Granger Smith headlined a July 4th concert at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas over the weekend, later praising both fans and organizers for the overwhelming success of the show. Granger posted a photo on social media, showing cars parked with space between them, hinting that the type of show he just performed might be the way all shows take place in the future.

“An amazing job last night from the city of Round Rock TX, the Round Rock Express and all the fans who joined in a unified effort to achieve a properly executed socially distanced concert,” Granger said. “I am so proud of the extensive planning that could (potentially) become a blueprint for many more across the country for all genres.

“Music can heal,” he added. “Music can restore. Music can save lives. We can make sure music still gets delivered with cooperation at all levels of an event like this.”

 

According to the Dell Diamond’s website, tickets were only sold up to 15 percent capacity, and face coverings were required.

Granger’s Independence Day show came after he performed at a concert at the end of June, which he shared on social media, and later deleted after Chase Rice was also criticized for performing in front of a live audience during the coronavirus pandemic.

“There is no way to really quantify this, but you could make an argument that people could be at the end of their rope,” Granger told CMT. “They could be entering a dark depression. I feel like providing a night like that, with the appropriate guidelines, could in a way save lives. And I say that with the intent that there are people saying that you have to stay home to save lives, but I was looking at these people thinking that you could also make an argument that you have to get out and enjoy a normal night out with friend to save lives.

“The reason I can say that with any kind of honesty is because I’ve had people tell me throughout the years that music saved their lives,” he continued. “Not just my music, but music in general. That’s what music has the power to do. So if people can say that about music in normal times, then can you imagine what’s happening now, during the pandemic?”

Granger and his wife, Amber, have been speaking out about the tragic death of their son, River, who passed away in the family’s swimming pool one year ago. The couple share what they have learned since then about water safety, hoping to spare other families the unfathomable heartache they have experienced since the loss of their youngest child.

“I was 20 feet away,” Granger recalled of the tragic day, while speaking on the Today Show. “I was playing gymnastics with my daughter. He was outside of the locked gate with our other son. There wasn’t music playing; there wasn’t any kind of distractions. It was just a quiet, 7 p.m. summer evening. It was so silent. There wasn’t a splash; there wasn’t any kind of call for help. I just saw him. I turned around, and I saw him.”

“We had a pool,” he added, “and didn’t know that it’s the leading killer.”

Granger admits he thought he was being careful with his children and their pool, but later learned there was so much more they needed to do.

“I would have thought a year ago, supervision — just watch your kids. Just watch them,” Granger acknowledged. “And I know now, from my own experience, that no human being on this planet is capable to say that’s enough. Because that requires 24/7. And if you add a gate, that’s not enough. If you add swimming lessons, that’s not enough. Pool alarm, it’s not enough.”