Yeah, fire away, dude. I want to. I want to get a deeper as we can. I mean, a lot of life has happened since we crossed past the last Yeah, and I feel like we're very aligned in our goals. Yeah, our go forward goals are very much aligned. So yeah's everything, It's all. I was free open season.
I was talking to Amber last night and I said, I said, when's the first time I met Canaan and and I think I think it was you and Christy were at an award show and we were like sitting either next to each other or close to each other. Is that right?
Yeah, dude, totally right. I'm trying to remember which one it was.
It would be.
It wasn't the CMTS. It might have been like the the CMA's here in town. And then I remember, you're right, we did.
Another time early on this is this is kind of embarrassing, but we were and it's kind of a vague memory. We were somewhere, I think West Coast. We were on tour and it was one of those days were just bands are in and out, in and out, in and out, and for some reason, I was just in a bad mood. It was like a poorly run festival, really hot, and I remember seeing you and you were like coming off the stage and you're really mad.
And then I.
Like, you like threw a drumk you like threw a tomb or something a drum And I remember feeling so good. I was like, oh good, somebody else has got the same movie, dude.
How many of those shows have we played where it was just a total, you know, train wreck?
You know those thrown goes situations can be so so frustrating man, And no, that doesn't surprise me. I will say, I look back at there are definite moments in my career where I look back and I'm like, I was as much as as much fun as I had in some of those peak moments, like when I had a hit on the radio and I was out there in front of big, big crowds. All the rush of that
was exciting and fun. But when I look back on it, like, the character that I'm looking at, the person that I'm looking at from this side, is so different than who I am now like, And I think that what you just said that story is a perfect example of I was missing it. I was I was just kind of missing it, missing the point of it all, you know
what I mean. I just wanted everything to be perfect and for what for me to make a bigger name for myself so that everyone thought I had my stuff together, you know, Like, I don't know, man, that's just as a reminder to me. It's funny because I'm thankful now I can laugh at that and I'm not mad at myself anymore. But I went through a season of life where I was like, really just discouraged at how I was kind of handling my business and handling myself.
You know, yes, I do. I know, man, I lived it, and I saw it in you and you probably saw it in me. But that's the rat race that we were living, you know, that was the hamster wheel we were on. And if you think about like what the things we saw and how the beautiful people in the incredible country, and it's like we weren't really even enjoying any of that at some level truly.
I know, dude, as much as I saw, I feel like it's all a blur.
It's all a blur, you know. Yeah, So what was the shift for you? How are you? How are you sitting here now with a new perspective?
Kids? Oh? Yeah, you know, we had kids, and that literally changed the game for me. Plus I walked away well as let me rewind a little bit. I got to the point where I was so lost as an artist. After we had Lovey like that it was a hit, and then we followed it up with a song called Hole in a Bottle and it was like twenty three and it was just chugging along, you know, running out of gas. It felt like it wasn't going to make it all the way and I was frustrated that, you know,
we couldn't do two in a row. Yeah, and I wanted that momentum. And I was looking left and right at everyone else and what they had going, and I was like, why is my you know, why is this not happening? Meanwhile, you got you know, a bunch of people in your ear, you know about you know help. You know, decision making wasn't just from my gut or my prayer, you know, time with God. It was a bunch of advice from more than just me. You know a lot of people, a lot of cooks in the kitchen.
And I felt lost in that process and I got lost. So I actually walked away from it as far as like the record deal situation. I had a talk with the CEO of the record label, Mike Dungan, who was an awesome dude, and we hit it off really good. But I just went into him and I told him how I felt, and I just laid it all out there. I was like, I don't even know what I want to do anymore. To be honest with you, man, I don't know what I have to say as an artist.
I'm completely I need to go find myself. Can you let me out of this deal? He was he understood, he's a he's an artist first, kind of label execut in the first place. So like that was to my advantage that he understood where I was coming from and he and he supported that, you know, me going to find myself again. So I walked away from it and I shelved a really good situation because I was being
impatient and ungrateful. I lost sight. You know, that was a recipe for like, okay, well now what you know, Like now I'm totally yeah, rude here, I've got no team, I got no go forward songs. I don't know what I want to have to say or who's going to help me say it. So that was a time of just shit like kind of reflecting, and.
So what years this happening. This is twenty eighteen, twenty eighteen, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's probably the same year I saw you at that festival.
Probably was, dude, Probably was. And I took a minute and I was hanging out with Tyler Hubbard. He was a good friend of mine, and we were working out and he started telling me that he was about to start a new venture, a publishing venture and maybe a record label at the same time. And I was like, oh,
that's interesting, that could be cool. And so honestly, that just kind of like came about through it just sort of just coming to the table naturally, through us hanging out in conversations about what he wanted to do next in his career, the kind of the team and structure he wanted to build. And I ended up fitting into that equation. And so I signed a record deal with him and b K under the name Your Records, and
a publishing deal as well. And so this was twenty nineteen, and at this time, Granger, I was like not even sure. I mean, I like I told you, I was lost as an artist, So I didn't know what I was going to do next in that regard, But I still loved writing songs, and so I focused a little bit more on that than I had been in the past. I wanted to kind of double down as a songwriter and go hard in the pain on that front, and so I did that whole right, you know, four times, yeah,
sometimes five times a week. And I did that for about two years and not really even thinking about what's next for me as an artist. And that was a transitional phase where it was a little bit tough at first, because you know, you go at one speed and you're you know, you're kind of just coasting for a minute, and then everything it felt like the rug was pulled out a little bit and I had to had to down shift and go back to square one and kind
of find my bearings again. And what was beautiful about the partnership there with Tyler and BK was it I'd known those guys for enough time that they knew I was lost, you know, and they were able to kind of like speak in to me and help me get back on track a little bit. So it was a transitional season. And then meanwhile, my wife gets pregnant, and this is you know, going on in the background too.
All the same time, and our daughter, Virginia was born on Halloween of twenty nineteen, so shortly after I started working with those guys, we had our first child. And I was starting at that point to be like, Okay, you know, I feel like I've got some new direction as far as where I want to go next musically, and I started to put a little tour together for the January JA. I think we're going to do some
late Jamesnuary dates in twenty twenty. So two weekends into this club tour thing, COVID hit and then that couldn't be on the road anymore. And so it was another bit of a rug pulled out from under me. And I'm starting to see a theme here actually, as we're talking that God has intervened multiple times on my path in the form of pulling the rug out, and not as I don't say that as a victim. I say that with gratitude, honestly, because I've never been happier than I am.
Now, well, let me say right there that there's an interview that you did, and there's a quote that you have that says, around the same time you're talking about you said, I feel like I had come home and God knew it. My perspective needed shifting.
Yeah it did, dude, it really did. I didn't know it, but he did. And sometimes he you know, in the Bible he talks through a donkey at one point, is it Byalem as a donkey?
He does a bush too, and a bush and a witch. Yeah. Yeah, wow crazy.
So I felt like you know, I have, I have felt redirected. And then to speed up the story a little bit, COVID hit came off the road for a good long season. Got to spend real quality time at home. Yeah, for the first time, you know, really, because Christy and I got married and I went on radio tour literally a week after we got married in twenty fourteen, so you know with that site.
Yeah.
Anyhow, then being home and having a new being, a new dad, all of that at the same time was exactly what my heart needed and exactly where what my faith needed because all the tearing that happens, you know, even as a I mean, I'm not gonna lie to you, bro, I have moments every single day where I fall apart. So and yeah, I know you know what I'm talking. Yeah, I'm I yell at the kids, and I hate myself for it, but I'll get so short with them because I've got other things I need to get done. The
chaos is keeping me from getting done. But all of that's so good for me, for a guy like me, It's like and God's just like being so gracious to me along this path of you know, me having to this this great awakening that's happened and is happening still for me. And I don't know what what the point is other than on a on a you know, on the level of being dad and being Christie's husband, like on that level the things that matter most. I'm being
tweaked in all the right ways. I think God's tightening what needs tightened and tearing off what needs tear tearing and and and as a result of that, I'm also feeling more fulfilled creatively. I'm getting to open myself up and what I bring to the table now comes comes from you know, a different side perspective that is on
the other side of not maturity, but sort of. I mean, I guess, right, So that was the shift, really, man, that was a many It took a few steps, right, and even the record deal I ended up signing with with the with the boys that got canned when they called it quits as a duo, they closed up shop on the record deal. And that was another like rug pulled moment that I needed to get me to hear for this album that I was put out even to have happened, you know, it wouldn't have happened had I,
you know. And I was actually halfway down the road cutting the second album with them for in some the same songs that are on this album, we're already underway, but we re recorded them obviously.
And this is independent. This record's independent, totally independent. Yeah, how did you? How'd you fund it? I mean it sounds it sounds expensive.
I'm so proud of It is expensive to record music, as you know, but it was a partnership with I got. I got fifteen thousand dollars. Actually I got a twenty thousand dollars check from a camper company. I use we have a camper trailer.
I saw that on your Instagram. It looks awesome. I want to talk to you about that thing because that, Yeah, for sure, that looks like goody.
It's called Modern Buggy. That's the brand, and they have all kinds of different models. And sizes and things, but the one we had fits in my garage. It's super easy to just hook up and go. But I had bought one from from the guy who owns the company. We crossed paths somehow. He was host in like a songwriter night in Michigan, and I got asked to do it and we hit it off, and he ended up telling me, you know, he had these cool buggies, and I was like, oh, sweet, I might want to get one.
I ended up getting one. He gave me a great deal on it, and then you know, I made some posts about it because I really love it, and we used a lot, and he just decided, you know, let's let's try to collaborate on that front, and you know, let's help each other out. You advertise the buggy, and I'll give you some money to do that. So he gave me twenty thousand dollars last year. Yeah, in April of last year, and three two weeks later, we were
in the studio recording the album. With that money. It's I spent fifteen thousand dollars for the entire project at the recording of the project, and I spent the other five thousand on a videographer to help with some assets for socials. So all in it was twenty thousand dollars to get it to where it is now.
And that's for people listening. That's still very difficult to be within twenty.
That's dirt cheap.
That is dirty crazy. I mean a normal record where you say one hundred thousand, like a normal normal record with the record label just to record it.
And paying a producer fee and all that other stuff that Anthony Olympia, who produced my record, decided he didn't need a producer fee. We just did a split the master situation, and I'm so grateful for that. So you can get creative these days, you know, and get a piecemeal a record together the way that you have, you know, the way that you can afford. And that's what we did.
There are people that will charge twenty five hundred dollars just to mix a song, and you you have eleven songs on this record. That's to put it in that in perspective.
Yeah, exactly, So I've got I mean, this is the this is the result of very kind, very talented humans who gave their incredible gifts to this project for a very.
Insanely low price. You know. I don't know that I could replicate it again necessarily because they're worth a lot more than that. But yeah, I'm really proud of of where we came in.
Yeah, you should be, man, I mean, sonically, the thing is solid. I've gotten to listen to it several times now, probably, like if I was going to decide a favorite, probably every day, Joe, I think, I think I'm going there, or pay It Forward or in Time with You. Probably I love so eleven songs, did you know? Let me ask you this could there's no way you could know this answer, but let me just me ask you anyway,
eleven songs. How many of the eleven do you think have some kind of faith element in the song itself, in the lyrics? I know the answer. I'm just asking probably half of them.
I don't know. I'd say a majority of them.
Ten ten songs have and I wow, yeah, I didn't know that. The only one is in Time with You is the only one that does it, and that's you know, it's a love song. But every other one, and I'm counting, I'm counting if it the word angel, the word prayer, the word preacher. You know, I'm adding I'm make so your record is you're definitely thinking through things and there's something inside of you that that speaks in your songwriting, in your performing, whether you even know it or not.
I think it's just that's the foundation you're on. You you come from this foundation. So it's I guess I should say it's like impossible for you to write an album and not your faith not be prevalent in it.
Praise God for that, dude. Honestly, there's you know, we're set apart as believers, That's what That's what the word teaches us, that we're set apart, right, and then we're called out out of the world, We're called out of darkness and delight.
That's the what the word holy means. Holy means set apart, which is which is God's overarching attribute is his holiness. It's often forgotten because people go, well, God, his greatest attribute is love, No, not necessarily love is a is an outpouring of his holiness. He's loving because he's holy. Set apart, He's we are not like him. He is.
He is set apart from the universe, and so we're made in his image, but almost like a shadow is in the image of me or you, the shadow is made in our image, but it is not like us. It mimics, it mimics our appearance, or like a like the George Washington or nutsbetic like the uh, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial in Washington in DC mimics his appearance of Lincoln, but it's not like him. He is holy, and so
the Bible says we should be holly too. And now word is like, uh, it's almost looked down upon, like we can't achieve it, or like the word saint for instance, that that word is holy one. That's what the word saint means.
I didn't know that.
You know, in country music we think a lot of times was like you're like, I'm not a saint like my wife. Well, we're called to be saints. In fact, we're referred to as Christians as saints, meaning to your point set.
Apart, that's wild, dude.
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you heard about Yegefest. It's happening this year May ninth and tenth in Georgetown, Texas at the EEE Farm, So you can come hang out with us. Me, my brothers, my family will all be there. We've got a truck show happening. We've got a mud bog competition, kind of like we did last year, but the new edition this year is a concert by me and my band and my old crew. This is not a tour, This is
not me getting back into music. This is one time every year we hope to do a concert for my friends and family, especially Maverick who's never seen me play live before. So come out have a meal with me and my family. On Friday night. I'm gonna give a little devotional from the Bible, maybe play an acoustic song or two. This is really a once in a lifetime experience, and if you want to find out more, go to eeye dot com.
There's a part of me that can't run, and there's I think once you're and I can talk about my brothers, my older brothers, because they've they've had a journey with their faith. They've had they've had ups and downs, They've lived a hard life. We all dealt with loss, you know when we were kids, and they took it really hard.
And did you not?
I did?
Uh? You were younger? Is that what you're trying to say?
I was. I was eleven and they were fifteen, you know,
so there was a difference there. But also there's like a there's like a foundation, and back to that foundation right there, I can look back at our the way I was raised, uh speak, you know, uh spiritually speaking, and point out a bunch of things that nowadays I was like, man, I was misguided, or gosh that was controlling or this, you know, and point to a lot of things that were not great and and damaging honestly in some of the upbringing, the faith practices and the
church as a whole, at different times, but I was. I was the foundation. You can't replace the value that that that that now has in my adult life. And I'm so grateful for it. Even though it wasn't perfect, Like the people who are trying to lead me and my parents who you know brought me up this way were doing their best through all the imperfections that foundation for it to stand still, they did something right. And the faith is the faith has been tested and proven
to be authentic over time. And what you're saying by the fact that there's I don't even know it and it's coming out, that's just proof that that foundation was real and that what what I believe and what I've proclaimed to believe from a from the age of a child till now like has been proven authentic because I wouldn't talk about it otherwise it wouldn't come out in my It wouldn't come from my heart if it wasn't
in there, you know. So my brothers, I want them to get to that point where they can celebrate the imperfections from the past and there in that spiritual upbringing, because they're more damaged by it than it's almost they haven't gotten to that point where they were able to to to accept the imperfections for what they were and and and still be left with at the end what they're holding their hands, a true, honest faith that comes
from the heart. So that's kind of like, I don't even know what got me talking about them.
Do you know? Do you know the can you trace back the root of your brothers? You lost your brother when he was sixteen, you were eleven, right, car accident? Right, tell me walk me through the community in the church. And also you know what went wrong? What did the church do wrong that now your brothers are where they are now?
Great questions. The community was very much supportive through all of it. We had a lot of close friends. We had people who who cared deeply for us. That was never a question. We never felt alone in that regard, right, I didn't feel like I was going through through loss alone, which it was a huge blessing.
Yes, the I think I.
Think honestly, man, like you know, probably you've had is that you can relate to, or or that you've been through on your own. In regards to sometimes there's misguided or there's there's a misuse of power sometimes and in any organization and a church isn't you know, in Layman's terms, is an organization to a degree, right.
So exacted by humans. Yeah yeah, yeah, so.
I think that there were just some say one thing, but behind closed doors do another kind of like examples that made them think that it was kind of a joke, you know, or that this person's not you know, they're not living the walk that they're talking. You know.
So what kind of church was it?
You know, it was a non denominational you know, spirit filled you know, we spoke in tongues and we were rolling on the ground, banners up and down the aisles.
Man, you know that's not non denominational.
Oh yeah, it's a Pentecostal.
Yeah. See what happens is churches that non denominational churches are either Baptist or Assembly of God. But they and you'll know by well how are they, how are they baptizing, and how are they receiving the Holy Spirit? You know, you could tell quickly, oh, I see this is actually an Assembly of God church, or I see this is actually they just took the name off the sign.
Yeah, totally. It definitely had Assembly of God roots because we would I mean, look, I'm not throwing you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. They'll say, No, I won't. I won't do that either with my upbringing. No, I believe in I believe in the feeling of the Holy Spirit the moment you profess your faith, at the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And I believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
But I think that the the.
Intentional or not. Once you mix humanity with the Holy Spirit, there can be there can be some ugly misguided stuff, and you can start chasing after the gifts of the Spirit more than you're chasing after pleasing God in your
real life. And so that's where the damage was the most, Like this holy roller kind of like speak but really that couldn't you know, being far from that and their actual how they're treating people, their outlook of you know, the world, and and and and so it was just, you know, it just didn't add up.
So are you saying, are you saying that you know this, this huge tragedy happens in your family and that the church as loving and supportive as they were. There's also this element of well, seek him harder, you know, seek God harder. You guys, you know you're missing the Holy Spirit needs to pour himself out on you, so work harder to seek him. That's kind of what you're saying, go bingo. And so your brother your brothers end up just saying I don't want to work hard anymore. Nothing's happening.
Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent, dude. Yeah, that's I've never seen it that that uh, that profoundly simple. But I think that you're right. I think that there was a sense of like, you can if you pray hard enough or consistently enough, you can get you can feel a deeper, you can get closer, you can have a more uh you know, a bigger Holy Spirit encounter, you know, and or or you can this person will be healed from cancer, damn it if you pray hard.
Enough, you know. Yeah, And sometimes sometimes you just need them to say.
I'm so sorry. Man.
Let me just sit with you. Yeah, I'm so sorry. We don't have to say anything. It's not always about let's work harder and you're going to be healed, you know. Jesus Jesus didn't do that. Sometimes Jesus would just sit and listen or ask questions, and really good questions. True, how are your brothers today.
They're you know, they're amazing people like they have. They have a lot of gifts as far as what they could what they offer in a room. They can light up a room. They can really connect with people and make people feel like they're listening. You know that they care, you know, And those are qualities that I think are
super admirable about them both. But there's a there's a fuse that's very short, and there's and I think it's a lot of because I think it's a I think it's the fuse is made out of bitterness and some anger and some hatred, and that when it gets lit, you know, it's not fun to watch, like just uh, it's just I feel like they're they're not happy, you know. I think I think they're not. I don't think they love themselves. I think they have a hard time believe in Jesus still loves them.
Does two those two things work backwards. That what you just said, When you realize Jesus loves you, then you could truly know yourself. Then you could truly you could truly rest in who you are because he has your identity, not you.
And how how like, how how how simple and and how powerful is that Jesus loves you, like like it looks like a bumper sticker or it feels like a preschool uh song. But it's not any more difficult. It's not supposed to be any more difficult than that statement.
Yeah, Jesus was God.
So loved the world, you know, And that's really the pullball of wax. You're right, it's all right, like our contentment, our purpose, our identity, everything down here hinges on. Do we know that and do we accept that?
Yeah? Man, when I was in the darkest place in my life and rock bottom, and when the Lord brought me out of that, it was in a realization that He loves me when I least deserved to be loved, or when I was the most unlovable, you know, Romans five eight, while we were still sinners, God shows his love for us. How while we were still sinners, Christ died for us when we were unlovable. And when that reality grabs you, and I've heard so many people it
sounds like it's similar to your testimony too. When that reality finally wraps you up, you say, why would he forgive me? Why would he pursue me? Why would he give Why would he give me an an inheritance to the kingdom. Oh, because he loves me beyond what I could possibly understand. And it's usually that's the thing, like, that's what that's what wakes people up and they go, oh, my God. Then from there then they want to be obedient.
Then they want to read their Bibles. Then they want to join a local body of believers and celebrate and tell. Then they want to evangelize and tell other people about it. It comes from being loved. That's the beginning of it. And so so many times people try to do it backwards and they go, man, I need a first, I need to learn how to love myself. And once I learn how to love myself, then I'll then I'll really
get into the church thing. And and the way the Bible speaks, it's like, you can't love yourself, bro, and until you know who he is. You can't even know yourself until you know who he is, and then everything changes. That sounds like the story of your brothers. I think it is, man, And it sounds like what the conversion you made from the old days to you're a different person man than what.
You used to be.
So I yes, but I'm talking about you you're a different person. Something happened with you. Man. You say it's kids, the Lord Jesus kids.
Yeah, I think he's I think he still got a long way to go. But I'm very grateful to have more purpose, or at least be aware that there's more purpose than just how big is my music career gonna be?
You know, well, let's let's get to that. Let me tell you these let me tell you these lyrics here. You wrote these in the grip of changing winds and the hands of open waters, the shadow of the moon and the rising tide. It conjures heaven. Hear my prayer, lest the will of God desert me. You didn't bring me all this way for Baron Shules to show me no mercy. You believe that.
I still every day believe it. I am on the journey still. And that's why that song, every time I hear it, it helps me. It helps me remember I'm gonna feel tossed, I'm gonna feel lost, I'm gonna feel like I'm never gonna I'm always gonna feel like will I ever get there?
You know what you said three times? You realize what you said three times in a row. Feel the problem is feel. I'm gonna feel lost, I'm gonna feel like he's abandoned me. I'm gonna feel like the tides are changing. I'm gonna feel feel, feel, And so we take what we feel and we put that under the accountability of what we know, what we know he is doing. Paul says in Philippians One that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. Let's go
in the midst of all that. You're gonna feel tired, You're gonna feel lost, You're gonna feel like your faith is failing. You're gonna feel like you're a bad father and a bad husband and a failed musician in your career is tanking. You're gonna feel feel feel. We see this in the Psalms all the time. It's great to go see King David and what he writes in the songs of it, he feels, feels, feels, and then he knows. There's the accountability. But I know I know what you're doing, Lord,
and you wrote it in your song. You didn't bring me all this way for Baron Scholes to show me no mercy. The Lord didn't bring you all this way. Canaan through all this through tragedy in your life. Your parents didn't make it that, they didn't make it through this.
It was no, they're not together. What you mean No? Yeah, no, the they get divorced.
Yeah.
The Lord didn't bring you through all of this so that at the very end he can go, oh o Cane, you didn't make it. I'm so sorry, buddy. Now he's working all of this, All of this pain has a has a purpose. Paul says that this light, momentary affliction is producing an eternal weight of glory. So all this is working for us. And he didn't bring you all this way for Baron Schulz to show you no mercy. That's that is an amazing thought, because what you've been through, brother,
is is let me see it this way. It's impossible. You can't do it. You won't make it on your own. So you rest in him. You rest in him who has a plan that that turn, that will be working all things for good, it for those who love him. That's an incredible promise, man.
I believe it. Thank you for that reminder, man, It's huge. I love you, buddy, Thank.
You, man. I need to hear it. I'm sorry to take us to this take us to this level of we're just inviting everybody into a conversation between us right now. I do think there's more to say about about your career. Let me ask you this. This is another another thinker here. Do you think the Lord wants you to have a successful music career? It's not a trick question, that's not like a gotcha question. Do you think the Lord wants you to have a successful music career?
I don't know. I I know the Lord wants me to know him.
Boom, I know that. Boom. So when you know that, the purpose of you knowing him, really, the Bible says, is so that he is glorified. But it's not like some cosmic narcissism, you know, like's not He's not up been, heaven going. I want you to know me so that I'm I get the glory. Caanan like like he like he need, He doesn't need anything. In fact, he is He's perfectly complete the way he is, the Triune God is perfectly complete. He doesn't need you or me. He
doesn't need my evangelism or your music or anything. But because he created you and here it is because he loves you. He wants you to glorify him. And here's the illustration to that. It's like, imagine a museum, incredible museum, and in that museum, through all the displays, there's this one painting that's mind totally dynamic, it's incredible painting, and it's sitting there on this display. And here you come
and I come. We come walking in there, and we're on our phones looking down walking through this museum, going by this display, and we're looking down on our phones just like mindlessly scrolling something. And if the painting in that moment, if the painting could talk, it would say, Canaan, look to me, look up, look to me. Not because I need you to look at me, not because it makes me feel better if you look at me, but because if you look at me, this will change your
life because you will get so much joy, giving me glory. Yeah, and that's that's why God says, canaan, know me, know me. And then if you have a successful music career, awesome. If you don't and he's leading you somewhere else, awesome, right, But at some level, as long as the bills are paid, as long as you're taking care of your wife and kids, then then and giving him the praise, then you will feel joy, you will feel contentment in that. It's crazy, right.
Yes, yes, I can testify to that because I'm only I'm only there now for the first time where I'm I have a career. My career is music, right, but I'm not defined by it for the first time. And that's okay, It's it's beautiful that I'm not. I'm I've accepted that. And you know, if I am open to whatever he has because I want to know him and I want my family to know him. I want us to have I want us to experience God to the fullest.
That's my goal in life. So ammers whatever he's got planned on, sign me up.
And by the way, on top of all that, you're also incredibly talented that the Lord has gifted you with incredible that this album is amazing. Uh And so you know, we can't say any of that without also saying the Lord has definitely gifted you as an entertainer, as a writer, as a singer, performer, guitar player, all the above. But that also doesn't necessarily mean because of that you will equally have success in it, just like all your peers. Yeah, so who knows. I mean, I love. I love that.
That's your answer. So we you mentioned earlier that we had this mutual friend nugget. I call him Chris Clifton. That's right. And I said, dude, I said, I'm going to have a conversation with Canaan today. I thought you'd want to know. And he was like, oh, it's amazing. And then he sends me this text and he says, here's some things that you might not know about him. He cooks spaghetti three nights a week. What's true? What's up that?
That's hilarious, dude, that is true.
It is true.
We made it last night.
Actually, that's good. All right? What about this one? He said he once pushed a terrified girl down a slide on National Time. Oh god, what does that mean? What does that mean?
I was on the Amazing Race that TV show, all right, and the girl who was my partner I was dating at the time, and we uh got to this.
The challenge was to just literally go down a water slide. It was a big water slide, but it was still just a water slide. All you had to do was go down it.
And she was so.
Terrified that she sat up there for forty five minutes. At the top and I was trying to peel her hands from the bar so I could push her down the slide and go get our million dollars. That's what he's talking That's what he's talking about.
I remember when he first said that, I didn't know what he was talking about. Now I remember that moment. You know what else he said though he said this, Chris said, I will say he is one of the kindest and most thoughtful dudes that I know. He's always reaching out to his friends to check on them to see how things are going. I know that's random, but he's really good at that. And I agree, man, Kana,
that's you, and that's the Lord working in you. That's not the same guy that that what that was throwing the drums at the music festival on the West Coast that day. The Lord has softened you, man, and uh god, it's it's beautiful, man, It's beautiful to see what the Lord is doing with you.
Appreciate that very much. Yeah, like you said first, I can't take the credit for that. That's that is Jesus doing his thing, man. But it's really cool when people feel the effects of what he's doing, you know, because the biggest our biggest responsibility is to try to love others. Right, that was the great commission.
That's right. So that's right. I love hearing.
Bro.
I love the record. I love all the songs. I love that it's independent. I love that you made it for an amazing fifteen thousand dollars. I still don't really know how.
You did that.
But most importantly, I love that the Lord is drawing you and changing you and redirecting your thoughts and your passions. I mean, I could definitely speak to that, that the Lord starts rearranging desires and changing passions. And at one time, at one time, you and I both were you know, our whole world revolved around let's make the single work. You know. Yeah? And then when the single works, I mean, the very next thought you have is time for time
to do it again on the next single. And that never ends.
No, And how can you be happy doing it like that?
I possible?
I couldn't.
I mean, like, what would what would make us happy? Five number ones?
It?
How about nine? Ten?
No?
Because then you want fifteen with fifteen number one singles make us happy? No, you got to hit it even twenty. That ends? So anyway, man, I appreciate the conversation. I hope you enjoyed it. You got to do it again. I got a bud. I want to. I want to.
I want to do this again because I want to hear like and we can just do it over over beers and on the phone one time too if you want. But yeah, there's a lot to catch up to on your side of the story and I want to keep diving in on too. Okay, thank you for the time today, man, it was awesome.
No, man, that's the same same to you. It's an honor to have you canan and let's keep talking. Love it, dude, I love you, love you hell all right, see you bro. Thanks for joining me on the Grangersmith podcast. I appreciate all of you.
Guys.
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