn to play the guitar and 126 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: I'm going to show you, and I'm gonna have a 127 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: song very soon to prove that to you. And that 128 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: was my personal challenge. Did girls have something to do 129 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: with this? Yes? I had this vision of sitting around 130 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: a campfire five years down the road, and I'm the 131 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: guy with the guitar and everyone's listening to me play 132 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: these beautiful chords, and oh, I had no idea what 133 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: playing the guitar would soon mean to me. I learned 134 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: as many chords as I could not well, but I 135 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: learned to strum and learned to play, and any song 136 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: I would like and hear on the radio, I would 137 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: emulate it and try to play that song. So I 138 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: never really learned probably the right way, because I just 139 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: learned by hearing a song and identifying what that chord 140 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: was and then me figuring out how to play it, 141 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: and developed probably some bad habits that way, but they're 142 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: my habits. It was my way, so I'm fine with that. 143 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: There was so much more to this than just me 144 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: sitting in my room with a guitar in my lap 145 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: learning songs. I just didn't know it yet. I wasn't 146 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: even singing at all. I was fifteen years old and 147 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: that was about the change. What a crazy line that's 148 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: flying by. We only survive to get done. We all 149 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: live and die on bor road time, on a rock. 150 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: We ride around the sun. So we arrived in Nebraska 151 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: and my production manager, Blake, meets me at the bus 152 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: store and he says, with this really worried look on 153 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: his face. He goes, Dude, they don't have any three 154 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: phase power. It's only crazy Leg. I'm no electrician, but 155 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: crazy Leg. Don't we want that? That sounds more fun? 156 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: And I know, I know, all I ever want is 157 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: to go slop, But I'm running fast paces acting like 158 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: I gotta go and win and range just open the 159 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: gates here at the Antelope County Fair, and I got 160 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: the perfect view. I get to watch people coming in. 161 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: They're holding their lawn chairs and coolers and homemade posters. 162 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 1: You've got all ages. I mean, you've got the grandma's, 163 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: the grandfather, you got the kids, the high school kids 164 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: that are up. You're just ruling the bleachers right now, 165 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: staking out their seats. Some are hurrying, some are trying 166 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: to get to the front row, and some could care less. 167 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: That's what I love about these county fairs. It's just 168 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: all walks of life coming together for country music in 169 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: their community. That's so cool. And then meanwhile, I'm sitting 170 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: here on my bus Wildflower and our generator just died, 171 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: which happens way less than we blow a trailer tire, 172 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: for sure, But this is starting to tell me that 173 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: today is a little bit cursed. This computer for the 174 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: podcast is a laptop, so it runs on battery, so 175 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: I could keep doing this, but I have no lights 176 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:48,959 Speaker 1: and no air conditioner. Oh the glamorous tour life. It's 177 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: always an adventure, I'll put it that way. And you know, 178 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: it all started with my girlfriend at the time. She 179 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 1: was a year younger than me and her name was Annie, 180 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: super sweet girl. We dated for six months when I 181 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: was in ninth grade. But she is the reason I 182 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: started singing. And here's why I ran with this group 183 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: of friends and one of my buddies his name was Peter, 184 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: and he was a singing fool. He could sing the 185 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: phone book and make it sound good. Our school had 186 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: the show choir and he was like the lead guy, 187 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: and there was no doubt he was the most talented 188 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: kid in our junior high. So here we are one 189 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: night at this party and my girlfriend Annie was in 190 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: the other room with Peter's girlfriend, and I could hear 191 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 1: them talking through the wall. They didn't know I was listening, 192 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: but I heard Annie say, you know, I really like Granger, 193 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: but if he's sang like Peter, I would love him. 194 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: Oh man, I was fifteen years old. Those words were 195 00:11:54,320 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: crushing to me. Crushing. So I go home, pull out 196 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: that Yamaha acoustic guitar. I'm on a mission. I say, 197 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 1: all right, man, it's time to start finding my voice. 198 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: I can't just play guitar. I gotta start singing the 199 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: songs too. Easier said than done. I wasn't great when 200 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: I started. No, I wasn't good. In fact, one time 201 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: I was sitting with Peter and I said, I want 202 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: to sing something to you, and I sang this Alan 203 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: Jackson song and he said, brother, you suck. Yeah. I 204 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: still remember that exact moment he said, brother, you suck. 205 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: And I probably did, but it didn't stop me. I mean, 206 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: nothing could stop a fifteen year old boy from trying 207 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: to win over a girl. That's one of the strongest 208 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: forces of nature, right, So I doubled down. I gotta 209 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: take a minute to talk about my unofficial, official, unofficial sponsor, 210 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: yeeee Energy. Me and my two brothers, Tyler and Parker. 211 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: We made this and I think the reason is we 212 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 1: never could get any of the big energy drink companies 213 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: to reply back when we just wanted a few free 214 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: drinks before a show to get some energy. And when 215 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: they never replied, we thought, hey, we're gonna make our 216 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: own energy drink. And so the result was my favorite, 217 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: the best tasting drink that I've ever had. And I'm 218 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: a little biased because we picked the recipe. But if 219 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: there was ever a drink that represented who I was, 220 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: that tasted like the flavor of what our concerts sounded like, 221 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: it's ee Energy and I'm proud of that. If you 222 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: haven't tried it, go to EEE energy dot com, Grata 223 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: you some on Amazon. I think you're gonna like it. 224 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: Let me know what you think. Okay, plug over. So 225 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: the generator came back on for a little bit, and 226 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: now it just shut down again, so I'm in the 227 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: dark again. I think Blake just came on here and 228 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: he said he thinks it's because this fair is really 229 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: dusty and our air filter on the generator got clogged 230 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: with dust. And Bull, of course is sleeping because he 231 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: dealt with an all night and all day trailer fire. 232 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: So he's getting some well deserved rest because tomorrow we 233 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: need to head to Lincoln and then the next day 234 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: we go to South Dakota. It's a busy week, and 235 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: I'm not worried about the generator. I still have this, 236 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,479 Speaker 1: I still have my computer up, I still got a podcast, 237 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: and I still have a story to continue. So here 238 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: I am a love sick fifteen year old kid needing 239 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: to find a voice, needing to become a singer so 240 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: that he could impress a girl. I go to this 241 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: place called the Mesquite Opry in Mesquite, Texas. They had 242 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: local singers come in every Saturday night. You audition and 243 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: you get to play two songs. I went with a 244 00:14:58,160 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: group of friends and at the end of the night, 245 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: they said, okay, we're opening up the show to auditions 246 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: if anybody wants to get up here. And I was 247 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: thinking maybe I should, maybe I should, And a couple 248 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: of my friends kind of nudged me and they said, hey, 249 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: you play guitar, why don't you get up there and 250 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: try to sing? And I thought, in one of the 251 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: the bravest moments of my life at the time, I thought, okay, 252 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: here I go. So I stood up, you know, shimming 253 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: through the row and got to the aisle and walked 254 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: up to the stage, and a lot of the people stayed. 255 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: A lot of the crowd stayed because this was the 256 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: fun part. Now you get to see these idiots go 257 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,479 Speaker 1: up there and make a fool of themselves as they're auditioning. 258 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: So here I come. And there's this elderly lady and 259 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: she has an acoustic guitar and she says, hello, son, 260 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: what would you like to play? And I say Tequila 261 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: Sunrise by the Eagles. I gripped the mic, look out 262 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: and to the darkness of the crowd, blinded by the spotlights, 263 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: which is probably a good thing, and I started singing, 264 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: and I remember the words. That was a good thing, 265 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: and you know, it wasn't that bad. I got through 266 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: a verse and a chorus, and then we kind of ended, 267 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: and she said, okay, we'll give you a Saturday night 268 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: and that was it. I was off to the races, 269 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: get home and I tell Mom and Dad, so I've 270 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: auditioned at this opry and I made it, and I'm 271 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: singing on the whatever date and I'm gonna sing two songs, 272 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: and they're like, what you're gonna do? What? So I 273 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: already had the songs picked out, two George Strait songs 274 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: Amerila by morning and all my exes live in Texas. 275 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: The date comes around, I show up, I rehearse with 276 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: the band, and then showtime comes and I have to wait. 277 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: There's a list of singers, and so I'm standing backstage 278 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: and you could see, you know, there's about five singers 279 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: before me. Each has two songs. So I'm counting down, 280 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: heart racing as each singer finishes, the crowd applauds, and 281 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: then it's getting closer to me my turn. At this 282 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: part of the story, I kind of go black. I 283 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:16,199 Speaker 1: don't really remember. I just everything went fuzzy. I was 284 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: so nervous, but I loved it. And when I got 285 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: off stage. The part I do remember is that my 286 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: first thought when I got off is I gotta rebook. 287 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 1: I gotta do this again. I mean, it's an addicting 288 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: feeling going out there. The lights come on, the band 289 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: starts your song, people clap for you. It was something else. 290 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: Then I still feel that same feeling every night. It's addicting. 291 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: But that was the first time at the Mesquite Opera 292 00:17:45,880 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: in Mesquite, Texas. She did that for DJ Seed Bell 293 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: help getting a white tank blue white Smile Spin and 294 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 1: that Dill stops it on a love thing. So what 295 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: happened to Annie, you asked her? Was she impressed? Did 296 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: the big plan work? You know, I got so busy 297 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 1: with music that I didn't have time for a girlfriend anymore. 298 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: Isn't that the irony of life? But I need to 299 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: thank her for that. She helped me find my calling. MAGSMT, 300 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: thank the magsmut than this man not like so kiss. 301 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: She's got me licking that song. Keep turning them up. 302 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: You see, it's turning her wrong. There's still no luck 303 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:45,120 Speaker 1: on this generator thing. It's getting a little hot in here, 304 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: and I have sixty three percent battery left on this laptop. 305 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: So so far, so good. We can keep going. So 306 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: these next few years were really important for me. Fifteen sixteen, 307 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: seventeen years old. I was playing Texas high school football, 308 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: which took a lot of my time, and then on 309 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: the weekends I was going to these oprys and I 310 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: would go find new ones and I would audition, and 311 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: then I would go and I would drag my parents 312 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: and drag friends out there, and that just kind of 313 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: became my thing. This one place was called the Garland 314 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: Opry and it wasn't too far from where I lived 315 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: in North Texas. And the drummer of that band was 316 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: this young kid, this teenager. His name was Chris Lee. 317 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: And I met him and he was really charismatic and 318 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: a cool guy and a good drummer. And the funny 319 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: thing is is we ended up starting a friendship then 320 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 1: that we still have today. In fact, he's my tour manager. 321 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: So if you ever see me on tour and you 322 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: see my tour manager, that is Chris Lee. And we 323 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 1: met many years ago at the Garland Opry. He was 324 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 1: my drummer, all right, So take yourself to the back 325 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: to the Garland Opry. And the first time, I don't 326 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: know if you remember the first time you met me 327 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 1: or not, first time I laid out on Granger Smith. 328 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it too. I had no way of 329 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: knowing then that first time I met that guy that 330 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: would turn into years of endearing friendships. You're talking like 331 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 1: you're on a podcast and not like you're just my 332 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: buddy answered a question on a podcast, who who was 333 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: I when you first met me. You're a skinny, little 334 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: high school kid. I'm trying to sing George Strait songs. 335 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: That's the affair. I knew you were going to say. 336 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: It's funny looking back on those days. I was so young, 337 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: I was so green that I was learning, and I 338 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: was willing to learn whatever it took to be a singer, 339 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 1: an artist, a songwriter, which is another story for another podcast. 340 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: All right, you want to get really embarrassing. I have 341 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: some old recordings from those opry days. Here's one from 342 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,679 Speaker 1: the Great Vine Opry in the early days. Beary with me. 343 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: This has never been heard before. This super embarrassing. But 344 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, here's the young Granger Smith. You know what, 345 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 1: This is the first time since I was a ninth 346 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: grade in high school that I haven't worn my belt buckle. 347 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: And I came home and I said, Mom, Mom, I 348 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: don't have my belt buckle. I left it in college 349 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: station and she said, well, it doesn't matter. Your guitar 350 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: covers it anyway. I said, no, it's not. It's not 351 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 1: that it said I have to have it. So I 352 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: went back to her and rehearsed while I said, wait, 353 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 1: Waite Hawthorne, I said, can I please borrow a belt buckle? Please? 354 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 1: And so he gave me this one. So I really 355 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:31,479 Speaker 1: appreciate that way. First of all, what the hell am 356 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: I talking about? But there I am standing there, white 357 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: cowboy hat starts, jeans starts shirt, belt buckle just like 358 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,199 Speaker 1: George Strait, and I'm about to play one of his songs. 359 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: Nobody needs right. Mine would have left her. Now bear 360 00:21:43,800 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: with me, y'all. I was just a kid. I burn 361 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: with desire. Each time my hug fans a fire to 362 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:18,360 Speaker 1: that old flame. It burned inside of me. She cried 363 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 1: when I left her. Now I cried to forget her 364 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: own mound foodless I want to ever want to leave 365 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:40,880 Speaker 1: Nobody and is riding mind for the letter. I had 366 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: to to be crazy to say goodbye nobody, and you 367 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: ride mind for the letter. And even my host was 368 00:22:55,600 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: smart enough to stay. And if you're still listening, thank you. 369 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,119 Speaker 1: Sorry to put you through that, but it's part of 370 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: my story. You need to understand it. I still okay, 371 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: young grangeer, We'll turn you down a little bit here. 372 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: And that was me. That was my life. So would 373 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: you have taken me on a Saturday night? Would you 374 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 1: have let me pass your audition? And if you were 375 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: a fourteen year old Annie and you like singers, would 376 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 1: you date me? All right? Did you hear that generator 377 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: came on perr? And like a kitten? It must have 378 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: liked the old tapes. It must have been that those oprys, 379 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: those days, those teenage years of singing set me on 380 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,920 Speaker 1: a course. It led me straight to songwriting. And when 381 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: I was eighteen, I wrote my first song. Maybe I 382 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: had lived just enough to be able to have something 383 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: to write about. But you know what, I think that's 384 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 1: another podcast because songwriting is a big part of who 385 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,160 Speaker 1: I am. And there's well over a decade between now 386 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: and back then those early days, and I hadn't yet 387 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: set foot in the place of business that I would 388 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: find home for so many years after that. The Honky 389 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: Tong Bar for the good and the bad. That'll be 390 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: another story for another day. And what a day this 391 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: has been, starting with a fire in the trailer. But 392 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,479 Speaker 1: you know this is all worth it talking to you 393 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: guys on a podcast like this. Like I said in 394 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 1: episode one, what better way to connect to my fans 395 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: on a deep level than me sitting in a room 396 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,439 Speaker 1: by myself, in the back of my bus, pouring my 397 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 1: heart out on a podcast. Thank you for listening to 398 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,239 Speaker 1: Episode two. I finally got a generator running, I got 399 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: some air conditioner flowing, and I gotta go play a 400 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: show in Nebraska. See y'all next time. Happ inside that 401 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: out of the blue sky, last inner, last year, winning 402 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: half inside that nothing right into you, Judie, Oh you 403 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: can do just to keep her around. The moon got 404 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: out in your back, into your house. One thing with 405 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: you another you loving each other. When looking you never 406 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: look back. It happens like that. This podcast is brought 407 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: to you by eeee Energy. Come find us on tour 408 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: Grangersmith dot com, Forward Slash Tour, See you down the road.