1 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: What's up. It's Granger Smith. Thanks for listening. This is 2 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: the Granger Smith Podcast, Episode eight. Hey, if you got 3 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: a question for me you need to be an answered. 4 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: Go to social media hashtag Granger Smith Podcast. Ask your question. 5 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: I'll search for it and then I'll get it answered 6 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: right here on a future podcast. Man, what a crazy 7 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: fall this has been for me. The new album When 8 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: the Good Guys Win is now out. If you listen 9 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: to episode seven, I went through every single song, told 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: the story of every song from my point of view, 11 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: not just how I wrote it, but why I recorded it, 12 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: you know, the reason that I chose each song to 13 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: be on the album. But now the album's out, we've 14 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: been playing it live and it's a whole new game 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: putting it in the live show and seeing what song works. 16 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: Where should it start the show, should it finish the show, 17 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: and where does it go in the middle. That's all 18 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: something we have to discuss all the time to try 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: to figure out the perfect combination of the perfect chemistry. 20 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: It also has to work with the crowd. I mean, 21 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: we can't put together a high energy show for a 22 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: very laid back crowd, and then in turn, we can't 23 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: put together a very laid back show for a high 24 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: energy crowd, so we have to know these things before 25 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: we hit the stage. Now, that took years and years 26 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: and years, and I'm still trying to perfect that. But 27 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: I'm proud of those years. The Honky song heres and 28 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: I want to talk more on where I came from 29 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: in this podcast. Something that I did on this new 30 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: album is a little insane, but it has been so 31 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: much fun. I decided to call every single person that 32 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: bought this album the first week. This is gonna take 33 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: a long time. It's a lot of people. In fact, 34 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: it's probably gonna take me months and months and months, 35 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: but anyone that bought it and submitted their receipt to 36 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: the special website that we set up got added to 37 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: this call list, and so I personally call everyone on 38 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: that list and thank them for buying the album, because 39 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: buying is rare these days, and I don't know if 40 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: people actually understand how much buying actually does affect the artist. 41 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,519 Speaker 1: And in a world of being able to find the 42 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: music for free anywhere, it's pretty amazing to see that 43 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: kind of support from a fan. So I thought it 44 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: was the least I can do to call these people, 45 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: and I think on this podcast. It would be kind 46 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: of fun if I pulled up this list right now 47 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: and we called the next person. All right, so here 48 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: we go. This is Josh and he's from Tennessee. It 49 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 1: looks like, hey Josh, it's Granger Smith. How are you, man? 50 00:02:54,120 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: I'm right, how man, I'm doing? Go hold on speak 51 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: I see your name will come. Man, this is Granger Smith. Dude. 52 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: I am calling you to say thank you for buying 53 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: the album. Man, that that means a lot. I know 54 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: that buying records is rare these days. And and uh, 55 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: I really appreciate you, buddy, No carble, man, just keep 56 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: doing I will, I will keep doing. Earl man, I 57 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: promise you did you really? You really put on a show. Well, 58 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: thank you, buddy. I appreciate that. Man. What's your what's 59 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: your favorite song so far in this album? Welcome very 60 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: old Devil song. Well, uh, buddy, I hope to are 61 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: you in Tennessee? All right? Well, I know we'll be 62 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: back to Tennessee soon and hope to see you when 63 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: we head back out there. That's awesome, awesome man. Well, 64 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: I hope you have a good rest of your Sunday. Hey, Hey, Hey, 65 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: who's hey? Girlfriend. I uh uh, we hope to see 66 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: you guys down the road very soon. All right, all right, 67 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: y'all take care, Hi, bye bye, there we go. I 68 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: got two of them in that phone call. That's that's 69 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: so cool to me. So Josh there says that don't 70 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 1: treadle Me is his favorite song, which doesn't surprise me. 71 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: It's one of my favorites too. Everything Earl Dibbles Junior 72 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: does is polarizing. I love every bit of it. And 73 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: I asked you to ask me some questions on social 74 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: media hashtag Granger Smith podcast and I would answer them. 75 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: And so here's one right here from Jonathan Seppenfield. It says, 76 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: how did Earl Dibbles Junior become a thing? Now, Buddy, 77 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: I could go in here and answer this question, but 78 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 1: it's gonna take a while. So I think I'm gonna 79 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: save that for its own future podcast because the story 80 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: of Old Dibbles Junior it's gonna take some time. I'm 81 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: a survivor, you damn right, I'm a bidder, I'm a 82 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: big bucks head and Trump I'm bringing Dank Junior disable. 83 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: So don't just be offended when Granddad needs defended. This 84 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: back up Wakeman says, I'm staying break. Don't tread of me, 85 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: don't tread off me. So I'm sitting in the back 86 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: of my bus Wildflower. I'm in the parking lot in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 87 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: parking lot of the hotel that we're staying in tonight 88 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 1: on an off day. We're playing Tulsa tomorrow. But yesterday 89 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: we came from clear Lake, Iowa. Before that was Columbia, Missouri, 90 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: before that was Chicago. So this is a typical place 91 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: for me to do a podcast, is a little bit 92 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: of time off between shows. Things weren't all It is crazy. 93 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: I didn't always have this many shows to play. In fact, 94 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: I want to take you there now. I want to 95 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: take you back to the scene. And I believe it 96 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: was podcast episode six that I was last talking about 97 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: my history, and I've talked about moving back home to 98 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: my home state of Texas and starting a band, and 99 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: I look at that that was in two thousand and four. 100 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: I look at that is the beginning, in a lot 101 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: of ways of my touring career. So it's the year 102 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and four. I've just moved back to my 103 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 1: home state of Texas and college station. I'm living with 104 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: my uncle Johnny. Life is good. A few years before, 105 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: I put out an album called Waiting On Forever. It 106 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: was ten songs. But you know I've grown since then. 107 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: I have a lot of new songs, songs that I've 108 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: already recorded as demos for this publishing company I've been 109 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: writing for. So I collect ten of those songs and 110 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: I make an album. My second album is called Memory Road. 111 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: I take this album and I'm armed and ready to 112 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: find a band and get some gigs. And they came 113 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: pouring in. Actually they didn't. I didn't. I didn't have 114 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: any gigs. But I did go down the street to 115 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: this place called Bourbon Street Bar, and I asked them 116 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: if I could host and start an open mic night 117 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: on Thursday nights. No money guaranteed. The only thing for 118 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: me would be exposure. I would play a bunch of 119 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: these songs off of these two little albums that I 120 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: had out, and then I would host open mic for 121 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: everyone else in the bar could sell beer, and I 122 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: could sell CDs and make a few tips, and everyone 123 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: was happy. It wasn't long after I moved back that 124 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: my uncle Johnny said, Hey, I've got this buddy. He's 125 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: a drummer and he's in a band right now, and 126 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: their singer just moved to Florida and they're looking for 127 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: someone to take over. And I said, man, this sounds perfect. 128 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: Let me meet him. So he takes me over there, 129 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: and these were great guys. There was a drummer, bass player, 130 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: a guitar player, and a keyboard player. And all of 131 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: them were significantly older than I was, fifteen twenty years 132 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: older than I was, And that actually was a huge 133 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: blessing because these guys had a lot more touring experience 134 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: than I did. They had a lot more knowledge of 135 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: the music business, a lot more understanding of building PA systems. 136 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: They knew how to tour and I didn't. This was 137 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: such a key thing for me, and what I provided 138 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: to them was a young singer with a fresh outlook. 139 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,199 Speaker 1: It gave them another round, another shot at it, and 140 00:08:48,240 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: we became a very tight knit group immediately. Never too 141 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: old to finde a two lane road. See how fast 142 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: that four by four can go, burn the tread right 143 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: off of them tires. You never too to turn the radio. 144 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: I'm so loud that the speakers flown. Let your neighbors 145 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: know you're about to throw it all night, Woo, Let's 146 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: go to night, is to night for the rest of 147 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: our lives. They ain't never too old to die young, 148 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: never too tall to grow up, never too late to 149 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: did to living because you only did one, never too 150 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: good to be back. He ain't never too scared to 151 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: be tough. Don't count them candles on the cake, over 152 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: the trips around the sun. I ain't never too old 153 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: to die jump. So during this year I also re 154 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: enrolled in Texas A and M University, so I had 155 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: a lot on my plate. I couldn't tour too much 156 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: and steady enough to pass classes. I needed to finish 157 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: college before I could really focus on music. This year 158 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: was a lot about playing private parties, private weddings, friends, 159 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: graduation parties. Of course, the open mic night on Thursdays, 160 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: an occasional gig that we might have picked up in 161 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: a club here and there. But it wasn't serious touring yet. 162 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: I did buy a little white trailer, a little six 163 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: x ten. I was pullting it behind my pickup truck. 164 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: There was five of us in the band, and we 165 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 1: were cramped in the cab making do There's so many 166 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: mistakes you have to make when you're just starting out 167 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: touring to learn everything that everything we progressed with over 168 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: those months and over those years was from mistakes that 169 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: we never wanted to do again. I remember a lot 170 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,719 Speaker 1: of trailer mistakes. It seems like trailers have been one 171 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: of my biggest problems for a long, long time. I 172 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:55,839 Speaker 1: remember a trip driving to Amarillo for a gig. Now 173 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: Amarillo from College Station, that's a long way. It's about 174 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: eight hours. I new to touring. I don't have any 175 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: kind of checklist, I don't have a tour manager. And 176 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: I remember thinking, about six hours down the road, I 177 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: wonder if I've brought the key to the padlock on 178 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,679 Speaker 1: the trailer so that I can get to the gear. 179 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: I ask around. No one knows where the key is. 180 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: We ended up leaving it at home. So we pull 181 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: over to this middle of nowhere, small town, Texas welding shop. 182 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: We got to get the guy with the cutting torch 183 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: to destroy the lock so that we can get in there. Now, 184 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: this is one of those circular master locks. It's theft proof. 185 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,199 Speaker 1: It's also idiot proof, because I'm an idiot, and you 186 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't believe how long it took us to sit there 187 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: and put a piece of a sheet of metal behind 188 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: the lock, so the torch didn't destroy the wall of 189 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 1: the trailer. But this thing took forever. I think it 190 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: took like fifteen minutes of straight cutting to finally get 191 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: it off so that I could learn the first lesson 192 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 1: in touring, don't leave your trailer keys at home. Man. 193 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 1: This podcast is brought to you by my ninth studio 194 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: album called When the Good Guys Win. I'm so proud 195 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: of this thing, and thank you if you've heard it, 196 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: if you've streamed it, if you've heard us play it live. 197 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: I hope you like it and it means a lot 198 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: to me to get your feedback. So let me know 199 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: what you think about it. Go to social media, let 200 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: me know your favorite songs so far. Of course, this 201 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: is also brought to you by Yee Yee Energy, my 202 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: energy drink. I'm so excited to tell you guys that 203 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: out of this homegrown business that we have my brothers 204 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: and I, we have now made our first re order, 205 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,439 Speaker 1: which is a lot of cans. It's like two hundred 206 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: thousand cans, so that's a big deal. They are shipping 207 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: to our warehouse in Texas as we speak. That means 208 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: a lot of you are liking this drink, so thank 209 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: you for that. I hope you like to drink so 210 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: much that you drink it all the time responsively because 211 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 1: it's got a lot of caffeine in it. I drink 212 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: one before every show, and I love the way it 213 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: makes you feel. I love the way that it tastes. 214 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: Go to grangerspent dot com you can find out more. 215 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: That's a lot of information. Let me go back to 216 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: the that had no information going on in fact, but 217 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and four version of myself was very much 218 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,719 Speaker 1: looking forward to two thousand and five because that's when 219 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: I decided to take the last of my demos, my 220 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: songwriting demos, and put them together ten more songs, and 221 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: make another album called Pockets of Pesos. Pockets of Pesos 222 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: was different from me for a couple of reasons. One 223 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: I recorded and played my own acoustic guitar that had 224 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: never happened before, and two I recorded my own vocals 225 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: right there by myself at Uncle Johnny's house in his 226 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 1: living room. Now, this was the beginning of something very 227 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: very important for me in my career. I had no 228 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: idea how valuable it would be to me to record 229 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: my own vocals to record my own band eventually. I 230 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: had no idea that someday being able to do this 231 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: would actually save my career. My pockets of pay A 232 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: twenty dollars bill in my pails. Phone tell me what, 233 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: tell me? What's in gona take? Two thousand and five, 234 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: I was very much coming into my own pockets of pay. 235 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: SOS was the most original so far music that I 236 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: had made, even though I had always written my own music. 237 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: I was getting closer to becoming the artist that I 238 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: needed to be. We were touring a lot more. I 239 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: was still in school, but we were stacking up our weekends. 240 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: We called ourselves weekend Warriors. At this point, it bothered 241 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: me a little bit that I didn't have as much 242 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: control as I wanted to on the actual recordings themselves. 243 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: On the previous three albums, I knew I had a 244 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: dilemma coming up because those are the last of the 245 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: songwriting demos that I had paid for me, and if 246 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: I was gonna make anything else in the future, I 247 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: was gonna have to pony up my own cash, which 248 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: I didn't have. I'm a call and I'm making tip 249 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: jar money now out of that necessity. The greatest challenge 250 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: with the greatest reward showed itself in this new opportunity. 251 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: If I was going to make another album, the only 252 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: way that would happen was if I recorded it myself 253 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: in my own house. And what happened at the end 254 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: of two thousand and five changed everything. So the song 255 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: you're hearing here sounds like it's live. It's even called 256 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: Mockenberg Road Live, but it's actually not live at all. 257 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: This is my first experiment at recording my band myself 258 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: in my house. Actually every instrument is recorded separately by 259 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: me putting microphones around and experimenting. I was getting pretty good, 260 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: pretty savvy with pro Tools, which is a computer software 261 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: for audio recording. It's the same software I'm using right 262 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: now to record this podcast. After recording the instruments, I 263 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: brought in some friends and the band. We got some 264 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: glasses of beer and clanked them together. I recorded that, 265 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: added it to the background of the song to make 266 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 1: it sound like a live performance that I'm going to 267 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: burn out to where my favorite lives, you know, good 268 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: friend Chap Sacond every time between Calisande, the winning thing, 269 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: but burning so there. It is the secret behind Mokenbird 270 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: Road Live. My very first attempt ever at recording a band. 271 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: It's funny. I just looked on Spotify and iTunes and 272 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: it's on there, immortalized forever. Uh set in stone? Is 273 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: that memory? For better or for worse? But that was 274 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: a very important transition for me because once I knew 275 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: I could do that, once I knew I had broken 276 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: the ice of home studio recording, I knew I could 277 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: attempt maybe to record my next album completely by myself 278 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: at home, in the living room, in the hallway and 279 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 1: the closet, utilizing everything, utilizing my band, And so that 280 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: was my new mission. What I didn't know was that 281 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: concept would change everything for me. That would put me 282 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: on a path of musical freedom. It would give me 283 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: the opportunity to put up music no matter what, to 284 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: change my mind, to change the songs, to put out 285 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: a funny song, a parody song, to put out a 286 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: tribute song, regardless of what people said, and most importantly, 287 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: regardless of budget, because this would cost me next to nothing. 288 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: That would put me on the path that got me 289 00:17:50,520 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: here today. Hello, Hey Brooke, it's Granger Smith. How are you. 290 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I'm good. How are you here? I'm good. 291 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: I'm calling to say thank you for buying the album, 292 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 1: and I hope you like all the new songs so far. 293 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I love this so much in this 294 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: obviously I want that day. Have no idea good good? 295 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: Do you have a favorite song yet? Yeah? I love 296 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: it A loving wine. That one's a beautiful song. Well, 297 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you. Where are you right now? I'm 298 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: in North Carolina? Okay, awesome, we love coming to North Carolina. 299 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 1: I've actually seen you. I've actually seen you a few times. 300 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: The first time I ever saw you, you were you Goes. 301 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: That was the true where I ever saw you playing. 302 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: I have such a great time with much after that, 303 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: I'm so talking, don't it's okay, No, you don't. You 304 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: don't have to say anything. I'm calling you to uh 305 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: to say thank you and uh You're an amazing fan 306 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,439 Speaker 1: and and I appreciate people exactly like you, Brook, So 307 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: thank you, and I hope to see you next time 308 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: we come to North Carolina. Well, I appreciate you, and 309 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: thank you. Be greater and really I love your music. 310 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: Thank you. Take care of Brooke. Have a good Sunday. 311 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: You all right, bye bye? All right? Nice but loving 312 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 1: blind he last see it all the time tonight, it's 313 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: wearing a dress, making me smile, stealing my friends. I 314 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,160 Speaker 1: used to think it was you lop a baby. It's 315 00:19:49,520 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 1: love loving blind because I see so by now, two 316 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: thousand and five is turning into two thousand and six. 317 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: I mean, the band are still together, the same guys, 318 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: were playing more and more shows, but no one's coming 319 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: to these shows. I mean a lot of times it's 320 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: just us and the bartender. But we're playing these shows 321 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: like we're playing arenas. I remember staring out into dark, 322 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:21,199 Speaker 1: empty dance floors, closing my eyes and just envisioning what 323 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 1: it would be like to have a full arena singing 324 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: these songs back to me. And we couldn't have been 325 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: any further away from that dream. Do you know? We 326 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,199 Speaker 1: are having a great time. I look back on pictures 327 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: and videos from those days, and we were always smiling, 328 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: We're always laughing, we're always joking, because it's all relative 329 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 1: and ed. At the time, that was the dream. That 330 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: was as good as it got, you know, And if 331 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: anyone was listening, if anyone was clapping or smiling or dancing, 332 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: that was it for us. That was worth it. We 333 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: were getting better. I had T shirts for sale. Now. 334 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: My first merch I had blue navy blue shirts with 335 00:20:55,920 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: a silver Texas Ranger style star. I said Granger Smith. 336 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: I was kind of playing up to that Ranger and 337 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 1: Granger thing. I wanted so badly to have a brand, 338 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: something you could see and look and identify, like a 339 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,959 Speaker 1: Nike swoosh, and so at the time, that was it. 340 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: That was the star, the badge related to Granger, or 341 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,479 Speaker 1: at least I wanted it to be that way. And 342 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: no one really bought those shirts. I still have one though. 343 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: You know. Early on, I loved the business of touring, 344 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: and I loved the challenge of trying to make touring better, 345 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: trying to overcome the challenges and the rigors of the 346 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: road to make our show better. Early two thousand and six, 347 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 1: I was still driving that same pickup truck and we 348 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: were changing before shows in the parking lot. Usually we 349 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: put our boots down on the ground and you could 350 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,439 Speaker 1: kind of switch your jeans, you know, while you're standing 351 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: on your socks. You're standing on the boots so you 352 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 1: don't get dirt on your socks. I was thinking, Man, 353 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: why can't we transform this trailer into a dressing room. 354 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:57,919 Speaker 1: So I started getting in the white trailer, and it 355 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: was difficult because you have to put them down. And 356 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: so I eventually traded in that white trailer and I 357 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: got a slightly larger black trailer. It had a side door. 358 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: Oh that's a big upgrade. So now that I have 359 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: a side door entrance, I had this idea that I 360 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: could build a partition wall right after that door to 361 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 1: close that space in like our own personal dressing room. 362 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: We hung a pole in there to hang our clothes on, 363 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: had lights inside, a little bench where we could sit down, 364 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: carpet on the floor. I mean, we had it figured out. 365 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: One night, we're playing this dance hall and this girl 366 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: I was kind of dating has this little yippie dog 367 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 1: and she didn't have a place to put it during 368 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: the show, so she sticks it in that dressing room. 369 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 1: My guitar player goes out after the show and opens 370 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: it up to get a guitar case out, and this 371 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: dog jumps out. He says, granger, Come on, man, since 372 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: when is our dressing room become a kennel? Somehow that 373 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: name stuck and from then on, that homemade dressing room 374 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: in the front part of our trailer would be called 375 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: the kennel. So I was almost finished with college. I 376 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: had one more semester left. I'm calling myself a weekend Warrior. 377 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: We're playing these shows, dragging this black trailer with a 378 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: dressing room all around Texas. Meanwhile, I have something even 379 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: cooler going on at home. I was right in the 380 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: middle of recording a brand new album, but for the 381 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 1: first time ever, recording every instrument, every vocal right there 382 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 1: in my house. Whether it was good or if it 383 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: was bad, it was mine and there was something so 384 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: special about that, and I was so so motivated to 385 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: get it out there. So there I was in two 386 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: thousand and six, just graduating from Texas A and M University, 387 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: just putting out a brand new album called Living Like 388 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: a Lone Star. The most proud I'd ever been so 389 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 1: far in my career of my music. It seemed like 390 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: everything was going my way. It seemed like the next 391 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: stop was George Strait right, and I couldn't have been 392 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: more wrong. I didn't know it, but this right here, 393 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: this moment in two thousand and six, was another beginning 394 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: for me. It was another milestone for me, and I 395 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: think because of all that excitement around what I was doing, 396 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: as passionate as I was about it. I think that's 397 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: what caused the crash. I think that's what caused the 398 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: bottom to fall out. But when the bottom fell out, 399 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: that's when I had to reinvent again. And every time 400 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: I've reinvented, it seems like that's when things changed. In 401 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 1: the next podcast, i'll tell you about that change. I'll 402 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: tell you about that crash. I'll tell you why Living 403 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: Like a Lone Star didn't do what I wanted it to, 404 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: even though it had one of my favorite songs that 405 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: I've ever written in my entire life on it. But 406 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: I had to learn a big lesson first. It wasn't 407 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,640 Speaker 1: just keys to the trailer. I was forgetting. It was fans. 408 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: I didn't have it. And when I realized what was 409 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 1: really important to me, things started changing. And that was 410 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: just the beginning. It happens like that out of the 411 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: Blue Scadock in her Blue Last. Yeah, when it happens 412 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: like like that, nothing to lose turns right into you, Julie, 413 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: or you can do just to keep her around until 414 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: the moon goes down in your back at your house. 415 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: One thing was do another You love each other when 416 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: looking you never looked back. It happens like that. This 417 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: podcast is brought to you by EEE Energy. Come find 418 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: us on tour grangersmith dot com, Forward Slash Tour, see 419 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: you down the road.