While still a teenager, Granger Smith signed a record contract. Over the years that followed, he performed at the White House, traveled to Iraq and Kuwait to entertain troops, and landed a No. 1 hit with “Backroad Song.” Releasing albums and touring, Smith appeared to be on the road to becoming the next big country name. But in 2023 – that all changed. Deciding to leave country music to dedicate his life to his faith, Smith recently discussed the poison behind fame and its need to be fed.
Smith cherished his time on stage. Building a full career in country music, he looked back on his time in the music industry, explaining, “The problem with music for me was never writing songs, singing songs, or releasing songs. What became problematic for me was performing on tour for a lot of reasons.”
Those reasons included missing his family and church. Not liking how the industry was pulling him away from those who mattered the most to him, he added, “It took me away from my family. It took me away from my local church. I was missing all of that because I was always touring on Saturday nights. It became an idol for me.”
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Granger Smith Warns That Stardom “Always Craves More”
Again, having stood on stage in front of thousands of screaming fans, Smith knew the addiction that can come with stardom. And for the former country singer, it made him pity the stars of the time. “Your heart just breaks for these megastars. The goal of all the touring, all the concerts, and all the music releases is ultimate stardom. And it’s never satisfied by a certain level of being famous. It always craves more.”
With Smith declaring that fame comes at a cost, he wondered if humans could even handle such a concept. “The result is a man or a woman who’s lost all sense of who they are. Men and women are not meant to be worshiped. We’re not created to be worshiped. And if we are, it actually hurts us. It becomes poison in our veins.”
Pouring his entire story into his upcoming book, Poison in the Well, Smith hoped his message would resonate with fans searching for purpose beyond success and fame.
(Photo by Izzy Nuzzo/Billboard via Getty Images)