Granger Smith is stepping away from country music. The singer has found it difficult to continue in the industry following the death of his son.
Smith's son River passed away a few years ago in a terrible drowning accident. Smith confessed that following his son's death he found God and religion. He said that he's stepping away from music to focus on ministry and religion.
He said via social media, "There is not another number-one song I could write. There is not another album I could release or sold-out concert I can perform that is more important than what I'm telling you right now. I wonder if there's anyone here this morning that's chasing something like I was, that's getting in the way of knowing God more."
Smith said he doesn't want to be famous anymore. He explained, "I don't want the Granger Smith name to be famous. Instead, I want to proclaim the name of Christ, the one that washed me clean, the one that has freed me from my shame and guilt, the one that gave me a new heart."
Granger Smith Talks Faith
He also wants his fans to know the real reason he's leaving. He said, "I want Him to be known, and I want you to know Him, and I want to know Him more. THAT is the real reason I'm leaving touring."
Smith confessed that not all of his fans may agree with him. But it's something he has to do. He wrote, "This might be offensive— I realize that about a lot of things I say these days. That's not my end goal. But offense is an acceptable side effect of truth telling."
According to Granger Smith, his son's death pushed him towards religion. He said that God made the tragedy happen because Smith had been promoting the wrong message on the road. Smith said he had often focused on partying over faith.
He said, "The Lord used that suffering to crush me and break me. And the reality is if He hadn't done that, I'd still be lost in that cultural Christianity out there playing concerts, glorifying drinking beer, singing all the things about country music, and getting everyone else to party with me. And that would have led me straight to hell."
He continued, "So the Lord intervened in a radical way, and through that, I'm here speaking to these men, and I'm here speaking tomorrow morning. If the Lord hadn't done it in that way, I'd be in a bad spot. So, I have to say, the Lord knew what He was doing."
