Today we focus on artist, who proved the old adage that "patience is a virtue." It took him eight studio albums, one live album and an EP before finally breaking through on the country charts, paraphrasing another adage, "16th time is the charm". But he always had musical parody to fall back on.

CRS 2017 - Day 3 on February 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.
photo courtesy of Jason Davis/Getty Images Entertainment
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Dallas, TX native Granger Smith definitely has "stick-to-it" down deep inside. After graduating from Texas A&M with his Bachelor's Degree, he decided that Nashville was his next stop. He had taught himself to play guitar at age 14, and in 1999, while still at A&M, he signed his first publishing deal with EMI Music Publishing. Smith was 19. 1998 also saw the release of his debut album, Waiting on Forever, which he produced himself and also released it on his own. Smith's first six albums followed this formula, and during this time a musical "partner" appeared on some of his songs, while also recording parodies of other Smith songs. Earl Dibbles, Jr. was born.

Smith was beginning to make a name for himself, performing at the White House on several occasions. He also made several trips to Kuwait and Iraq, performing for U.S. troops stationed in those countries. In 2013 Granger signed with Pioneer Records, bring his alter-ego along with him. That year he released Dirt Road Driveway, which became his first album to chart, peaking at #15 on the U.S. Country Albums chart, and #11 on the Indie Albums chart. Granger Smith was beginning to be noticed.

CRS 2017 - Day 3 on February 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo courtesy of Jason Davis/Getty Images Entertainment
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Off of the success of the album, Smith released the EP 4x4, which definitely caught the attention of Broken Bow Records. The label signed Smith to its subsidiary label Wheelhouse Records, including the songs from the EP, one that featured Earl Dibbles, Jr., on the album. The lead single from both releases, Smith's 16th career single release, was "Backroad Song", which would become Smith's first bonafide hit, topping the Country Singles chart for one week in February of 2016. The follow-up single, "If The Boot Fits", peaked at #6 and Smith proved to everyone that his hard work paid off.

Smith (and Dibbles) is back in the studio, working on his second major label album, and we have the first single from that project in our spotlight today. Brought to you by All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, Granger Smith and "Happens Like That" is in our Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll wanna hear it again.

Like, share or comment on the Catch of the Day, and you will be entered into our drawing for a $25 gift card from All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, who bring you the Catch of the Day on Oklahoma's Best Country, KLAW101.

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