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Granger Smith Returns To Stage With Tattoo of His Son

Granger Smith made his first stage performance since the drowning death of his three – year-old son River on Sunday (6/23) at Chicago’s Lake Shake Fest. Often pointing to the…

Granger Smith Returns To Stage With Tattoo of His Son
Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Granger Smith made his first stage performance since the drowning death of his three - year-old son River on Sunday (6/23) at Chicago's Lake Shake Fest.

Often pointing to the sky during his performance, Granger Smith sang a heartfelt version of his song "Heaven Bound Balloons," featuring the lyrics, "We miss you and we love you."

Also tattooed on his right arm was his son's name River.

One fan posted to Twitter, "The best & worst moment at @LakeShakeFest @GrangerSmith singing Heaven Bound Balloons. We could see & feel the pain in all their eyes, but when G pulled out McQueen? Gut wrenching! We love you Granger! Thank you for being you. You’re stronger than you know. #LiveLikeRiv."

-Nancy Brooks

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.