Granger Smith announces new creed after leaving country music

Granger Smith begins a new chapter.

The singer, who left country music in 2023 to focus on the ministry of his hometown outside Austin, Texas, exclusively told Fox News Digital that his new book, “Poison in the Well,” will be published on September 8.

The 46-year-old's previous book, “Like a River,” was published in 2023 before bidding farewell to the music industry. It focuses on how she coped with grief after the death of her 3-year-old son, River, in a drowning accident in 2019.

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“This one makes me very happy because 'Like the River' is very much wrapped up in my personal story of the loss of my son, the River, our journey through grief, loss and recovery, and the birth of my son Maverick,” he explained. “And that really sums up that time. And in that time, God saved me.”

“…God saving me is what caused a big change in my life,” said the father of four. “…I left the whole music business. It changed the whole course of my life and my family's life. The new book goes directly through that journey so that if anyone says, 'Your book “Like a River” was inspiring,' I can give them 'Poison in the Pit' and say, 'These are the mechanics of why everything changed after that.'

Smith admitted that six months after the death of his son, he found himself asking a question he never thought he would ask: What if his faith fails to sustain him?

“…Most of the discussion we're having now in this book, it's all in retrospect,” he said. “I'm the one processing what happened to me. I think the first time I asked the question was, 'What if everything I believe in my faith is actually built on shifting sand?'

“Poison in the Well: 11 Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me From the Living Waters of Jesus” is available for pre-order. (Thomas Nelson)

“And that's a question I believe many people would ask in deep, dark grief when they've lost a loved one, a marriage or a job – or, this may sound trivial, but it's not – even a pet,” he said. “Anything you lose that you love, and you've created an identity around – including a job – when you lose that, you start thinking, 'Why do I feel lost? Why do I feel hopeless?'

River Kelly Smith died in June 2019. She was 3 years old. (Courtesy of Granger Smith.)

“And for those people who have faith in any religion, they will start questioning the validity of that religion they are standing in.”

“I thought, 'I'm a Christian. Why do I feel hopeless? Doesn't the Bible say we should have hope? And I don't,'” he reflected. “If so, why am I standing? Because this sounds like sand. That was a time of deep reflection.”

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Since leaving country music, Smith has found healing in connecting with others who have experienced loss. Now in a different phase, he uses his ministry to guide people through grief and spiritual doubt, re-examining what it means to hold on to faith in difficult times.

Granger Smith told Fox News Digital that he has been busy writing a new book about his relationship with God. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I was a musician who always liked to meet and greet,” he explained. “I remember reading the stories of certain musicians who said that meeting and greeting each other is the worst thing in their day because they bring them down. They hear the problems of all the people, and then they have to sing. And sometimes the musicians would even cancel the meeting and greeting to just play music.

In 2023, Granger Smith announced that he would leave country music to devote his life to Christian ministry. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I was one of those unusual people who liked to hear people and learn about their problems, joys and sorrows.”

“Since I left music and focused on ministry, this is what I do: I focus on people,” he said.

Granger Smith invites followers and curious students to examine the foundation of their faith. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I think I stopped being interested in pleasing people and became interested in helping people. That gave me a lot of joy. I sleep a lot better at night knowing that today's work is enough – it's not about the next one song, the next album, the next tour.”

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Granger Smith and his wife Amber are the proud parents of four children – London, Lincoln, the late River and Maverick. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“That's an amazing feeling of relief,” he added.

But Smith didn't give up music entirely. She hopes to use songwriting to help others experience the Bible in a more personal way—an idea sparked by her children.

Granger Smith's upcoming book reveals the “false beliefs” he believes keep people from having a strong relationship with God. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“There is a new way that God has surrounded music in my life,” he said.

Granger Smith, who devotes her time to her family, told Fox News Digital that there are aspects of showbiz she doesn't miss. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“People often ask, 'Are you done with music? Will you ever have more music from you?' And the answer was always 'I don't know.' I don't know what God will do, but God gives each of us certain nuances that we are better at than other things. And I've always loved music, and I've always enjoyed talking about music.”

Smith said her family starts each day with a Bible story and prayer, then sets aside a few minutes to sing together.

Granger Smith is raising his family in Texas. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I realized that I could write songs based on the Scriptures,” said Smith.

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In his new book, Granger Smith examines “misconceptions, incomplete truths and widely accepted norms that prevented him from truly knowing Jesus.” (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“We would sing fun little songs that are just songs of Scripture and add a song to them that is easy to memorize. So, we started doing that a few years ago. Then, I realized that maybe these could be useful for others, not only children, but also for other people – to be able to think about the Scriptures and memorize the Scripture in a unique way by singing it.”

“So maybe next time my album will be released with songs from the Bible,” he joked.

Granger Smith previously wrote the New York Times bestseller “Like a River: Finding Faith and the Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartache.” (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

Smith revealed that there are things he doesn't miss about showbiz.

Granger Smith's son, Maverick Beckham Smith, was born on Aug. 20, 2021. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“The problem with music for me was not writing songs, singing or releasing songs,” he explained. “What was a problem for me was playing on tour for many reasons. It took me away from my family. It took me away from the local church. I missed all of that because I was always visiting on Saturday nights.”

“He became an idol to me,” Smith admitted.

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Granger Smith and his wife, Amber, live north of Austin, Texas, with their children, London, Lincoln, and Maverick. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“It was difficult for me to separate myself from promoting my music, standing on stage in front of many people. Not letting it get to my head is almost playing down because it is almost impossible for someone to be worshiped in that way.

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Granger Smith taught her children the songs of Scripture, including son Maverick (pictured here). (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“Even in music, it used to be that you tried to be praised by the crowd, you need to be applauded. It means that you are successful in what you are trying to do, which is dangerous. It is dangerous for a person.”

“Your heart just breaks with these megastars,” Smith said. “The goal of every tour, every concert, and every music release is a big star. And it's never satisfied with a certain level of fame. It's always yearning for more. The result is a man or a woman who has lost the sense of who they are. Men and women are not meant to be worshiped. We were not created to be worshiped. And when we are, it hurts our veins.”

Granger Smith fell in love with music at a young age before becoming an award-winning, platinum-selling singer/songwriter. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

Today, Smith hopes that his book will help others grow closer to God during the most difficult times of their lives, just as he did.

In 2017, Granger Smith started the Granger Smith Podcast, where he discusses faith and family. (Courtesy of Granger Smith)

“I want people to see about my story that I was living a life thinking that I am gaining something from God instead of loving God for what he has done,” he said. “Now, I want to do things to please Him in return.”

“…This book also reveals some of the poisons we often fall into as humans. I look at them like check engine lights. If you're doing this, or you're involved in that, it might be a check engine light that you don't see … that's the goal.”