Granger Kelly Smith (born September 4, 1979), also known by his stage name, Earl Dibbles Jr., is an American Southern Baptist minister, radio show host and former country music singer and songwriter. He has released eleven studio albums, two live albums, and two EPs. "Backroad Song" became his lone number-one single in 2016 and he had a second top ten hit with "If the Boot Fits" in 2017.
Smith hosts the nationally syndicated radio show After Midnite with Granger Smith. It is heard on more than 100 country music radio stations in the U.S., mostly those owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. His co-host is Anne Hudson and Anthony "Antman" Allen serves as executive producer. The show airs in most cities from 12 to 6 a.m. local time. It broadcasts to around 4 million listeners every night.
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Early life
Smith was born in Dallas, Texas. At 14, he became interested in music and decided to pursue it as a hobby, teaching himself guitar. After graduating from Lake Highlands High School in 1998, Smith attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and was a member of the Corps of Cadets.
After his second year, he moved from Texas to Nashville after signing a songwriting contract with EMI Music Publishing. Later, in 2005, he returned to Texas and re-enrolled at Texas A&M to complete his degree. He continued to play live and record music, including "We Bleed Maroon", an homage to his alma mater and fellow Aggies.