Michael W. Smith on the "Unusual" Album That Changed Everything for Him

Michael W. Smith almost died of a drug overdose at 17. He'd been a Jesus freak at 13, then lost his way. What brought him back was a night on the linoleum floor of a Nashville apartment, alone, sensing God next to him saying, "It's going to be okay." In this conversation, Michael sits down with Greg Laurie to talk about the moments that shaped him — and the ones most people never hear about.What we cover:• Walking into a record store at 13 and finding Christian music for the first time• The prodigal years from '75 to '79, and what pulled him back• Late-night visits with Billy Graham in Montreat — and praying for Billy at the end• Meeting Presidents Bush, Reagan, and playing tennis in Kennebunkport• Rocketown, Nashville — why he built it and what's happening there now• His goal of never being offended again• Marriage, mentorship, and staying grounded after 43 years in the industry• Johnny Cash, John Williams, and the perfect pizza A conversation about faith that held, a father who never gave up, and a life still being written. Subscribe for more conversations like this. Timestamps00:19 Meeting Michael W. Smith01:26 Discovering Jesus music at 1303:24 Coming to Christ at age 1004:26 The prodigal years and near-fatal overdose06:16 Rock bottom and God's embrace09:38 Breaking into music through Amy Grant10:52 Working with Billy Graham13:30 Personal visits with Billy at Montreat17:07 Friendship with the Bush family23:47 The Rick Rubin interview and Johnny Cash27:13 State of Christian music today29:22 Secrets to a lasting marriage36:50 The origin of Rocketown40:37 Rocketown's ongoing impact Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.