Tim McGraw | |
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 McGraw in 2015 | |
| Born | Samuel Timothy McGraw (1967-05-01)May 1, 1967 (age 57) Start, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
| Political party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Father | Tug McGraw |
| Musical career | |
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| Discography | |
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Musical artist | |
| Website | timmcgraw |
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an Americancountry singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 forCurb Records, five forBig Machine Records and one forArista Nashville). 10 of those albums have reached number one on theTop Country Albums charts, with his 1994 breakthrough albumNot a Moment Too Soon being the top country album of 1994. In total, McGraw's albums have produced 65 singles, 25 of which have reached number one on theHot Country Songs orCountry Airplay charts.
Three of these singles – "It's Your Love", "Just to See You Smile", and "Live Like You Were Dying" – were respectively the top country songs of 1997, 1998, and 2004 according toBillboard Year-End. He has also won threeGrammy Awards, 14Academy of Country Music awards, 11Country Music Association (CMA) awards, 10American Music Awards, and threePeople's Choice Awards. HisSoul2Soul II Tour, which was done in partnership with his wife,Faith Hill, is one of the highest-grossing tours in country music history, and one of the top five among all genres of music. He has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of thebest-selling music artists of all time.[2]
McGraw has ventured into acting, with supporting roles inThe Blind Side,Friday Night Lights,The Kingdom,Tomorrowland,Four Christmases, flashback scenes in 2 episodes ofYellowstone, andThe Shack as well as lead roles inFlicka (2006),Country Strong (2010), and1883 (2021). He was a minority owner of theArena Football League'sNashville Kats. McGraw has been married to singerFaith Hill since 1996 and is the eldest son of formerMLB pitcherTug McGraw.
Samuel Timothy McGraw was born inDelhi, Louisiana, the only child of Elizabeth "Betty" Ann D'Agostino, a waitress fromJacksonville, Florida, andFrank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr., apitcher for the minor leagueJacksonville Suns and future star pitcher for theNew York Mets and thePhiladelphia Phillies. In 1966, D'Agostino was a student atTerry Parker High School. She lived in the same apartment building as Tug McGraw, who was playing baseball for Jacksonville. When she became pregnant with McGraw as a teen, D'Agostino's parents sent her to Louisiana to live with relatives.[3] Through his father, McGraw has two half-brothers, Mark and Matthew, and a half-sister named Cari.[4] He also has two younger half-sisters, Tracey and Sandra, through his mother's marriage to Horace Smith.[5]
McGraw grew up believing Smith was his father, and used this stepfather's surname until meeting Tug. At age 11, McGraw discovered his birth certificate while searching in his mother's closet to look for a picture for a school project. Following the discovery, he learned from her who his biological father was and she took him to meet the elder McGraw for the first time.[6] Tug McGraw denied the parentage for seven years until Tim was 18 years old. After that time, the two formed a relationship and remained close until the former baseball star died in 2004.[7][8]
As a child, McGraw played competitive sports, including baseball, even before the knowledge of who his father was and his professional baseball career.[6] McGraw was also a member of theFFA in high school. Following high school graduation, he attendedNortheast Louisiana University on a baseball scholarship, where he was apre-law major and pledged as a member ofPi Kappa Alpha fraternity.[9][10][11] A knee injury sustained while playing baseball for the college prevented him from pursuing a professional career in sports.[citation needed]
While in college, McGraw learned to play guitar and would frequently perform and sing for money. He has claimed his roommates often hid the guitar because he was so bad.[citation needed] McGraw followed his mother when she returned toJacksonville, Florida, in 1987. After the move, he attendedFlorida Community College at Jacksonville for one term, and occasionally sat in with local bands.[3] In 1989, on the day his heroKeith Whitley died,[9] McGraw dropped out of college to head toNashville and pursue a musical career.[7][6][12]
McGraw came to the attention ofCurb Records in 1990. After cutting a demo single, McGraw gave a copy to his father. A man who was friends with Curb Records executives heard the demo while driving with Tug one day and recommended that Curb contact the young singer. Several weeks later, he was able to play his tape for Curb executives, after which they signed him to a recording contract.[6] McGraw made his debut with the single "What Room Was the Holiday In", which was released on March 29, 1991, and did not enter theBillboardHot Country Songs chart upon its release.[13] In a 2001 retrospective on McGraw's career inBillboard, a former program director for Nashville stationWSM-FM said that he added the song to the station's playlist because it showed "undeniable promise",[13] while another former program director atWXTU inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, recalled that McGraw's debut single was "terrible" but that he booked the singer to make an appearance at the station due to his father's fame.[14]
Two years later in April 1993, McGraw released his debut albumTim McGraw,[15] which was commercially unsuccessful and did not sell well. This is his only studio album not to achieve amusic recording sales certification or to enter theTop Country Albums charts. Three more singles were released fromTim McGraw: "Welcome to the Club", "Memory Lane", and "Two Steppin' Mind". None made country Top 40 and the album itself did not chart.[9] Both "Memory Lane" and "Tears in the Rain", another cut from the album, were co-written byJoe Diffie.[16] "Memory Lane" had originally appeared onKeith Palmer's self-titled 1991 debut album.[17]
McGraw's second album, entitledNot a Moment Too Soon, was much more successful than his self-titled debut, and it was the best-selling country album of 1994. Its first single, "Indian Outlaw", sparked controversy, as critics argued that it presentedNative Americans in a patronizing way.[9] Some radio stations even chose not to play it.[18] However, the controversy helped spur sales, and the song became McGraw's first Top 10 entry on the U.S. country charts after getting as high as number 8.[19] The song also peaked at number 15 on theBillboard Hot 100.[20]
The album's second single, "Don't Take the Girl", became McGraw's first number one on the U.S. country charts, in addition to peaking at number 17 on theBillboard Hot 100. The song also "helped cement his image as a ruggedly good-looking guy with a sensitive side."[18] By year's end, the third single from the album, "Down on the Farm" peaked at number 2; after that, the album's fourth single, also itstitle track, became the singer's second number one song in early 1995. The fifth and final single "Refried Dreams" reached number 5.[19] The album sold over 6 million copies, topping theBillboard 200 and Top Country Album charts.[9] On the strength of this success, McGraw wonAcademy of Country Music awards for Album of the Year and Top New Male Vocalist in 1994.[21]Billboard namedNot a Moment Too Soon as the top country album of 1994 onBillboard Year-End.[22]
McGraw's third studio album,All I Want, was released in 1995. Just like its predecessor, this album debuted at No. 1 on the country charts. The album even sold over 2 million copies in the United States and reached the Top 5 on theBillboard 200. The album's first single, "I Like It, I Love It", became McGraw's third number one on the American country charts[19] and it also peaked at number 25 on theBillboard Hot 100. This song also eventually became the goal song for theNashville Predators once they began theirinaugural season and since then has been left unchanged. The album's next two singles, "Can't Be Really Gone" and "All I Want Is a Life" (its partial title track) both made the top 5 at numbers 2 and 5, respectively. The fourth single, "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart", gave McGraw his fourth number one on the U.S. country charts in 1996. Finishing off the singles was "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It",[19] which peaked at number 4.
In 1996, McGraw headlined the most successful country tour of the year, The Spontaneous Combustion Tour, withFaith Hill as his supporting act. Hill broke off her engagement to her former producerScott Hendricks so that she and McGraw could start dating each other; they then married on October 6, 1996.
The singer's fourth album,Everywhere was released in 1997. It topped the country charts as well and reached No. 2 on theBillboard 200, selling 4 million copies.[9] The album spawned six singles. Four of those singles - "It's Your Love" (a duet withFaith Hill), thetitle track, "Where the Green Grass Grows", and "Just to See You Smile" - reached number one on the country charts. TheCountry Music Association awardedEverywhere its Album of the Year award for 1997. At the 40th Grammy Awards, "It's Your Love" received twoGrammy Award nominations for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and Best Country Song.[23] Both "It's Your Love" and "Just to See You Smile" were the number one country songs of 1997 and 1998 according toBillboard Year-End charts;[24][25] "Just to See You Smile" also set a record for the longest run on the country charts at the time, at 42 weeks.[26] The album's other two singles, "One of These Days" and "For a Little While" both peaked at number 2.
McGraw's fifth album,A Place in the Sun, continued his streak in 1999, debuting atop both the US country and pop album charts[21] and selling 3 million copies. Over 251,000 of those copies were sold during its first week, making this the singer's first number 1 opener on theBillboard 200. It produced another four number one hits on the U.S. country charts with "Please Remember Me", "Something Like That", "My Best Friend", and "My Next Thirty Years". "Some Things Never Change" peaked at number 7 on the charts.[9] McGraw also contributed a song for the Grammy-winning tribute album toBob Wills entitledRide With Bob. A cover of "Milk Cow Blues", this song was recorded as a duet withAsleep at the Wheel, whom he had met while performing together at the George Strait Country Music Festival.[21]
McGraw recorded two more duets with his wife in the late-1990s, both of which appeared on her albums. "Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me", from her multi-platinum-certified 1998 albumFaith, reached the Top 5 of the US country charts.[9] Her follow-up album, 1999'sBreathe, featured "Let's Make Love", which won aGrammy Award forBest Country Vocal Collaboration in 2000.[21]
In 2000, McGraw released his firstGreatest Hits album, which topped the country albums charts for nine weeks and sold nearly 6 million copies, making this one of the biggest-selling albums in the modern country market. In the latter half of the year, he and Hill went out on theSoul2Soul Tour, playing to sellout crowds in 64 venues, includingMadison Square Garden. The tour was one of the top tours of any genre in the U.S. It was also the leading country tour of 2000.[26] While inBuffalo, New York, McGraw andKenny Chesney became involved in a scuffle with police officers after Chesney attempted to ride a police horse. McGraw came to Chesney's aid after police officers nearby believed the horse was being stolen and tried to arrest him. The two were arrested and charged with assault but were later cleared. During a concert with the George Strait Country Music Festival several weeks later, Hill, dressed as a police officer, made an unscheduled appearance at the end of McGraw's set and led him off the stage.[27]
McGraw's sixth studio album,Set This Circus Down, was released in April 2001. It even spawned four number one hits on the country charts as well, this time with "Grown Men Don't Cry", "Angry All the Time" (with Faith Hill), "The Cowboy in Me", and "Unbroken". The singer provided harmony vocals forJo Dee Messina's song "Bring On the Rain", which he also produced. That song topped the country charts.[21] Hungry for more of his music, fans downloaded a version of his performance of the song "Things Change" from his appearance at theCountry Music Association Awards Show. The song was played extensively on radio, becoming the first country song to appear on the charts from a fully downloaded version.[26]
In 2002, McGraw bucked country music traditions by recording his seventh studio albumTim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors with his tour band The Dancehall Doctors. Unlike rock music—where it is commonplace for touring bands to provide the music on albums recorded by the artist they support, country albums are typically recorded withsession musicians.[28] McGraw chose to use his own touring band, in order to recognize their part in his success, and to capture some of the feel of a real band.[26]
All of the Dancehall Doctors have worked with McGraw since at least 1996. Their lineup includes:
The album debuted at No. 2 on the country albums charts,[6] Its fourth and fifth singles "Real Good Man" and "Watch the Wind Blow By" both climbed to number one on the U.S.BillboardHot Country Songs chart. "She's My Kind of Rain" peaked at No. 2 in 2003, and "Red Rag Top" reached number 5. The album also features a cover ofElton John's early-1970s classic "Tiny Dancer," as well as duets withKim Carnes on "Comfort Me" (a response to theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks) andDon Henley andTimothy B. Schmit ofthe Eagles on "Illegal." "She's My Kind of Rain" also received aGrammy Award nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance-Male at the46th Grammy Awards.[29]
His eighth album, 2004'sLive Like You Were Dying, continued the singer's record of commercial success. The album's first single and itstitle track was dedicated to his fatherTug McGraw, who died of a brain tumor earlier in the year, was an ode to living life fully and in the moment.[30] The second single "Back When" was apaean to an easy nostalgia. In December 2019, McGraw spoke on stage at the annual End Well Symposium about why he wrote "Live Like You Were Dying" and his struggles with caregiving for his dying father.[31][32] "Live Like You Were Dying" spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 onBillboard and went on to become the top country song of 2004 on theBillboard Year-End charts.[33] It also became one of the most awarded records by winning ACM Single and Song of the Year, CMA Single and Song of the Year, and a Grammy. "Back When" went to number one on the country charts as well. The album produced three more singles with "Drugs or Jesus", "Do You Want Fries with That", and "My Old Friend". "Drugs or Jesus" became McGraw's first single since 1993 to not ever reach within the Top 10 on the U.S. country charts, while "Do You Want Fries with That" and "My Old Friend" peaked at numbers 5 and 6, respectively.
In late 2004, his unlikelyduet with hip hop artistNelly on "Over and Over" became acrossover hit,[34] spending 10 weeks atop the top 40 chart. "Over and Over" brought McGraw a success he had never previously experienced oncontemporary hit radio or R&B radio, and brought both artists success neither had previously experienced in thehot adult contemporary market. The song also spent a week at the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, becoming McGraw's first hit single in Britain and Nelly's third number one hit in the country after "Dilemma" and "My Place". "Over and Over" also reached the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland, and the top 10 in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Romania, and Switzerland.
Throughout the 2005NFL season, McGraw sang an alternate version of "I Like It, I Love It" every week during the season. The alternate lyrics, which changed each week, would make reference to plays during Sunday's games, and the song would be played alongside video highlights during halftime onMonday Night Football.[35] Later in the year, McGraw became a minority owner of theArena Football League'sNashville Kats when majority ownerBud Adams (owner of the NFL'sTennessee Titans) was awarded the expansion franchise.[36]
In April 2006, McGraw and Hill began their 73-concert 55-citySoul2Soul II Tour, again to strong commercial acceptance. The tour grossed roughly $89 million and sold approximately 1.1 million tickets, making it the top-grossing tour in the history of country music.[37] It was also named "Major Tour of the Year" byPollstar, beating out such heavyweights asMadonna and the Rolling Stones. In a special gesture, the couple donated all of the profits from their performance inNew Orleans to Hurricane Katrina relief.[38] McGraw, along withKenny Chesney, contributed to a version ofTracy Lawrence's song "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", which can be found on Lawrence's albumFor the Love. Although the official single version features only Lawrence's vocals, many stations have opted to play the version with McGraw and Chesney instead.
McGraw released his eleventh studio album,Let It Go, on March 27, 2007. The album's first single, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)", peaked at number one on theHot Country Songs chart. This marked McGraw's first No. 1 single since "Back When" in late 2004. The album debuted at No. 1 on both theBillboard 200 and Top Country Album charts, marking his fourth No. 1 album on the 200 charts and his ninth overall.[39] His daughters can be heard singing the chorus during the last few seconds of the song on the video. During theAcademy of Country Music awards show on May 15, 2007, McGraw performed a song titled "If You're Reading This", which he co-wrote withThe Warren Brothers.[40] Several radio stations began to play the live recording of the song; as a result, it entered the U.S.BillboardHot Country Songs chart at No. 35.[41] McGraw also producedthe debut album of country music duoHalfway to Hazard. The duo's first single, "Daisy", peaked at No. 39 on the country charts in the summer of 2007. In the summer of 2007, McGraw and Hill toured together once again in theSoul2Soul 2007 tour.
In the edition of January 18, 2008 of theUSA Today newspaper, McGraw was stated to be featured on theDef Leppard albumSongs from the Sparkle Lounge, having also co-written the first single, "Nine Lives", with Def Leppard band membersJoe Elliott,Phil Collen, andRick Savage. The unusual pairing goes back to 2006 when McGraw joined Def Leppard onstage for the song "Pour Some Sugar On Me", and then collaborated on the song "Nine Lives" afterward. The album was released on April 25, 2008. At the 2007 50th Annual Grammy Awards, McGraw received 5 nominations including Best Country Album (forLet It Go), Best Country Song (both for "If You're Reading This" and "I Need You"), Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (with "I Need You"), and Best Male Country Vocal Performance (with "If You're Reading This").[42] In May 2008, he hit the road with the Live Your Voice tour. The mainly-outdoor arena concert tour was his first solo outing in nearly three years. Also in May 2008, he debuted a new song in his follow-up toLet It Go at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California. In July 2008, the album's sixth single and its title track, "Let It Go", was released to country radio. Following that, a seventh single, "Nothin' to Die For", entered the Country charts at No. 57 in late December. McGraw released his third greatest-hits package,Greatest Hits 3 on October 7, 2008. The album features 12 tracks. McGraw was set to debut a new song at the 2009 ACM Awards, but then canceled his performance; he was replaced byBlake Shelton, who sang "She Wouldn't Be Gone".
McGraw's twelfth studio album,Southern Voice, was released October 20, 2009, and led by the single "It's A Business Doing Pleasure With You", which was shipped to radio outlets in late June 2009.[43]Southern Voice was argued to be McGraw's last album for Curb Records, following the dispute over releasing his third Greatest Hits collection back in October 2008 without his permission.[44] McGraw did not approve of the release. On November 30, 2010, Curb Records released his fourth greatest hits compilation,Number One Hits.
On January 2, 2011, McGraw announced plans for his Emotional Traffic Tour featuring opening actsLuke Bryan andThe Band Perry.[45]Sirius XM announced on March 30, 2011, that they would be launching Tim McGraw radio, a commercial-free music channel devoted to McGraw's music, and featuring an in-depth interview with McGraw as well.[46] As of fall 2010, McGraw had finished work on the albumEmotional Traffic, his last album with Curb Records.[47] On May 13, 2011, Curb Records filed a breach-of-contract suit against McGraw.[48] The label alleged that McGraw recorded tracks for hisEmotional Traffic album too early prior to its delivery to the label.[48] Several days later, McGraw filed a counter suit against the label seeking advance payment and recording-fund reimbursement, unspecified damages, and a jury trial.[49] A trial was scheduled to begin in July 2012.[50][51] In November 2011, a judge granted McGraw permission to record music for another label, ending his relationship with Curb Records that began in 1990.[50][51] A few hours after the ruling, Curb released "Better Than I Used to Be", the first single fromEmotional Traffic.[52][53] The album was released on January 24, 2012.[53]
In December 2011, McGraw released his first Christmas single, "Christmas All Over the World", on his own label StyleSonic Records. On May 21, 2012, however, he signed withBig Machine Records.[54]McGraw's debut album for Big Machine, entitledTwo Lanes of Freedom, was released on February 5, 2013.[55] It debuted at number 2 on the charts by selling 108,000 copies.[56] The album includes the singles "Truck Yeah", "One of Those Nights", "Highway Don't Care" (a duet withTaylor Swift which also featuresKeith Urban on lead guitar), and "Southern Girl". McGraw performed at theC2C: Country to Country festival inLondon on March 16, 2013.[57]
McGraw released a single titled "Lookin' for That Girl" in January 2014 as the lead-off single to his second album for Big Machine. It was followed immediately by the announcement of theSundown Heaven Town Tour.[58] The album, titledSundown Heaven Town, was released on September 16, 2014.[59] Four months into its run, "Lookin' for That Girl" was withdrawn as a single and replaced with "Meanwhile, Back at Mama's", which features backing vocals from Hill. "Shotgun Rider" became the album's third single and a number 1Country Airplay hit by the end of 2014. Following it was "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools", a duet with Catherine Dunn. McGraw's eighth greatest hits album,Love Story, is a compilation of his twelve biggest love songs and two previously unreleased recordings. It was released exclusively through Walmart on February 4, 2014, by Curb Records.[60]
On August 10, 2015, McGraw released a new single to digital retailers, titled "Top of the World", which was later released to radio on August 17, 2015, as the lead single to his third studio album forBig Machine Records. On September 17, McGraw announced that the album was titledDamn Country Music, with a release date scheduled for November 6.[61] The album's second single, "Humble and Kind", released to country radio on February 1, 2016, and went on to reach number 1 on theBillboard Hot Country charts. McGraw was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track ofTake Me Home, Country Roads,On the Road Again andI Will Always Love You which celebrates 50 years of theCMA Awards.[62] The album's third single, "How I'll Always Be" released to country radio on July 11, 2016. It reached number 3 on the Country Airplay in January 2017.
On October 4, 2016, during a show at the Ryman Auditorium, McGraw and Hill announced that they would be going back on the road together again on theSoul2Soul World Tour. The tour began on April 7, 2017, inNew Orleans and will continue into 2018, incorporating theC2C: Country to Country festival held in theUK and Ireland throughout March 2018.[63]
Before the commencement of the tour, it was reported that McGraw, alongside Hill, had signed a new deal withSony Music Nashville. The signing also indicated the release of a duet album between the couple, and that multiple solo recordings would be produced.[64][65] The new record label signing also preceded the release of "Speak to a Girl", the lead single from the duet album,The Rest of Our Life, which was released on November 17, 2017.[66][67] The release of the album coincided with the opening of an exhibit at theCountry Music Hall of Fame and Museum titledMississippi Woman, Louisiana Man, which celebrates the careers of both McGraw and Hill.[68]
McGraw released two major best-selling books in 2019, with the first co-written with "Pulitzer Prize" winnerJon Meacham which reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation. New York: Random House. 2019.ISBN 978-0593132951. His second book, "Grit and Grace", also reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.[69]
In February 2020, McGraw rejoined Big Machine Records, which he was previously signed to from 2011 to 2017.[70] He released a new album,Here on Earth, on August 21, 2020. The "Here on Earth Tour" was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[71] In January 2021, McGraw released the single "Undivided" withTyler Hubbard ofFlorida Georgia Line,[72] which was included on a deluxe edition ofHere on Earth released later that year.[73] On October 9, 2021, McGraw confronted a heckler at a performance at the Nugget Events Center inSparks, Nevada, after he forgot the words to his song "Just to See You Smile." After removing the heckler, he explained that he had been filming a movie and had a lot on his mind, and asked for the audience's help in remembering the words.[74]
On August 25, 2023, McGraw released his sixteenth studio album,Standing Room Only.[75] The title track was released as the album's lead single on March 10, 2023. It reached number 2 on the U.S.Country Airplay chart. Three months after releasingStanding Room Only, McGraw surprise-released a six-trackEP,Poet's Resumé on November 21, 2023.[76]
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McGraw has occasionally served as arecord producer in collaboration withByron Gallimore, who has co-produced all of his albums. The two co-producedJo Dee Messina'sself-titled debut,[77] as well as her next two albums,I'm Alright andBurn. McGraw and Gallimore also produced the only album released byThe Clark Family Experience in 2000, andHalfway to Hazard's 2007self-titled debut album.
McGraw's first acting appearance came in a 1997 episode ofThe Jeff Foxworthy Show, where he played Foxworthy's rival.[citation needed] In 2004, McGraw played a sheriff inRick Schroder's independent releaseBlack Cloud. Later in the same year, McGraw received critical acclaim as the overbearing father ofrunning back "Donald Billingsley" in the major studio Texas high school football dramaFriday Night Lights. TheDallas Observer said the role was "played with unexpected ferocity by country singer Tim McGraw".[78] The movie went on to gross over $60 million worldwide at the box office,[79] and sold millions in the DVD market. Most recently, it was named one of the Top 50 High School Movies of All Time (No. 37) byEntertainment Weekly.
McGraw's first lead role was in the 2006 filmFlicka, which was released in theaters October 20, 2006. In the remake of the classic bookMy Friend Flicka, McGraw played the father, Rob, costarring withAlison Lohman andMaria Bello. The family-friendly movie debuted in the top 10 list and has grossed over $25 million at the box office.[80] McGraw again achieved critical acclaim for his acting.[81][82] Shortly beforeFlicka opened, McGraw received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard near stars honoringJulie Andrews,William Shatner, and the lateGreta Garbo. One of hisFlicka co-stars,Alison Lohman, attended the ceremony that included comments fromBilly Bob Thornton, McGraw's co-star in the filmFriday Night Lights.[83] In addition to acting inFlicka, McGraw served as executive producer of the soundtrack album, which was released by his record label, StyleSonic Records, in association with Curb Records and Fox 2000 films. It featured the closing credit song "My Little Girl", one of the first two songs that McGraw recorded that he also co-wrote (the other being "I've Got Friends That Do", both of which were included onGreatest Hits Vol. 2).[84] The song was nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics for "Best Song" in a film, and the movie was nominated in the category "Best Family Film (Live Action)". The movie proved to be another success in the DVD market, and has sold over a million copies, debuting at No. 3 on the DVD sales chart.[80]
McGraw also had a small part in the Michael Mann–produced 2007 filmThe Kingdom, reuniting him withFriday Night Lights directorPeter Berg. McGraw played a bitter, angered widower whose wife was killed in the terrorist attack that is the centerpiece of the movie.[citation needed] On November 22, 2008, McGraw made his first appearance onSaturday Night Live.[citation needed] He also played "Dallas McVie" inFour Christmases.[citation needed] McGraw appeared in the 2009 filmThe Blind Side asSean Tuohy, husband ofSandra Bullock's character,Leigh Anne Tuohy.The Blind Side is based on the true story ofMichael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in and adopted by the Tuohys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential.[citation needed] He is among the stars ofDirty Girl, a film that premiered on September 12, 2010, at the Toronto Film Festival, along withJuno Temple,Milla Jovovich,William H. Macy andDwight Yoakam.[citation needed] Also in 2010, McGraw starred inCountry Strong as James Canter, the husband and manager of the fictional country singer Kelly Canter (portrayed byGwyneth Paltrow).[85] In addition to his appearance in the film, McGraw's song "Me and Tennessee", a duet with Paltrow, was played during the closing credits and appears on the film'ssoundtrack.[citation needed] In 2015, McGraw appeared inBrad Bird'sTomorrowland as Eddie Newton, a NASA engineer, and Casey Newton's (played byBritt Robertson) father.[citation needed]
1883, a spinoff prequel toTaylor Sheridan'sYellowstone television series was released in late 2021 and stars McGraw,Faith Hill, andSam Elliott.[86]
In 1994, when McGraw first reached fame, he established the annual Swampstock event. It began as a charity softball game to raise money for hometown little league programs; the event now includes a celebrity softball game and a multi-artist concert that attracts over 11,000 fans per year. The combined events have funded newLittle League parks and equipment, and have established college scholarship funds for students in the northeast Louisiana area.[87]
From 1996 to 1999, McGraw hosted an annual New Year's Eve concert in Nashville with special guests includingJeff Foxworthy, theDixie Chicks, andMartina McBride. The 1997 show raised over $100,000 for the Country Music Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum. Beginning in 1999, McGraw would pick select cities on each tour, and the night before he was scheduled to perform, would choose a local club and host a quickly-organized show. This tour-within-a-tour became known as "The Bread and Water Tour", and all proceeds from the show would go to a charity from that community.[87]
McGraw designed a charity T-shirt sold through Angelwear to benefit MusiCares. MusiCares supports musicians in times of need. His charity focuses particularly on health issues. The Tim McGraw Foundation raises funds to enhance the quality of life of children and adults with brain tumors. He supports the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, the David Foster Foundation, which helps families of children in need of organ transplants, and Musicians on Call, which brings music to hospital patients' bedsides. He also performs during dinners and auctions to benefit children with disabilities. Hill and McGraw gave the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society $375,000 (the entire gate receipts from one of their concerts) to assist the families of 17 sailors following the terrorist attack onUSS Cole, the guided-missile destroyer that suffered significant damage in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen on October 12, 2000.[88]
In the days immediately followingHurricane Katrina, McGraw who was raised inMississippi, joined groups taking supplies toGulfport, Mississippi. The two also hosted several charity concerts to benefit those who were displaced by the storm.[89] Later in the year, the couple established the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation, which provides funding for community charities to assist with basic humanitarian services, in the event of a natural disaster, or for desperate personal circumstances.
McGraw is also a member of theAmerican Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, to which various celebrities donate their time, skills, and fame, to help the Red Cross highlight important initiatives and response efforts.[90]
McGraw has helped out with charity events held byGreen Bay Packers quarterbackBrett Favre. TheBrett Favre Fourward Foundation has featured McGraw performing concerts during dinners and auctions that benefit children with disabilities in Wisconsin and Mississippi. One instance is recorded on Favre's official website.[91]
On July 12, 2007, it was made public that McGraw while inGrand Rapids, Michigan for a performance, donated $5,000 to Kailey Kozminski, the 3-year-old daughter of Officer Robert Kozminski, a Grand Rapids police officer who was killed on July 8, 2007, while responding to a domestic disturbance.[92]
In April 2023, McGraw surprised rising country star Brandon Davis, whom he previously brought on tour with him in 2022, with a new guitar after all of his gear was stolen earlier in the month.[93]
In a 2006 interview withEsquire magazine, McGraw stated he would like to run for public office as aDemocratic Party candidate, possibly forUnited States Senate orGovernor of Tennessee—his home state.[94][95] In the same interview, he praisedBill Clinton.[94]
In a 2008 interview withPeople magazine, McGraw referred to himself as a "Blue Dog Democrat" and stated that he and his family supportBarack Obama.[1]
In January 2021, McGraw performed on theCelebrating America inaugural special, a primetime virtual concert celebrating theinauguration of Joe Biden.[96][97]
McGraw married fellow country singerFaith Hill in 1996, and they have three daughters.[98]
In 2000,Kenny Chesney and McGraw became involved in a scuffle with police officers inBuffalo, New York, after Chesney was riding a State Police horse and refused to get off the horse. McGraw came to Chesney's aid after police officers nearby believed the horse was being stolen.[99] The two were arrested and charged, Chesney for disorderly conduct and McGraw for assault, but were acquitted in 2001.[100]
McGraw holds aprivate pilot license and owns a single-engineCirrus SR22.[101][102]
In 2015,Forbes estimated McGraw's annual income at $38 million.[103]
McGraw is the godfather to the son ofGarrett Hedlund andEmma Roberts. He and Hedlund became friends after co-starring inFriday Night Lights andCountry Strong.[104]
In acknowledgment of his grandfather's Italian heritage, McGraw was honored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in 2004, receiving the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Music during the Foundation's 29th Anniversary Gala.[105]
McGraw'sBracco Italiano named Lepshi won Best of Breed at the 2023Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.[106][107] The McGraw-Hill family also has two other Bracco Italianos, Caesar and Stromboli.[108][109]
Headlining
| Co-headlining
|
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Black Cloud | Sheriff Cliff Powers | |
| Friday Night Lights | Charles Billingsley | Nominated -MTV Movie Award - Best Male Breakthrough Performance | |
| 2006 | Flicka | Rob McLaughlin | Nominated -Critics Choice Award for Best Song: "My Little Girl" |
| 2007 | The Kingdom | Aaron Jackson | |
| 2008 | Four Christmases | Dallas McVie | |
| 2009 | The Blind Side | Sean Tuohy | |
| 2010 | Dirty Girl | Danny Briggs | |
| Country Strong | James Canter | ||
| 2015 | Tomorrowland | Eddie Newton | |
| 2017 | The Shack | Willie | |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show | Lionel | Episode: "Feud for Thought" |
| 2000 | Sesame Street | Himself | Episode: "3919" |
| 2008 | Saturday Night Live | Host | Episode: "Tim McGraw/Ludacris &T-Pain" |
| 2011 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Himself | Episode: "Tim McGraw" |
| 2013 | Cake Boss | Episode: "A Cowboy In Hoboken" | |
| 2015 | Repeat After Me | Episode: "1x4" | |
| 2016 | The Voice Season 11 | Key Advisor | |
| 2019 | Brad Paisley Thinks He's Special | Himself/Guest | Brad Paisley with Special Guests:Darius Rucker,Carrie Underwood,Peyton Manning,Kimberly Williams-Paisley,Kelsea Ballerini,Jonas Brothers |
| 2021 | Yellowstone | James Dutton | 2 episodes in season 4 |
| 2021–2022 | 1883 | 10 episodes | |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Hope" (Country Music's Quest for a Cure) | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals | Nominated |
| 1997 | "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | Nominated | |
| 1998 | "Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me" (with Faith Hill) | Nominated | |
| 1999 | "Please Remember Me" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 2000 | "My Best Friend" | Nominated | |
| "Let's Make Love" (with Faith Hill) | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals | Won | |
| 2001 | Set This Circus Down | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| "Grown Men Don't Cry" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated | |
| "Bring On the Rain" (with Jo Dee Messina) | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals | Nominated | |
| 2003 | "She's My Kind of Rain" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 2004 | Live Like You Were Dying | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| "Live Like You Were Dying" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Won | |
| 2005 | "Like We Never Loved At All" (with Faith Hill) | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals | Won |
| 2007 | Let It Go | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| "If You're Reading This" | Best Country Song | Nominated | |
| Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated | ||
| "I Need You" (with Faith Hill) | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Two Lanes of Freedom | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| "Highway Don't Care" (with Taylor Swift & Keith Urban) | Best Country Duo/Group Performance | Nominated | |
| 2014 | "Meanwhile Back at Mama's" (with Faith Hill) | Nominated |
| Year | Awards | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Country Music Television | Male Video Artist of the Year |
| Academy of Country Music | Album of the Year –Not a Moment Too Soon | |
| Top New Male Vocalist | ||
| Billboard Awards | Top New Country Artist | |
| Billboard Magazine | Top New Country Album –Not a Moment Too Soon | |
| 1995 | American Music Awards | Favorite Country New Artist |
| 1997 | Billboard Magazine | Single of the Year – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) |
| Country Music Television | Video of the Year – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | |
| Male Artist of the Year | ||
| Playgirl Magazine | Top Ten, Sexiest Men of the Year | |
| CMA | Vocal Event – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | |
| 1998 | Billboard Awards | Country Single of the Year – "Just to See You Smile" |
| CMA | Album of the Year –Everywhere | |
| Academy of Country Music | Single of the Year – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | |
| Song of the Year – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | ||
| Video of the Year – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | ||
| Top Vocal Event – "It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) | ||
| 1999 | Male Vocalist | |
| Vocal Collaboration – "Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me" (with Faith Hill) | ||
| CMA | Male Vocalist | |
| Album of the Year –A Place in the Sun | ||
| 2000 | Male Vocalist | |
| National Fatherhood Initiative | Father of the Year | |
| Academy of Country Music | Male Vocalist | |
| Billboard Awards | Male Artist of the Year | |
| 2001 | American Music Awards | Favorite Male Country Artist |
| CMA | Entertainer of the Year | |
| Billboard Awards | Country Artist | |
| Male Country Artist | ||
| Country Albums Artist | ||
| Country Single Artist | ||
| Country Album –Greatest Hits | ||
| 2002 | American Music Awards | Best Country Album –Set This Circus Down |
| Favorite Male Country Artist | ||
| 2003 | American Music Awards (January) | Favorite Country Male Artist |
| Radio Music Awards (January) | Country Male Artist | |
| American Music Awards (November) | Favorite Country Male Artist | |
| 2004 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Country Male Artist |
| Radio Music Awards | Country Male Artist | |
| CMA | Single of the Year – "Live Like You Were Dying" | |
| 2005 | American Music Awards | Album of the Year -Live Like You Were Dying |
| Best Male Country Artist | ||
| Academy of Country Music | Song of the Year - "Live Like You Were Dying" | |
| Single of the Year - "Live Like You Were Dying" | ||
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Country Male Artist | |
| Country Music Television | Most Inspiring Video – "Live Like You Were Dying" | |
| 2006 | People's Choice Awards | Top Male Performer |
| 2012 | CMA | Musical Event of the Year - "Feel Like a Rock Star" (with Kenny Chesney) |
| 2013 | British Country Music Association | International Song of the Year - "Highway Don't Care" (with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban) |
| 2014 | People's Choice Awards | Country Music Icon |
| 2016 | CMT Music Awards | Video Of The Year - "Humble and Kind" |
It's innate in me to be a blue-dog Democrat. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, but that's what I am. My wife and I and our family will do everything we can to support Obama. I like his ideas, I like his energy, and I like the statement he would make for our country to the world.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)Country singer Tim McGraw says he wants to run for office someday in his adopted home state of Tennessee—perhaps for governor or U.S. senator— and he's getting encouragement from a fellow Democrat, former President Clinton.
Country star Tim McGraw is considering following in the footsteps of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger by running for governor in his native Tennessee. The Democrat is weighing up plans to succeed Democrat Governor Phil Bredesen when his second term finishes in 2010. And his wife Faith Hill is thrilled by the idea of becoming the first lady.
