Country music star Granger Smith explains why he’s leaving music for ministry
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Granger Smith is approaching his last show on Aug. 26 before he trades microphones and stage lights for Bibles and pulpits.
Earlier this year, the country music star announced his decision to leave the music industry to spend more time at his local church and eventually pursue ministry. “We’re going to pour into that church as members, and have my pastors and elders pour into me and disciple me and teach me, as I sit under their wise teaching,” Smith said, per the Deseret News.
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Born in Dallas, Texas, he moved to Nashville to pursue music while he was attending Texas A&M University. Since Smith was 19 years old, he’s been in the music industry. He’s opened for Garth Brooks, released 11 albums and is known for his hit singles “Backroad Song” and “If the Boot Fits.”
During his career, he made a foray into acting. Smith starred in the film “Moonrise,” available on the Christian entertainment platform Pure Flix. The film was named after his 11th studio album.
His music career stretched over two decades before he decided to leave the industry. The husband and father of four said earlier this year he’s been working toward a master’s degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — a seminary which prepares Baptist church members to become pastors and active in ministry.
Leading up to his final show, he recently spoke with “Entertainment Tonight” about why he made his decision to leave music and pursue church ministry.
In 2019, Smith and his wife, Amber Bartlett, lost their 3-year-old son River in a drowning accident. Shortly after this happened, Smith told “ET” he used substances to cope and eventually hit what he said was “rock bottom” when thinking about the loss of his son.
Smith recalled this moment when he thought about ending his life and told “ET,” “I had one thought and it was Lincoln and London, my two kids at home. That was the first thought that hit me. I thought I just saw their faces and then I said, ‘Jesus, help me.’”
This moment “was the beginning,” according to Smith. At the time, he said he didn’t know much about his faith, per “ET.” Since then, his faith has become a bigger part of his life. The musician regularly tweets Bible verses, and themes of faith and family run through his music.
Afterward, Smith wrote a memoir called “Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartache,” which describes the difficulties of losing a loved one, per People magazine. It was released on Aug. 1, toward the tail end of Smith’s last tour by the same name.
Now Smith is preparing to enter ministry.
“This season of my life will be actually being with my family and going to our little local church and learning under our pastor and going to seminary and getting out and speaking occasionally and talking about this book and telling people about my darkest night and how I was saved from that, so that’s where I am right now,” Smith told “ET.”
The star previously said he didn’t feel like he could stay in music while pursuing ministry.
“I can’t go to seminary and pursue ministry and be poured in by my pastors and elders and then go out on weekends and try to be exalting myself. I think that’s a contradiction and it’s nothing against anyone else that can do music and succeed in denying themselves, I just — I’m not very good at it,” he told “Good Morning America.”
“I want to learn and grow and serve my local church and allow my pastors to equip and affirm those next steps. Lord willing, I want to be used to help people find their purpose,” Smith said in an Instagram post.
