First off, Congratulations to Granger Smith, and the entire team he has with him. They got a number one song. A number Freaking One. You may not know how big of a deal that is. George Strait’s ‘Still Make Cheyenne’ didn’t hit number one. ‘Hicktown,’ Jason Aldean’s breakout hit didn’t hit number one. A lot of your favorite songs, never made it this high. So yeah, it’s a big deal.
Back in October, Granger and I took some time to ride around College Station. We shot an episode for his very popular YeeYee TV that I’m sure will be out sometime. We grabbed a beer at the Chicken. We even visited his old house. Where he actually recorded many of his early songs and albums. The surprised mom that was at home with a cute toddler was surprised and very gracious. She let us wander around and let him meander down memory lane. The closet where Granger recorded vocals was left with a small inscription that the new homeowners didn’t even know was there.
My friendship with Granger started many years ago. I was working at a radio station in San Angelo, and he came through to promote a show. It’s happened with a lot of artists. They want as many people to come out and see them play as possible. Granger and I got along really well. He’s a genuinely nice person, so it’s easy to see why a lot of people can call him a friend. I would soon move off to Georgia, where I ran a radio station there, but after a year or so, found myself back in San Angelo. A series of situations later, mixed in with a lot of immaturity on my part, I soon found myself out of a job and homeless. I was sleeping in my Jeep, or on friends couches. On my birthday, I was close to just getting out of radio and moving home. Calling it quits, a dream that didn’t work out. Granger called me and wished me a happy birthday. The conversation went something like this:
Granger: hey man, happy birthday!
JR (me): oh thanks man. I really appreciate that.
Granger: Are you going to come out to the show tonight at Blaine’s? (The venue)
JR: oh man, I have like five dollars on me, and I’m sleeping on someones futon, it would be pretty disrespectful of me to go out and spend that on beer.
Granger: Oh no, you’ll drink on me. It’s your birthday man!
JR: (Long pause) you know I’m not in radio right now right? I can’t do anything or…anything
Granger: I’m sorry, I thought we were friends…
JR: I mean, I hope we are, but when you’re out of radio and aren’t of help to people, sometimes you realize people aren’t.
Granger: Well we are. Come out. Let’s have fun for your birthday.
So I did. Granger sat me in front of the stage. I drank the band’s beer. In between songs he would ask someone to buy me a shot. It was a great way to spend a birthday.
After that night, I started picking myself back up. I got a non-radio job, after a while, with some help from other great friends I found a place to live. I found myself in that. I told myself I’d never forget what a true friend is. There, in good times and in bad.
Now, Granger and I don’t text every day. It’s probably a couple of times a month at best. But he always answers when I text him. I know he’s being pulled a hundred different directions. His main focus is always his family. I try to emulate that. To make priorities now matter how good things are going, don’t forget the important stuff. It all started from a phone call.
I had felt knocked down at that moment. He called at the perfect time. I don’t know if he knows how much that helped me when I needed it most. But I hope he does now.
