Country music’s very own Granger Smith has announced he will be leaving music altogether to focus on his passion for ministry.
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Granger who is also known for his alter ego, Earl Dibbles Jr., revealed the news on Tuesday morning (4/11) via social media telling fans he’s had trouble balancing music and his faith, leading him to make a big decision after 24 years in Country music.
"Being a musician was never a prison, but this is a new passion, a new focus, a new direction that I believe is going to allow me to focus more on individual people and their lives, which is ultimately why I started music touring in the very beginning," he shared with PEOPLE. "This is an even more micro-focused position in that. I'm not going anywhere."
Smith detailed his new focus will be his Master’s program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as “pouring into” his family’s church just outside of Austin, TX. The 43-year-old says he’s far from being “Pastor Smith,” but is open to the opportunity should his path lead there.
"I could deceive myself thinking, 'Oh, I got a calling from God to go off and start a church,'" he stated. "That's like the equivalent of a young athlete in college going, 'I'm going to declare for the NFL draft.' You need to learn under the players and the coaches until it's time, and then they'll all affirm that it's time to go into the NFL."
Smith recognizes the news may come as a shock to some, disappointment to others and evoke zero emotion for many, however, he felt it important to be honest with Country fans about where he’s at and where he’s headed.
Upon discussing the commentary he might receive surrounding the decision, Granger said he’s prepared himself for four main responses. “The first group will say, 'Oh, praise God, that's amazing. What an example.' The second group's going to say, 'Oh no, I'm going to miss your music. I'm going to miss your touring.' The third group is going to say, 'Oh, go follow your little sky God. You're probably just making money that we don't know about as a preacher.' Then the fourth group is going to go, 'Granger who? No one cares.'"
In addition to sharing he’ll be leaving music, Granger also shared he’ll be embarking on one last tour before he calls it quits. The Like a River tour is named in recognition of his late 3-year-old son, River, who died in June 2019 following a drowning accident.
"This tour's not about me," he said. "This tour is going to be about the people that have supported me for so long. And, selfishly, I will enjoy it more if they're enjoying it more.”
In tandem with the conclusion of his tour in August, Smith also has plans to release his very first memoir, Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartache, on August 1.
"There's things in here that are extremely vulnerable. It's very personal,” he said of the book which details the times after losing his son, River. “The overwhelming feeling was that if my story could help others, then it's worth it, then it matters."
Pre-order the book here and see full list of Granger’s final tour dates below.
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