Today we turn our focus to a singer and songwriter who has felt the spotlight here in Lawton before. He is an artist who headlined our Taste of Country Christmas concert back in 2015.

Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival - Day 1
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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Canaan Smith first stepped onto the national stage age a competitor on the reality series The Amazing Race, but was pursuing a music career long before that. Smith's musical pursuit began at an early age as he was only in sixth grade when he formed his first band, joining with two friends. The trio remained together through their senior year of high school, writing, recording and performing. Long before anyone had ever heard of gofundme.com, Smith and his band raised money to record their first album by selling advance copies to their friends.

In 2001 Smith moved from his native Williamsburg, VA to Nashville to attend Bellmont University, the same country music “factory” that gave us singers and songwriters like Ashley Clark, Sarah Buxton, Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley (Florida-Georgia Line), Sarah Cannon (better know as Minnie Pearl) and Brad Paisley among others. Smith returned home to Virgina after graduation, but Nashville kept calling his name and he returned in 2009, concentrating on his songwriting. His first success was with Love & Theft’s 2009 top-10 hit “Runaway“.

 

49th Annual CMA Awards - Arrivals
Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
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Smith's recording career began in earnest in 2012, when he released the single “We Got Us“. He was voted by Country Weekly and Roughstock magazines as one of their “Ones To Watch In 2012“, with his debut single peaking at #44 on the country chart. Soon after, Canaan entered the studio to work on a debut album.

In September of 2014, Smith released his second single “Love You Like That‘, and was voted by Billboard magazine as one of “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know” in its country issue. The song climbed the charts slowly, taking 42 weeks until hitting the #1 spot on July 25th. The single was featured on Smith’s self-titled debut EP, as well as his debut album Bronco. The album's second single, "Hole in a Bottle", released in October of 2015, and peaked at #23.

Canaan has been back in the studio, working on the long awaited follow-up to Bronco. We have the lead single from that project in our spotlight today. Brought to you by

Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival - Day 1
Canaan Smith performs during the Route 91 Harvest country music festival at the MGM Resorts Village on October 3, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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All-American Super Car Wash, Canaan Smith and "Like You That Way" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.

Comment, like or share today’s Catch of the Day, and you'll be eligible to win a $25 gift card from All-American Super Car Wash of Lawton.

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