Granger Smith to Embark on Second-Annual 100-Mile Walk for the Troops

They say you can’t really know somebody until you walk a mile in their shoes. But we have a pretty good idea about what kind of person Granger Smith is, even though we haven’t laced up his combat boots. Last year, the Texas country star slipped on his military footwear and walked 100 miles in support of our troops. This year, he’ll return to the pavement to do it all over again, this time with a little more experience under his belt.

“From the moment my boots hit the pavement on Ft. Hood last year to end the 100 mile walk, I had one persistent thought: I’ve got to do this again,” says Smith. “It was so emotionally and physically compelling that this sort of thing can’t be done only once. I’m so excited to lace up my boots again.”

Last year, Smith — whose latest album, ‘Poets & Prisoners,’ landed in the top ten on the Texas music charts — walked 100 miles from south Austin, Texas to the Fort Hood post in Killeen, Texas. In 2012, Smith will combine efforts with the Boot Campaign to raise awareness for our soldiers’ needs and to support their transition back home after combat.

Through the sale of military combat boots (like the ones Smith will be wearing on his walk), the Boot Campaign donates proceeds to a group of partner charities that work with soldiers healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, “When They Come Back, We Give Back.”

The ‘Colorblind’ hitmaker is counting down the days until April 15, when he can give another 100 miles to our men and women in uniform. To further his belief in the cause, Smith just released a new single and music video for ‘That’s What I Do With It,’ all proceeds from which go back to the Boot Campaign.