WEBVTT - Signs From Above 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:05.080 What's up, guys. Welcome to the Grangersmith Podcast, Episode twenty nine. 0:00:05.920 --> 0:00:10.920 Thanks for listening, Thanks for watching on YouTube. I'm sitting 0:00:10.920 --> 0:00:14.080 here in the parking lot backseat of Wildflower my bus. 0:00:14.120 --> 0:00:17.560 We're in Wisconsin, huge festival coming. I could see people 0:00:17.600 --> 0:00:20.639 bringing their launcheers in. This is going to be crazy. 0:00:20.880 --> 0:00:24.040 It's only eleven am and there's already a massive front 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:27.159 row and we start at seven pm tonight. This is 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:31.280 going to be one of the biggest never mind, I forgot. 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:35.240 We're in the shutdown. I'm here at my house. No touring, 0:00:36.040 --> 0:00:39.360 no word about touring, no word when touring might even 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:42.240 come back. So, by the way, if you hear someone 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:44.720 talk about I hear concerts aren't going to come back 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:50.239 until whenever. Just remember, no one knows. Everything you hear 0:00:50.360 --> 0:00:53.120 is speculation right now, So if someone tells you they 0:00:53.200 --> 0:00:56.840 heard a rumor that concerts are not coming until X 0:00:56.880 --> 0:01:01.480 amount of time, that's just somebody guessing. That's maybe a promoter, 0:01:01.760 --> 0:01:06.000 or maybe a musician or somebody. They're all just guessing. 0:01:06.560 --> 0:01:10.160 We don't know. Now. My thought is I would like 0:01:10.240 --> 0:01:12.520 to think here I go. Now I'm doing exactly what 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:14.920 I just told you not to listen to I'm guessing 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:17.959 here that we're going to be touring sometime in June, 0:01:18.640 --> 0:01:21.400 and I would suspect that it's going to be somewhere 0:01:21.400 --> 0:01:24.200 in the Midwest, maybe one of the states that never 0:01:24.280 --> 0:01:30.080 closed down, which is like Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:34.959 I believe, Utah, or there's a bunch there's like eight 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:37.840 states that haven't closed. I'm guessing it's one of those 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:45.000 kind of states. Everyone six feet apart wearing masks, and 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:48.320 that I imagine that first show we go back me 0:01:48.480 --> 0:01:51.320 taking a picture from the stage and it looking like 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:56.600 the apocalypse. But the good news is any day now 0:01:56.600 --> 0:02:00.520 we're gonna have ye mask coming into the store, so 0:02:00.720 --> 0:02:03.200 at least will all be uniformed, and at least the 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:06.880 crowd will be wearing a yee, a black with white 0:02:06.960 --> 0:02:11.480 ye yee across the mask. What a time to be alive. 0:02:12.680 --> 0:02:14.480 Other than that, you know, I've kind of just come 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:20.280 to I've come to grips with the reality of where 0:02:20.320 --> 0:02:23.040 we are and what we're doing. I'm past the shock of, 0:02:24.160 --> 0:02:26.640 oh my god, we're not touring. When are we going 0:02:26.720 --> 0:02:28.760 to tour? Is it two weeks? Is it three weeks? 0:02:28.800 --> 0:02:31.160 Is it four weeks is it two months? I'm past 0:02:31.240 --> 0:02:36.040 all that. I'm more accepting that this is a time 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:38.800 to grow my faith. This is a time to grow 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:46.240 my YouTube channels. This is the time to build a 0:02:46.320 --> 0:02:50.240 relationship with the listeners and the viewers and provide some 0:02:50.360 --> 0:02:53.560 kind of value to you. It's also time to write songs. 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:56.040 It's also time to produce songs. I'm making a few 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:58.640 brand new songs right now, whether or not i'm writing 0:02:58.680 --> 0:03:01.200 them or I have some I've already written that are 0:03:01.760 --> 0:03:05.880 being produced by band members, and we're all doing it virtually, 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:10.320 which is what I've always done anyway. I've always saying 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:13.720 things here, I'll email the tracks, somebody will in their 0:03:13.720 --> 0:03:16.200 in their home studio, they'll put on the drums, they'll 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:18.560 email it to a bass player, you know. So I've 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:21.360 always done that. I've done that since two thousand and seven. 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:26.760 That's nothing new, Uh, But I just want to I 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:29.960 just want to say that, you know, and before I 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:34.160 move on. Spending time with family, that's been something I'm 0:03:34.200 --> 0:03:38.400 really trying to focus on and something that is rare 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:40.320 for me to be home every night. I've been reading 0:03:40.360 --> 0:03:43.800 stories to London every night. We've been reading right now 0:03:43.800 --> 0:03:47.200 We've been reading Where the Red Fern Grows, and with 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:53.040 Lincoln we talk about fighting and battles and superheroes and 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:55.680 really into the Avengers. Right now, we went from Star 0:03:55.720 --> 0:04:00.320 Wars to the Avengers. So all this this is on 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:03.640 the Disney app, which I'm I'm not trying to sponsor here, 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:07.320 but we're looked. We're hooked on that Disney app because 0:04:07.320 --> 0:04:11.200 it has Marvel, it has Star Wars. So that's kind 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:16.320 of where we are, and we all just need to 0:04:16.320 --> 0:04:18.039 take a deep breath every once in a while and 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:21.880 kind of focus in on where we are today and 0:04:22.000 --> 0:04:25.080 remember to reject the idea of a new normal. Stop 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:27.560 listening to that. Guys. If someone says this is the 0:04:27.600 --> 0:04:30.720 new normal or we're working our way towards the new normal, 0:04:31.120 --> 0:04:34.560 reject that idea. It's crap. I don't want to hear 0:04:34.560 --> 0:04:38.640 any about a new normal. This is very rare. We're 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:42.599 living in history right now. We're living a historic time 0:04:42.680 --> 0:04:45.120 that we'll be remembered. We'll be looked back on this 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:49.240 and we'll think how crazy it is. But it's not 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:52.080 the new normal. It's not the beginning of a new normal. 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:54.400 We're not going to never shake hands again. We're not 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:57.000 going to wear masks everywhere we go, We're not going 0:04:57.080 --> 0:05:00.240 to social distance all the time. We're not gonna keep 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:03.920 taking checks from the government. What. No, it's not new normal. 0:05:04.720 --> 0:05:06.960 This is a crazy reality of living and that's what 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:11.760 it is. So just beware everybody, beware of what you're hearing. 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:16.000 And also remember, just as I said with touring, how 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:18.680 no one knows when we're gonna start touring. Guess what, 0:05:18.920 --> 0:05:22.920 no one knows about this virus either. No one knows 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.680 the infection rate, no one knows the death rate. We 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:29.600 just know there's all kinds of speculations about the deaths 0:05:29.640 --> 0:05:34.440 and the pre existing conditions. And guess what I heard 0:05:34.480 --> 0:05:39.160 from my bus driver Butch. Yesterday a reputable article came 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:44.000 out talking about the testing, talking about these tests and 0:05:44.320 --> 0:05:47.400 a massive amount of tests that went out from the 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:52.640 CDC that were tainted with the virus on the test. 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:56.839 What seriously, I read it myself, I saw it my 0:05:56.880 --> 0:06:01.560 own eyes. Reputable. Now is it fake news? I don't know, maybe, 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:04.080 but it's out there. That information is out there, and 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:07.160 there was quoting sources on how they found the CDC 0:06:07.240 --> 0:06:11.719 was sending out test tainted with the virus itself. Just 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:14.200 because I'm talking about this means this podcast probably will 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:17.520 not be heard. It's going to get sucked into a 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:22.000 vortex wormhole and spit out, and my algorithm's going to 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:24.160 die and no one's actually going to hear it except 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:28.120 for the hardcore fans. Because that's also the thing that's 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:31.640 happening is our social media is being monitored, cell phones 0:06:31.680 --> 0:06:39.440 are being monitored. It's not the new normal, guys. Let 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:44.600 me get on task here. I want to talk to 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:47.960 you about the sponsor of this podcast, episode twenty nine, 0:06:48.880 --> 0:06:52.360 Yee Yee Apparel, which, by the way, we have a 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:56.480 new web address. It's yee dot com, so you could 0:06:56.480 --> 0:07:00.480 find this stuff at grangersmith dot com, earldiblis Junior dot com, 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:05.719 eee apparel dot com, and now ye Ye dot com. 0:07:05.880 --> 0:07:09.240 Y e e y e e dot com makes it 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:13.640 super simple. It took us several years to acquire that email, 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:18.840 that website address because it was it was owned by 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:22.080 some dude. He's he's owned it for you know, ten 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:24.520 or twelve years or something like that. So we we've 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:27.320 been on him trying to negotiate how we can finally 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:30.280 take a hold of that u ur L and we 0:07:30.360 --> 0:07:34.000 got it so ye dot com. It's it's easy to remember. 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:35.920 It's also just gonna shoot you over to ee apparel 0:07:35.960 --> 0:07:38.840 dot com right now if you go there, if you 0:07:38.840 --> 0:07:40.600 go to EG dot com, if you look at some 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:45.400 of our apparel, I will admit that right now, currently 0:07:45.880 --> 0:07:49.120 it appears like we are sold out of almost everything. 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:52.040 We have a bunch of hats, but if you're looking 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:55.160 for shirts, it looks like we're almost sold out of 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:58.920 everything that is actually by design. This is a new 0:07:59.400 --> 0:08:03.440 business mind that were that we have been doing, my brothers, 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:09.160 Tyler and Parker and I. It is extremely expensive and 0:08:09.640 --> 0:08:13.800 very difficult to keep a whole bunch of stuff constantly 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:17.720 stocked on the shelves. And our business manager, our accountant 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:21.440 was would always freak out because throughout the year three 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:25.120 hundred and sixty five days, we would have shelves that 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:32.559 were really stocked with triple X, double x, XL, large, medium, small, extra, small, kids, youth, 0:08:32.760 --> 0:08:36.839 whatever and everything, and we would we would make a 0:08:36.880 --> 0:08:39.520 conscious effort to keep it stocked, keep it stopped, keep it, 0:08:39.640 --> 0:08:42.320 you know, keep new new sizes coming in, new new 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:46.359 designs coming in. And it was really it was really difficult, 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:50.240 and it spread us really thin, and it was stressful, 0:08:50.840 --> 0:08:53.840 and and you imagine if you're trying to act like 0:08:53.840 --> 0:08:56.840 your Walmart and keeping your your shelves stocked, it's just 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:58.800 not a good business model. So we switched to a 0:08:58.800 --> 0:09:02.040 new business model, which a lot of you have probably noticed. 0:09:02.480 --> 0:09:05.280 And what that is, what that has meant for us 0:09:05.800 --> 0:09:10.200 is that we're going to do major launches with new 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:14.800 apparel and new lines about five times a year. So 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:18.760 for instance, we just did Ye Day, and we just 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:22.360 did the spring launch before that, and then before that 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:25.640 is was probably I think we did like a twenty 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:29.480 twenty New Year blowout, and then before that, of course 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:34.000 is Black Friday. And then so coming up, we have 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:37.040 our next big release is June the twelfth. That's our 0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:39.880 summer release. So if you mark that on your calendar, 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:43.559 if you're a fan of Yee Apparel, then mark June 0:09:43.720 --> 0:09:46.679 the twelfth on your calendar, and that is going to 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:49.600 be the next big release with all new items. That's 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:52.480 when Amber has a bunch of new items and we 0:09:52.559 --> 0:09:54.640 have a bunch of men's stuff, a bunch of youth stuff, 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:56.520 and we will launch that. So what we do our 0:09:56.559 --> 0:09:59.199 business model is we launch it all on June twelfth 0:09:59.600 --> 0:10:02.720 and try to pick a number that we could sell 0:10:02.760 --> 0:10:06.440 everything we have. And now that number floats and we 0:10:06.480 --> 0:10:09.400 try to make it up as we go. But as 0:10:09.440 --> 0:10:11.440 you saw from Yee Day and we just did we 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:13.880 just did that launch. We sold out of almost everything 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:17.000 in like five minutes of the launch. We launched at 0:10:17.040 --> 0:10:21.040 ten am on June seventeenth, or excuse me, April seventeenth, 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:24.920 and we sold out of almost everything in about five minutes. Now, 0:10:24.960 --> 0:10:27.199 we didn't expect to sell out that soon. We were 0:10:27.240 --> 0:10:29.680 hoping it would sell out in like a week. So 0:10:30.160 --> 0:10:31.719 what that means for us is we just need to 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:34.160 raise the inventory a little bit, or raise what we order, 0:10:35.040 --> 0:10:38.880 and hopefully on June the twelfth, you'll be able to 0:10:38.880 --> 0:10:41.840 get in that day ee dot com, find what you 0:10:41.880 --> 0:10:45.600 want in the size that you want, and you'll you 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:48.720 could get it like in a course of about five days. 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:51.840 If you order within like five day window, you'll get it. 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:55.920 That being said, I would highly encourage on June the twelfth, 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.000 you go pretty early. Knowing the fans that we have 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:04.400 Ye Nation is unbelievable. But I'm trying to explain if 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:06.320 you've been following us for a long time, that's why 0:11:06.360 --> 0:11:08.400 you go to the store now and everything looks sold out, 0:11:08.920 --> 0:11:10.880 and it's a little frustrating, but at the same time 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:15.000 it really helps us to drive everything in big spurts 0:11:15.360 --> 0:11:17.760 and then sell out and then we're not holding on 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:21.040 to cash inventory on our shelves and we're able to 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:25.480 use that instead to go back into new designs. So 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:29.479 what you can do in the meantime the most impactful 0:11:29.480 --> 0:11:32.120 thing you could do to support us, or if you're 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:35.240 just if you love the brand, you could join our 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:39.120 Shirt of the Month club. It's like twenty bucks a 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:42.880 month something like that, and you tell us your size, 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:45.440 and then every month, at the first of the month, 0:11:45.600 --> 0:11:48.840 we ship out your brand new shirt that is not 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:52.120 for Stelle on the store, it's not for sale anywhere else. 0:11:52.160 --> 0:11:55.400 It's exclusive to the Shirt of the Month club. So 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.040 we work really hard on those designs. We go through 0:11:58.040 --> 0:12:02.240 these designs and and kind of hand pick what we 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:05.160 think is the best for that month. And then one 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:06.680 day you're gonna go out to your mailbox. You're gonna 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:09.080 open up the box and there's your new, brand new 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:12.480 shirt of the month in your size. And I think 0:12:12.480 --> 0:12:15.240 it's really awesome. It's gone over really well. I love 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:18.959 all of the shirts, and it's great for this new 0:12:19.000 --> 0:12:20.640 business model where most of the things are going to 0:12:20.679 --> 0:12:22.880 stay sold out. You are going to get your own 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:25.160 shirt every month no matter what. You don't even have 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:28.040 to look it up. So the other thing I need 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:29.559 to say. The last thing I'll say about EE a 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:33.199 Peril is that the EE Day sale went so fast 0:12:33.200 --> 0:12:35.760 on April seventeenth that sold out in five minutes. So 0:12:36.160 --> 0:12:38.640 we are because that was our mistake. We didn't have 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:42.040 enough inventory. Then what we are going to do is 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:45.320 we are restocking some of the fastest sellers from that 0:12:45.480 --> 0:12:50.439 day any day now. So on EE dot com any 0:12:50.520 --> 0:12:53.320 day now from when you hear this or watch this podcast, 0:12:54.200 --> 0:12:57.839 be checking on that site, and suddenly those fastest sellers 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:01.160 are going to pop back up in stock again. So 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:05.240 all that being said, thank you so much for the support. 0:13:05.320 --> 0:13:10.080 We're so grateful during this crazy time that we have 0:13:10.400 --> 0:13:13.520 this apparel company that me and my brothers started from scratch, 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:16.600 and it's we're so passionate about it. And what we 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:19.880 always try to preach is that we're selling a lifestyle 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:24.600 and it is something that has become bigger than any 0:13:24.600 --> 0:13:28.000 of one of us individually, or the music or any videos. 0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:31.240 It's it truly is Ye Nation, and it truly is 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:34.240 a group of like minded people that love to live 0:13:34.280 --> 0:13:37.280 life to the fullest. And to me, that's always what 0:13:37.320 --> 0:13:41.040 it's really been about. I'm excited about this podcast today, 0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:45.840 episode twenty nine. I'm bringing the special guests who most 0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:49.079 of you know, Amber, my wife, and I was just 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:50.679 thinking about it last night. I was like, what should 0:13:50.679 --> 0:13:53.680 I talk about on the podcast? And I thought, you know, 0:13:53.800 --> 0:14:00.400 we have several stories in our lives about signs from above, 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:06.800 talking signs, spiritual signs from heaven, whether it's an answered prayer, 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:15.160 whether it's an absolute surprise, a reminder, a memory, a dream. 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:18.520 But I believe these things are very real and we 0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:20.200 have we have a couple of stories I'd love to 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:22.680 share with you. So that's what we're gonna do. I'm 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:26.200 gonna get Amber in here. Welcome to the Granger Smith Podcast. 0:14:43.960 --> 0:14:47.120 All right. I got Amber with me and we were 0:14:47.120 --> 0:14:51.040 together a lot on The Smiths, So we got to 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:54.920 make it different. If people watch us the smith you 0:14:55.000 --> 0:14:57.360 got to make it different. Thanks for having me. Oh 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:02.200 you're welcome, young guests. So I was thinking last night 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:06.600 what should we do for this podcast? And I think like, 0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:09.560 one of the cool things that we have a lot 0:15:09.600 --> 0:15:11.320 of it in our story is these signs that we 0:15:11.320 --> 0:15:14.960 see from above, signs from above, and I don't write 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:17.960 them down. Do you write? You write about got a journal, 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.080 and so I brought you because I could tell a 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:23.920 couple and you could tell a couple and you could 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:28.800 help me remember mine. So do you want to go 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:31.320 first for me? Let's do it? Well, you can start 0:15:31.480 --> 0:15:35.480 so so as you're listening to these guys also, and 0:15:35.560 --> 0:15:37.080 I kind of grew up here in these My mom 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.640 is very, very spiritual, So she has a ton of 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:42.680 these kind of stories and so I've heard them my 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:47.040 whole life, and she's she's so spiritually connected that she 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:51.000 has a story after story that will just blow you away. 0:15:51.040 --> 0:15:54.120 It's like, how does a human even do that? But 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:58.520 I think we all have that capability to be to 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:03.800 hear God's voice and or angels or however you want 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:06.600 to look at it. But I feel like if you're 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:08.960 not if you're not aware of it, if you're not 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:13.320 listening for it, if you're not paying attention, then it's impossible. 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:16.000 It's the same with remembering dreams. Some people can remember 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:18.520 their dreams really, really well. And some people are like, 0:16:18.720 --> 0:16:21.400 I don't even dream, Well, you just have to kind 0:16:21.400 --> 0:16:24.120 of be connected to that, be aware. So what I 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:25.560 was going to say is, if you're listening to this 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:28.760 or watching this and you have your own stories, comment 0:16:28.800 --> 0:16:34.400 below and I'd love to hear your stories too. Sorry 0:16:34.440 --> 0:16:38.600 about roomy. Yeah, and be and also being open to it. 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:42.000 I think just having your heart and your eyes and 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:44.360 your ears and your mind open to receiving those signs 0:16:44.480 --> 0:16:47.600 is kind of a big step too. So do you 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:50.680 want to start with your signs? Yeah? You want to 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:53.920 start with or are we talking about signs all in general? 0:16:54.120 --> 0:16:56.840 Like your dad? Yeah, it's like what mom says or 0:16:57.600 --> 0:17:01.280 you know, there's no such thing as coincident those kind 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:06.479 of signs, only appointments. Yeah, So we have about twenty 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:10.160 five minutes and I will start. I guess I'll tell 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:14.600 the story about one of them was really meaningful from 0:17:14.600 --> 0:17:20.560 my dad. And I was on tour and I was 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:22.800 went to a meet and greet and I met a family, 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:25.879 and I meet a lot of families that have lost somebody, 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:31.960 and this always happened, and it's always just as impactful 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:34.000 for me to meet these families and hear their stories 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:36.120 and I've got to the point where I could recognize 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:39.320 them when they walk in. I could just know. I 0:17:39.400 --> 0:17:41.520 know the look on a family's face when they're walking 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:43.920 in and they're about to tell me that they lost 0:17:43.960 --> 0:17:48.440 someone and they're coming to the concert to celebrate their life, 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:53.960 either because they love they love getting out and celebrating 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:58.760 with country music, or specifically because that person loved my 0:17:58.960 --> 0:18:04.800 band and we are now a living embodiment of their passion. 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:08.480 Ye ye, So I see that a lot. And this 0:18:08.600 --> 0:18:12.120 one particular time, I saw the family come in, and 0:18:12.880 --> 0:18:16.960 this was a young girl that died in a car accident, 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:19.920 and I actually knew her. She was a fan. She'd 0:18:19.960 --> 0:18:24.200 been to mini meet and greets, and they brought they 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:28.920 brought their daughter, the girl's daughter, and she was like 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:36.640 like a three four And I went through the meet 0:18:36.680 --> 0:18:40.720 and greet and the little girl had a little sign 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:44.240 for me that said, my mommy was a fan, now 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:47.160 I'm the fan. And it was just hitting me so hard, 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:50.120 and I was like trying to hold back tears and 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:53.440 trying to be connected with this family and be aware 0:18:53.520 --> 0:18:56.000 and be present with them, and at the same time, 0:18:56.040 --> 0:18:58.400 I was kind of fighting my own emotions on it's 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:01.160 just difficult knowing that I had one person that loved 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:04.920 your music and now they're gone, and you know how 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:07.240 bad that family's hurting. So I went back to the bus. 0:19:07.359 --> 0:19:10.600 Needless to say, I was just really frustrated and upset 0:19:10.680 --> 0:19:15.719 and emotional, and I was going to get dressed and 0:19:15.800 --> 0:19:18.639 start playing the show in about thirty minutes. And I 0:19:18.720 --> 0:19:21.280 go back to my dressing room and as you guys know, 0:19:21.320 --> 0:19:25.320 I've lost my dad in twenty fourteen, and I made 0:19:25.440 --> 0:19:31.840 a bracelet that represented him as it was like a 0:19:31.920 --> 0:19:36.119 chrome bracelet, like a heroes bracelet, and it had the 0:19:36.640 --> 0:19:41.920 success poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson the very end, this 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:45.119 is to have succeeded. It's the very end of that poem, 0:19:45.840 --> 0:19:47.720 and it said, this is to have succeeded. And on 0:19:47.760 --> 0:19:51.679 the other side it said Chris P. Smith nineteen fifty 0:19:51.720 --> 0:19:57.320 two Dash twenty fourteen. And I have I don't wear 0:19:57.359 --> 0:19:59.240 it all the time because it's hard to play guitar 0:19:59.280 --> 0:20:01.920 with it. So it was in this little drawer and wildflower. 0:20:02.920 --> 0:20:04.760 I go up after this meet and greet and I 0:20:04.760 --> 0:20:08.840 sit down and I'm just like thinking, you know, is 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:11.360 this worth it? Like can I emotionally keep going through 0:20:11.400 --> 0:20:13.239 meet and greets and talk to people like this and 0:20:13.280 --> 0:20:15.240 go through and hear these kind of stories and then 0:20:15.280 --> 0:20:18.199 go play a show like is that even possible? Like 0:20:18.320 --> 0:20:20.320 this is tough, you know. And I had a picture 0:20:20.359 --> 0:20:23.280 and I like a four x seven picture of that girl, 0:20:23.320 --> 0:20:25.240 and I was like, this is tough. I think I 0:20:25.280 --> 0:20:28.280 even texted you. And I sat down and I went 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:30.159 to put my boots on, and I put my boots 0:20:30.200 --> 0:20:32.199 on and there was something in the bottom of my 0:20:32.280 --> 0:20:34.399 boot and then took off my boot and there was 0:20:34.440 --> 0:20:37.960 that bracelet. That chrome bracelet was in the bottom of 0:20:38.000 --> 0:20:40.919 my boot. There's no way it couldn't It could have 0:20:41.000 --> 0:20:44.320 gotten from that little drawer out of the drawer and 0:20:44.400 --> 0:20:47.240 then dropped into the boot which I had just placed 0:20:47.240 --> 0:20:51.920 there before the meet and greet. And I was just like, wow, 0:20:52.880 --> 0:20:55.440 this is to have succeeded, Like are you trying to 0:20:55.480 --> 0:20:59.560 tell me something here? You know? I mean, it's that 0:20:59.760 --> 0:21:01.960 was a crazy moment. I just sat there. I was 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:08.520 blown away for a long time. Yeah. We always say okay, God, okay, God, okay, okay, 0:21:08.520 --> 0:21:11.800 can here you have something on your hat? Okay okay. 0:21:11.800 --> 0:21:13.439 So I guess if we want to how much time 0:21:13.440 --> 0:21:18.240 do we have if we want to stay on your dad. 0:21:19.040 --> 0:21:22.119 London when she was two, Okay, so hearts. Hearts have 0:21:22.160 --> 0:21:25.400 been very important with seeing signs from from Chris and 0:21:25.400 --> 0:21:29.320 and Debbie Granger's mom. We see right after Chris passed 0:21:29.320 --> 0:21:32.240 there it was really special between them. Right after Sorry 0:21:32.320 --> 0:21:35.520 Chris passed, we were just seeing hearts everywhere in the sky, 0:21:35.840 --> 0:21:38.600 in pieces of lead or pieces of thread that fell 0:21:38.640 --> 0:21:40.320 off our jeans shaped in the shape of a heart. 0:21:40.320 --> 0:21:41.960 If we cracked an egg, open it, the yolk was 0:21:42.000 --> 0:21:44.159 in the shape of a heart. We just saw hearts 0:21:44.160 --> 0:21:46.320 all the time. So we would always send send pictures 0:21:46.320 --> 0:21:48.320 to each other through the family and say, you know, 0:21:48.359 --> 0:21:50.680 we saw another heart today, or we felt we felt 0:21:50.680 --> 0:21:55.480 Papa today. But London, she was two. She was just 0:21:55.520 --> 0:21:57.760 so connected, you know, little children are so connected, so 0:21:57.800 --> 0:22:00.800 innocently connected. And I remember one big one for me 0:22:01.119 --> 0:22:03.600 was we were driving over to our friend's house. She 0:22:03.680 --> 0:22:06.480 was giggling in the back seat and I kind of 0:22:06.480 --> 0:22:07.520 looked back and I was like, what are you what 0:22:07.520 --> 0:22:10.639 are you laughing at? And she just goes Papa, and 0:22:12.400 --> 0:22:14.080 it just kind of took took me aback, and we 0:22:14.080 --> 0:22:15.679 got out of the car and she was looking up 0:22:15.680 --> 0:22:18.040 at the sky and she goes Papa and I said, 0:22:18.040 --> 0:22:20.480 what are you talking about? She goes, see Papa's sprinkling 0:22:20.520 --> 0:22:25.480 hearts everywhere. See, obviously I saw nothing, but a little 0:22:25.480 --> 0:22:29.119 innocent two year old felt that presence and it was 0:22:29.359 --> 0:22:30.919 and it was a heart, you know. It wasn't like 0:22:30.960 --> 0:22:33.200 stars or something else. So that was a big sign 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:36.560 that I held onto with London. She's just you know, 0:22:36.600 --> 0:22:40.520 little children are very spiritually connected. Do you want to 0:22:40.520 --> 0:22:42.280 talk any more about your dad or do you want 0:22:42.280 --> 0:22:48.159 to go to signs for rip? So I guess the 0:22:48.200 --> 0:22:53.720 big sign I had recently with riv is I was 0:22:53.800 --> 0:22:57.520 seeing and by the way, it happened to me yesterday, 0:22:58.080 --> 0:23:01.919 I saw on it. Some where my eyes go straight 0:23:01.960 --> 0:23:06.680 to the word river. It's either a street sign or 0:23:08.440 --> 0:23:14.960 a vehicle or a state park sign or river crossing. 0:23:15.440 --> 0:23:18.240 But I've learned through touring in the last several months 0:23:18.280 --> 0:23:20.520 that the river is probably the most popular word you 0:23:20.520 --> 0:23:23.320 could put on a sign. And I see it in 0:23:23.400 --> 0:23:26.400 every city we go to, in every town, in every country. 0:23:26.680 --> 0:23:33.399 It's everywhere. But there's been times that being said that 0:23:33.800 --> 0:23:37.600 my eyes have gone straight to that word, like looking 0:23:37.680 --> 0:23:40.640 down or looking at the steering wheel, eyes glance up 0:23:41.000 --> 0:23:43.640 and the first thing they fall on is the word river. 0:23:45.000 --> 0:23:49.040 And then I noticed there was times when my eyes 0:23:49.080 --> 0:23:51.960