Granger Smith has built his career from the ground up, turning an independent success story into a new deal with BBR Music Group's newly-christened Wheelhouse Records. The hard-working country singer shares his inspiring road to success in a new video that he is letting Taste of Country readers see first.

The Texas-based musician has built his own independently-owned and operated recording and touring mini-empire, and he's done it all through an intense focus on his relationship with his fans. That includes extensive touring in every corner of the U.S., a very engaged social media following totaling four million, 35 million YouTube views and counting, and even a second career as his comical alter ego, Earl Dibbles, Jr.

Smith's latest EP, 4X4, landed in the No. 2 position on the iTunes Country chart upon its May 2015 release, No. 6 on iTunes' All Genres chart and No. 6 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart. He co-produced the project with award-winning producer Frank Rogers, whose credits include Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker and Josh Turner.

The EP's lead single, “Backroad Song,” debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes Country chart and sold 32,000 copies in its first week alone. The song was also featured in a recent episode of Nashville. Smith and Rogers are currently working on Smith's full-length debut for Wheelhouse Records, a deal he struck by a combination of talent, hard work and perseverance.

"For years they told me it would never work — so I worked harder," Smith says in the video above. "They told me no one would listen to an album I produced out of my house, but I did it anyway. They said no one would come to my shows if we toured outside of my home state, so we toured on the West Coast, the East Coast, the Southeast, the Southwest and the Midwest."

That approach began to work, and Smith's fans — collectively known as the Yee Yee Nation — started filling venues everywhere he played. "Even I was a little bit surprised," Smith admits.

He attributes much of his success to the people he's surrounded himself with.

"We built this team from the ground up," he asserts. "We rise together, we fall together — but in the end, we fight for the same vision. For something different, for something special. For the fans, and for each other — and damn, we have a good time doing it."

Take a look at highlights from Smith's incredible story in the video above, and keep up with him at his official website, or by following him on Twitter and Facebook.

Granger Smith and More of the Sexiest Country Men of 2015

Take a Tour of Earl Dibbles Jr.'s Tour Bus

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