Granger Smith is back with new music, and it's a breath of fresh air in this fast-paced world. In the midst of a life-changing year in which Smith lost his 2-year-old son, River, he shared with fans via Instagram that he's found a new perspective on life and plans to share that through his music and tours. "If you see me on tour, or hear new music, know this: it matters to me. Or makes me smile, or makes me think of my dad, or my little red-headed boy [River]. Or my wife, kids, momma, friends, struggles and triumphs," he wrote. "But ... wait ... isn’t that what Country music is supposed to be about?" In the same post, Smith introduced his new single, writing, "It’s about finding peace. Finding yourself. Finding God on a road that’s rough around the edges just like us. It’s about that rural sanctuary we all know so well behind a pair of headlights, a steering wheel and your heavy thoughts." The tune, written by Smith, Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite and Brad Rempel, starts with the heartbeat of a kickdrum that calls listeners to the freedom of the dirt road. Smith sings, "Midnight Milky Way through a cracked windshield / The highways never know how free this feels." As your shoulders drop and you're daydreaming of the open road, Smith proves the simplicity of a dirt road is often the only therapy we need, singing: "Talk to God on 'em, we get lost on 'em / Find our way to a rocky mountain top on 'em / We get stuck on 'em, fall in love on 'em / Rough around the edges just like us / That's why I love dirt roads." Feels good, doesn't it? Believe it or not, the lyrics aren't the only thing that paint a beautiful picture in this song. The single artwork brings Smith's lyrics to life with an illustration of a dirt road scene with a few personal touches, like his late son's image illuminating the mountains. The message Smith shares through all aspects of this single is a strong one, and we encourage you to share it by adding it to your playlist.
Impacting: Monday, November 18th
By: Monica Rivera