1 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: Hey, it's Granger Smith. This is the Granger Smith Podcast, 2 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: Episode nine. I had to learn a lot of things 3 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: in the music business the hard way, through a lot 4 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: of miles, a lot of years, a lot of failure, 5 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: and in this episode, I want to talk about a 6 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: fundamental time when everything changed for me. I saw things 7 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: differently for the first time. Twenty eighteen's here. The tour 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 1: is going awesome. We're in Ohio today halfway through this day, 9 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: so I'm probably not going to finish the podcast until tomorrow. 10 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: In Pennsylvania, it's so awesome to go out on stage 11 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: and see ye Nation. And that's what we call our fans, 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: our people. They wear the Yee hats and shirts and 13 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: hold flags and signs. They're so passionate about the music, 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: and that is what keeps me going. That's what fuels me, 15 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: the fans. That's where it starts to me, and that's 16 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: where it's going to end. One day, when I don't 17 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 1: have any fans left, that's when I'll have to quit. 18 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,639 Speaker 1: But I didn't always think that way. It wasn't always 19 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: about the fans. It was about, at one point climbing 20 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: the ladder of music and making making songs and hopefully 21 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:27,279 Speaker 1: getting a record deal. But amazingly enough, you don't realize 22 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: until later that it's the fans that provide all of 23 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: that for you. And I learned it the hard way, 24 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: and I'll tell you all about that. So once again, 25 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: I'm in the back of my bus wild Flower, and 26 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 1: it is cold, really cold in Ohio today. I'm looking 27 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: out the window and there's about six inches of snow 28 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: covering the parking lot of this empty venue, and that 29 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: seems to be to be chasing us around. The cold 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: weather is oh I mean, we are playing the Northeast 31 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: and the Upper Midwest, and so you would expect this 32 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: time of year it's going to be really really cold. 33 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: You know. I asked you guys on the last few 34 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: podcasts if you needed a question answered, then it would 35 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: be easy. Asked the question on social media and then 36 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: hashtag Granger Smith podcast and we'll keep on doing that. 37 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: And I'm pulling them up right now, and I have 38 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: a question from Matthew Porter. It says, why did you 39 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: choose to rap the song B twenty four? I know 40 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: your grandpa flew them, but would love to know why 41 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: you made it into a rap song. Hey, it's a 42 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: great question. Oh yeah, I got my clap down. I 43 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: let it give right stuff, Granger Smith coming to your 44 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: team thousand, I got my trigger cop and you won't 45 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: lock me up. Round propellent, gold, boom and booming round round. 46 00:02:50,160 --> 00:03:03,239 Speaker 1: That's how we fellow in the sky. And I'm sick 47 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: and tired of contempt of every means of travel, every day, 48 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: same game, with the same battle, bumpa bumpa traffic jam 49 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,959 Speaker 1: on the inter state. Back in forty one, they did 50 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: it roll that way. I'm going back like that to 51 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: the way they were when all the ladies look flying 52 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: the min first you think of cadillacsy the only way 53 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: to ride. If you want to find me, be looking 54 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: in the sky and be twenty four running and be 55 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: twenty I'm never gonna uss going more because now I'm 56 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: flying in a B twenty four. So there's a lot 57 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: of people that are probably wondering what the heck is 58 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: going on. And that was a release by me in 59 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: twenty ten, and there's a reason. It's not because I 60 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: was trying to do a side project and try to 61 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: be a famous rapper, especially with how terrible I am 62 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: at rapping. Let me start at the beginning. My grandfather, 63 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: as I've talked about a bunch, was a a B 64 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: twenty four bomber pilot in World War Two in nineteen 65 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: forty four. I found out a lot about this later 66 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: in life because he never talked about it. But it 67 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: wasn't until after he passed away that I read his 68 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: flight diary and my dad put a lot of his 69 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: stories together, and I was just I just could not 70 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: believe what he went through as a twenty four year 71 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: old young man in those skies in Western Europe. I 72 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: actually wrote a song about just that. It's called five 73 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: More Minutes. I get a call after I wrote the 74 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: song five more Minutes, I get a call from this 75 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: organization that actually had the last existing, still functioning B 76 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: twenty four aircraft, and they wanted me to be able 77 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: to go up and fly in it. Now that's I 78 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: looked at that as an amazing opportunity, not only for 79 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 1: me to experience that feeling in those sounds that my 80 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: grandfather must have known so well, but so that other 81 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: people could learn about the B twenty four as well. 82 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: So I remember it very clear. One day I was 83 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: outside and I was mowing the grass, and at the time, 84 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: in twenty ten Lonely Island from Saturday Night Live was 85 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: very popular, and they had a song out called I'm 86 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: on a Boat? Does anybody remember that? And that's when 87 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: it hit me that I could either go in and 88 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: make this little video about me touring of B twenty 89 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: four and talking about how majestic the plane is, and 90 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: that video would get a few views. Or I could 91 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: try to make a splash and I could try to 92 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: make a song like I'm on a Boat and call 93 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: it B twenty four and write a rap song and 94 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: make this ridiculous music video from a country singer, and 95 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: hopefully that would get a lot of views and would 96 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: get a lot of eyes on the B twenty four. 97 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: And we had a great time making it. The song 98 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: was easy to write. I did it right there as 99 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: I was mowing the grass. And you know what the 100 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: plan worked, because here I am eight years later talking 101 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: about it on a podcast, because you guys are wondering, Hey, 102 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: what's up with that B twenty four songs? Last podcast, 103 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: I left off with a story I was telling you 104 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: about me putting out my very first album that I 105 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: recorded completely in my own house in College Station, Texas. 106 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: It was called Living Like a Lone star and I 107 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: was very, very proud of this album. As you can imagine, 108 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: I started from the ground up and I built everything, 109 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: wrote all the songs, built, you know, everything from the 110 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 1: kick drum to every guitar was right there with my 111 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: hands on it. And so this was a piece of 112 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: me that I really wanted to do good, and it 113 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: really didn't. I think the album was centered around the 114 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: song Colorblind. It was one of the first songs I 115 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: wrote for it, and to this day, I think my 116 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: favorite song I've ever written. And just hearing this now, 117 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: it just kind of takes me straight back to where 118 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: I was in my life in college station. I want 119 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: to be color blind, and I would never think about 120 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: your soft green eyes, Sweetland. Here would never cross my mind. 121 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: There'd be no a black gown you slip into at night. 122 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: Maybe I'd forget about your own brownskin, stop dreaming about 123 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: the taste to sounding I wouldn't be heard now and 124 00:07:54,280 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: listen you, I wouldn't know a single thing about It. 125 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: Wasn't just that I worked hard on these songs in 126 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: this album. It was that I poured my heart into it. 127 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: I was telling stories that were mine, that were real 128 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: emotions I was going through and when it was finished, 129 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: I felt like it was a snapshot of my life. 130 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,679 Speaker 1: And I don't know why. At the time, I thought 131 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: that just because I was doing that, people would hear it, 132 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 1: latch onto it, and come to the shows. But they didn't. 133 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: No one was coming to the show still, and I 134 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: even had what I thought was good music, and that 135 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: didn't matter. It's funny because now I'm sitting here, however, 136 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: many years later, at a sold out show in Ohio, 137 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 1: in between meet and greets, doing a podcast talking about 138 00:08:52,559 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: not having fans. It's been a long journey, and I 139 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: think I could pinpoint one specific time when it started 140 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: to change. Back on the bus after meet and greet, 141 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: and I brought a letter with me that I got 142 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: from a fan, and I get letters a lot. Then 143 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: I encourage them because I read every word. They mean 144 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: a lot to me. And I found this paragraph in 145 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: here in this letter that's very relevant to what I'm 146 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: trying to say here in this podcast. Then it says next, 147 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: I need to thank you for devoting so much time 148 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: and energy into connecting with your fans. I've been a 149 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: country music fan, going to twelve concerts a year since 150 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: I was a twelve year old girl. No one has 151 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: ever appreciated their fans the way that you do. And 152 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: you know what, that is the compliment that I want. 153 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: That's what I'm looking for. If I could stand out 154 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: in any way. I want to be the guy that 155 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: appreciates the fans more than anyone else. And I do 156 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: that because of these days, these early days when I 157 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: was making me music in every fan mattered, one at 158 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: a time. I want you to remember a name, because 159 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: this is the guy that first got me on the 160 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: path of thinking this way. His name is Benjamin Knox. 161 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 1: He's an artist, a local artist in college days in Texas, 162 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: and he's a kind of a local legend. He draws 163 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 1: pictures for Texas A and M and he's very good 164 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,719 Speaker 1: at it. And he liked my music. So he was 165 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: a fan, and he would be one of the few 166 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: fans that would come and watch me play. And after 167 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: one show he said, hey, man, could I buy you 168 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: a beer? I want to talk to you a little 169 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: bit about what you got going on. And here I am, 170 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: this young kid, and I said sure, And what he 171 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: told me led me down a path that I'll never forget. 172 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: This podcast is brought to you by the brand New 173 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: album when the good guys win. I hope you guys 174 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: hear it and let me know what you think. Let 175 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: me know your favorite songs. That's really important. It helps 176 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 1: me build a set list and know what you guys 177 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: are really digging. It's also brought to you by eeee Energy, 178 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: my energy drink that me and my others created, and 179 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: I love this drink with you. In fact, it's almost 180 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: showtime here and I'm about to crack one myself. And lastly, 181 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: there's EEE Apparel, the badge of VEE Nation. Very soon, 182 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: we'll have a brand new line of tanks and t 183 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: shirts for the spring and summer. Go to grangersmith dot 184 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: com for all that stuff. I always feel like I 185 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 1: need to apologize for that low rumble of the Generator, 186 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: but I guess that's the best I could do with 187 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: a tour bus podcast. This is what Benjamin Knox told 188 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: me that night when he bought me a beer, and 189 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: I tell this same story over and over to opening 190 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: bands that we tour with. So if you're an aspiring 191 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: singer songwriter, are you no one that you'd like to 192 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,199 Speaker 1: share this message with? I think it's really important advice 193 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: to hear now. Benjamin has a very successful business in 194 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: College Station, Texas. He's a very talented painter. But he 195 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: told me that he donates a huge portion of his 196 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: proceeds to charities back into the community, the community that 197 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: provides the career for him, the community that supports him 198 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: and allows him to live out his dream as an artist. Now, 199 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: he told me, not only was that important to give 200 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: back to the community financially, but it was also important 201 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: to him creatively. It was good for his soul, good 202 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: for his heart to know that he was helping out 203 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: the very people that are helping him. Now. It's easier 204 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 1: said than done. It has to come from the right 205 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: place right. It can't be manufactured. It has to be real, genuine, 206 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: And it's not a new concept. I mean, Saint Francis said, 207 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: for it is in giving that we receive. But what 208 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: if you were like me and you didn't have any money, 209 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: what can you possibly give? So I said, well, what 210 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: does a guy like me do. I'm a starving artist myself, 211 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: I have nothing. And he said, you have your music. 212 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: That is your gift. And before you make any money 213 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: in music, if you ever do, you have that that 214 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: is your gift. And I said, well, that's easy to say, 215 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: but how do I give it? No one goes to 216 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: my shows, and he said, it's all around you. You 217 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: got to open your eyes. And he's right, and to 218 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:07,559 Speaker 1: anyone listening now, I say, find your gift. Find your gift. 219 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: And sitting there with Benjamin, he said, you know I 220 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: got something for you. He said, I was having lunch 221 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 1: today and I was checking out and there was a 222 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: jar on the table and it said help Mendy walk. 223 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: And the story was there was a girl that was 224 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: in a car accident. She was paralyzed from the waist down, 225 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: and she was going through rehab so that she could 226 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,839 Speaker 1: walk across the stage to get her diplomat graduation. It's 227 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:31,839 Speaker 1: a great cause and that was a good place to start, 228 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: he said, Grater, you'll never believe how motivated this will 229 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: make you, how happy it'll make your soul to be 230 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: able to do stuff like this, and to keep your 231 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: eyes open because it's not just Mindy, it's all around us. 232 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 1: There's people that need our help, and all we have 233 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: to do is be aware of that. He said. If 234 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: you do that, if you give back, he said, I 235 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: promise you, it will come back to you and your 236 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: career tenfold, and I believe Tom. Here's a front floor 237 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: swing at Jemima's house, and a little stream up in 238 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: the mountains, a shot gun seed and an ocean breeze. 239 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: There's the fairest wheel, just spending around a midnight moon, 240 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: I shining down, a red sunset and a cotton dress. 241 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: So here I am in Pennsylvania. We've arrived for the 242 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: show tonight. Last night was great in Ohio. If you 243 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: want to catch up with me, go to grangersmith dot 244 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: com Forward Slash Tour. We'll be at a place very 245 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: close to you soon, I promise. And if you want 246 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: to meet me up close and personal, we offer VIP packages. 247 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: We have gold and silver, and gold gets to go 248 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: on the bus and get some solid time with me 249 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: hang out. If you just want to meet me and 250 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: take a picture, we have that option too. I love 251 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: being able to meet you guys, and so those are 252 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: really important parts of my day. Back to the story, 253 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: Benjaminnox's words really resonated with me, And actually I went 254 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: to that place that he had lunch and I looked 255 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: up Mendy and I called them and asked if I 256 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: could donate a concert, a benefit concert to help Mendy 257 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: walk and I never heard back. But that wasn't the point. 258 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: It wasn't about that. It was about me learning, me 259 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 1: learning how to be a public figure, because a person 260 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: that survives on the community needs to give to the 261 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: community and think about community and genuinely care about their community. 262 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: That's the price of the dream. It's easy to me, 263 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: it's an easy concept. My mind changed from how do 264 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: I get people to listen to this new album too? 265 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: How do I get people to care enough to listen 266 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: to this new album? And those were two very different things, 267 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: and it wasn't eat. But as I started giving more, 268 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: as I started becoming more aware of people around me, 269 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: things started changing slowly, very slowly, but they started changing 270 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: until something really big happened. At least for where I 271 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: was at the time. It was the biggest thing that 272 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: had ever happened to me in music period. And it 273 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: was such a simple idea. Some of you listening to 274 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: this might know the song we Bleed Maroon, some of 275 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: you might not. But the truth is, in two thousand 276 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: and seven, if you were a fan of me at all, 277 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: it was because of we Bleed Maroon. It all started 278 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: late one night, driving home from a show in Arkansas, 279 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: and no one came to this show like usual. And 280 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: as I was driving through the rain middle of the night, 281 00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: band to sleep, and I was thinking, I go out 282 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: on the weekends and I play concerts, and I leave 283 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 1: all the people that know the most about me. It's 284 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: a small pocket of them, but I leave them to 285 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: go out and try to win fans in other places. 286 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: I'm forgetting about my own community. So I got to 287 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: work and I wrote them a song. It's upon a penny. 288 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: Old sully En wished me some luck in your farmer's fight. 289 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: Were a boys or battle? Oh you're arm drown each 290 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: other seeing how blocause that's what we do when we leave. 291 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: This is how it all went down. I got home, 292 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: I wrote the song. I recorded it, very simple, me 293 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:50,520 Speaker 1: and a guitar. I emailed it to a few people 294 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: at the university and said, hey, here's this song. I 295 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: wrote it. I know you don't know who I am, 296 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 1: but maybe you could use it for something, a charity 297 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: or some kind of fundraiser. And I didn't hear back 298 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: from it, and that didn't surprise me until the next day. 299 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm driving down the road and I hear it on 300 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 1: the radio. That version. I freaked out, pulled a U turn, 301 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:14,719 Speaker 1: went straight to the radio station and walked in there 302 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 1: and said, hey, guys, please please that song you just played, 303 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: don't play it anymore. They looked at me like I 304 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: was crazy, and I said no, I'm going to go 305 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: record that with my band. So I went home, called 306 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: the band, They met me, and one day we had 307 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: the full version recorded and I sent it back to 308 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: the radio stations and the song went crazy. I'd never 309 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: seen anything like that. I'd never experienced a quote hit. 310 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: Now it was small time. Nonetheless, I'd never experienced anything 311 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 1: like that, and everything changed. My shows went through the roof. 312 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: People were singing along and all because I was focusing 313 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: on them. I was playing music to them specifically, and 314 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: it wasn't just that song. The other song started picking up. 315 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: Traction two I Living like a lone star album favorite song, 316 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: color Blind, that I had written, all of a sudden 317 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: kind of started becoming popular. And after I donated the 318 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: song to the university and gave them all the proceeds, 319 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: my shows increased. And so, just like Benjamin X told me, 320 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: everything came back to me tenfold. I was able to 321 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: pay off all my music debts. I was able to 322 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 1: take that next step in my career, and if I 323 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: hadn't been for that, I would have been in a 324 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: lot of trouble. We Bleed Maroon saved me. No fans 325 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 1: saved me. Somepon a penny. See how the hag sas line? 326 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: We do, Yeah, bastline, we do right here after Dixie 327 00:19:51,520 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: Chicken too, we Blabe Kyla season has made history with 328 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: me and forever, and it's true. I'm forever grateful for 329 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: that town. It gave me a dream, and I still 330 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 1: had a lot more dream left. I still have a 331 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,159 Speaker 1: lot more story after that, because I wasn't even close 332 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: to understanding the full potential of embracing the community, and 333 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,920 Speaker 1: I hadn't put on a combat boot yet. I hadn't 334 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 1: traveled to the other side of the world to truly 335 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: understand the healing power of music and to learn that 336 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 1: as a musician. It was my responsibility to share that. 337 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,840 Speaker 1: But I would very soon, and I'll tell you that 338 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: story very soon. Meanwhile, it's been a long tour. I'm 339 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: going to play this show in Pennsylvania and head back home. 340 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: I've got an anniversary date with my wife tomorrow night. 341 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 1: You know when we believe Maroon came out. I hadn't 342 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: even met Amberg yet, but I was close. It was 343 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: actually music that brought us together. It was actually a 344 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: song called Don't Listen to the Radio, and that too, 345 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: in more ways than one, changed everything. I found my gift, 346 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: what's yours? It happens side that. Out of the blood 347 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: scat lost in her food last year. When it happens 348 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: like that, nothing to Lowes turns right into you, Judy. 349 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: All you can do just to keep her around till 350 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: the moon goes down in her back into your house, 351 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 1: one thing leaks to another. You love each other when 352 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: looking you never loved back. It happens like that. Thank 353 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: you for listening to this podcast. Come find us on 354 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 1: tour Grangersmith dot com Forward Slash Tour. We'll see y'all 355 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 1: down the road.