Tim McGraw

[Kim]

Tim McGraw Premieres Two New Songs on TV: ‘Better Than I Used to Be’ and ‘Right Back at Ya’


By: Amy Sciarretto
tasteofcountry.com



Sam Greenwood, Getty Images


Tim McGraw debuted two news songs on television this week during two very different appearances. He unveiled the brand-new ballad ‘Better Than I Used to Be’ on ABC’s daytime gabfest ‘The View,’ and when he hit the stage at ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,’ he switched gears and performed the more upbeat ‘Right Back at Ya’ at the very end of the episode. Both tunes are expected to appear on the forthcoming album ‘Emotional Traffic.’

‘Better Than I Used to Be’ is an apologetic heart melter that will make you weak in the knees, especially if you have a crush on the black cowboy hat wearin’ singer, so it was perfect fare for ‘The View”s housewife-centric audience.

McGraw performed the delicate, spare song while perched atop a stool, and he was able to express a thread of vulnerability and allow his voice to be the centerpiece. He laments the people he’s let down and the hearts he has broken over the years and admits “I ain’t no angel / Still got a few more dances with the devil” in the lyrics. We can just imagine this becoming a popular makeup song after a particularly nasty battle between a couple!

Meanwhile, the quick pace of ‘Right Back at Ya’ was a good fit for night owls watching a late night talk show like Fallon’s, that’s for sure. The song starts out mellow and then morphs into a summer ready jam whose tempo escalates by the time the chorus rolls around. It’s a poppy tune for the country superstar, but it reminds us of one of the main reasons that we love him in the first place — and that’s the welcoming timbre of his voice.

Lyrically, it’s a love song, too, which will also make the ladies swoon when he sings, “Right back at ya, babe!” Fallon didn’t hop onstage with McGraw like he did with Darius Rucker a few nights ago, but the duo did hug it out before Fallon signed off for the night.

[Mallrat]

Curb sues McGraw

Tuesday, May 17, 2011 – Tim McGraw was sued by Curb Records in state court for a breach of contract.

McGraw and Curb have not enjoyed a smooth relationship for several years with McGraw making it clear he wanted to leave the label.

The label is claiming in a lawsuit filed Friday in Davidson County Court that the superstar owes it at least one more album.

McGraw indicated to Associated Press on April 20 that he, in fact, had fulfilled his end of the deal. AP quoted McGraw as saying that "McGraw said his upcoming 'Emotional Traffic' album would be his 'absolute last album' with Curb if it kills him." The story said he completed the disc in October 2010.

"All the songs have been done for a long time, and the label has had it," McGraw told the AP. "It's the last album that they have of mine, so they're trying to hold on to it as long as they can."

The age of the songs may be at the crux of the issue. Curb claimed the recordings were the same as rough mixes it received four months earlier.

A 1997 recording contract with Curb said that McGraw pledged "that all Masters embodied upon each Option Period Album would be recorded 'no earlier than twelve (12) months nor later than eighteen (18) months following Delivery to Curb of the immediately preceding album,'" the lawsuit said.

Billboard said Curb claimed McGraw recorded the disc too early "in a transparent tactic to attempt to fulfill his contractual recording commitment to Curb prematurely in breach of the recording agreement."

The contract also said both parties would approve songs for the album, but Curb claimed it had no say over songs on "Emotional Rescue." Curb accused McGraw of sending masters of songs he had already recorded.

Curb said that it is now owed a sixth album as well because of his failure to deliver.

McGraw released his first disc on Curb in 1993. His last disc, "Southern Voice," came out in October 2009. One song from "Emotional Rescue" was released as a single by Curb, and Felt Good on My Lips went to number one.
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[Mallrat]

OFFSTAGE: Tim McGraw Calls Himself a “Good, Honest Guy”

07/1/11, 11:00 am EDT

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that's happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)

Tim McGraw recently described himself to Billboard magazine as "a good, honest guy." He says he's "done the work the way it needed to be done and fulfilled whatever I've been obligated to do." The story goes into some details about the lawsuits between McGraw and his record label over what will happen with his upcoming Emotional Traffic album. (In short, the label is suing McGraw for delivering the album too soon, and McGraw is suing them back, saying he didn't.) He has been playing some of the record's new tunes, like "Right Back at You," "Better Than I Used to Be" and "Halo," during his live shows. And he told Billboard the album is an eclectic group of songs. "It's one of those records that you want to put earphones and just turn it up and really listen to every part of the record," he said. "I think it's more of a groove, feel-good album than we've done in awhile. It's got a lot of depth to it sonically and musically. It's just a really cool-sounding record to me." Let's hope it gets out of the courtroom and into record stores soon so we can be the judge of that.[/b][/font]

[Mallrat]

Tim McGraw Breaks Foot And Still Performs!

By: Clay Moden | 8 hours ago

Seems that Tim McGraw isn’t going to let something like a broken foot keep him from performing for his fans! He appeared over the weekend in North Carolina and to the fans surprise was wearing a cast!Tim posted this on his Facebook page…

Tim wants to thank his fans for their support at his show in Raleigh last night. For the first time in his career, he performed in a cast (due to a broken foot), and experienced a momentary pacing setback. He looks forward to a great show tonight in Virginia Beach and the rest of this summer’s Emotional Traffic Tour.

[Mallrat]

Tim McGraw Continues Tour Despite Broken Foot

Posted Jul 11th 2011 10:30AM by Gayle Thompson

For Tim McGraw, the show must go on, even if that means wearing a cast and relying on a cane to accomplish the task. The country superstar continued his Emotional Traffic tour over the weekend with a broken foot, proving that nothing will keep the veteran entertainer off the stage.

"FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, car wrecks, bar fights, high school rodeo ... and this is the first broken bone I've ever had!" the 44-year-old wrote on his Facebook page.

While rumors are swirling as to just how the injury occurred, during his concert Friday night (July 8) in Raleigh, N.C., Tim seemed to suggest that it was the fault of one of his opening acts, Luke Bryan. (But we're pretty sure he was joking.) Regardless of the circumstances, the tour will continue.

"Tim wants to thank his fans for their support at his show in Raleigh last night," his management said in a statement on Saturday. "For the first time in his career, he performed in a cast [due to a broken foot], and experienced a momentary pacing setback. He looks forward to a great show tonight in Virginia Beach and the rest of this summer's Emotional Traffic Tour."

A broken foot isn't the only setback Tim has faced in recent months. He's also embroiled in a lawsuit with Curb Records, over his latest album, 'Emotional Traffic,' which has yet to be released. But the singer remains undeterred.

"Right now it's just a matter of letting the legal system handle this," says the 'Felt Good on My Lips' singer. "All I can do is keep doing what I do. I've always been a good, honest guy and done the work the way it needed to be done and fulfilled whatever I've been obligated to do. All you can do is hope our good faith pays off in the end."

Tim's latest single, 'Me and Tennessee,' which he performs with his 'Country Strong' co-star Gwyneth Paltrow, is steadily climbing the charts. His tour, which also includes the Band Perry sharing in opening act duties, heads to Ohio and Illinois later this week. Keep track of his schedule here.

www.tourtracker.com/artist/tim-mcgraw/1031844/?flv=1

[Kim]

Tim McGraw – 2012 New Album Preview


Tim McGraw‘s ‘Emotional Traffic’ album has been packaged and ready to ship for well over a year, but due to complications with McGraw’s record label, Curb Records, it has been held under lock and key until now. Finally, on January 17, 2012 — after a lengthy battle with the label — ‘Emotional Traffic’ will hit the shelves.

The Songs

While as a whole ‘Emotional Traffic’ has been untouchable, some of it has been heard, thanks to the Emotional Traffic Tour. In 2010, ‘Felt Good on My Lips’ made waves as the lead single from McGraw’s ‘Number One Hits’ release, and it got a solid amount of airplay as it became the singer’s 23rd No. 1 single. That song will appear on the forthcoming release alongside ‘Better Than I Used to Be,’ which hit airwaves only hours after McGraw snagged a big win in court, ultimately regaining the freedom to release music outside of the label (preview it here). Additionally, ‘Right Back Atcha Babe,’ another of McGraw’s tour go-to songs, will be unleashed from Curb’s grasp on the new album. The song is currently available on iTunes (and can be heard here). ‘Emotional Traffic’ has a total of 13 songs on its track listing, so there will be plenty for big Tim McGraw fans to fawn over.

What to Expect

Given the battle that McGraw fought to get it on the shelves, we expect ‘Emotional Traffic’ to be one of the most-anticipated country records of the year. Just a month ago, the legendary hitmaker snagged a big win against Curb Records that will allow him to freely release his music at his leisure. If you thought you knew the hat-sportin’ singer before, just wait — McGraw says whats to come is unimaginable compared to his past. “I really feel like there’s a lot more ahead of me than behind me,” he admitted. ”I’m really just starting to figure out what I want to do and the music I want to make. I’m only about 30 percent into my career. It’s been foothills until now.”

What’s Up His Sleeve

While we’re sure that Mr. McGraw is glad to finally see his ‘Emotional Traffic’ record out, he’s probably pretty excited to get it behind him, too. The country music icon spilled recently that in addition to hunting down a new label, in January he’s planning to drop another single on his own accord — one not from the Curb-released album. “I fought very hard for the release of ‘Emotional Traffic.’ It’s an album full of music of which I am very proud. It’s extremely unfortunate that it wasn’t released earlier this year in conjunction with the Emotional Traffic Tour but all I want to do now is focus on the positive and look to the future,” the singer said. We can’t help but wonder whether a new single will also bring a second new album in 2012 — one released his own way. McGraw added, “I am so appreciative of the support I’ve received over the years, and I’m looking forward to this next chapter of my career."

[Kim]

Tim McGraw to Release ‘Emotional Traffic’ on Jan. 24, Reveals Track Listing





The highly-anticipated new album from Tim McGraw titled ‘Emotional Traffic’ will be available for purchase in just a matter of a couple of weeks now. On Jan. 24, the 12-track album that McGraw pushed for his former record label to release over a year ago will finally see the light of day.

Fans will see a couple of familiar tunes on the album, including the No. 1 hit ‘Felt Good on My Lips’ and the new single, ‘Better Than I Used to Be.’

McGraw collaborated with his longtime producer and friend Bryon Gallimore on the project. Gallimore played a hand in the singer landing 32 chart-topping songs and 44 million units of music sold throughout his career.

‘Emotional Traffic’ will offer a little bit of everything, including duets with R&B pop star Ne-Yo (‘Only Human’), as well as tunes penned by some of Nashville’s finest. McGraw recruited the Peach Pickers — Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip — on ‘Touchdown Jesus,’ and Martina McBride and the Warren Brothers (Brett and Brad) co-wrote ‘I Will Not Fall Down’ with McGraw.

[Kim]

Curb Records Releases ‘Emotional Traffic’ Track Listing


Tim McGraw’s longtime label turned court battle opponent, Curb Records is finally releasing Tim’s Emotional Traffic album on January 24th.

Creatively collaborating on the production with Bryon Gallimore his longtime producer whose fingerprints are consistently found throughout the remarkable McGraw dynasty of 32 #1 singles and 44 million units of music sold, Emotional Traffic leaves little doubt of the foundation material McGraw’s now legendary career has been built-in. It’s the artistic brick and mortar of great songs and a great talent.

The new 12 track set fast lanes with McGraw’s latest #1 single, Felt Good On My Lips, certified digital gold. His current single, Better Than I Used To Be, is now climbing the charts and is also included here. Of the sessions that produced the new music, McGraw noted in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer on August 9: “…one of the best song I’ve ever recorded and certainly one of the best records we’ve ever made.”

A surprise guest artist collaboration from R&B pop wizard Ne-Yo on one of the tracks (Only Human) brings producer Darran Smith into the mix and adds further creditability to McGraw’s visionary artistic reach. Additional stand-out tracks include the catchy and inspiring ” Touchdown Jesus” (written by Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip, and “I Will Not Fall Down” (penned by McGraw, Martina McBride and The Warren Brothers—Brett & Brad).

Curb Records is set immediately to further announce the availability of two digital single releases from the new package which will be exclusive to iTunes and available prior to Emotional Traffic reaching its official in store street date of Tuesday, January 24th.

The track listing for Emotional Traffic:

1. Halo
2. Right Back Actha Babe
3. One Part, Two Part
4. I Will Not Fall Down
5. The One
6. Better Than I Used To Be
7. Touchdown Jesus
8. The One That Got Away
9. Felt Good On My Lips
10. Hey Now
11. Only Human
12. Die By My Own Hand


In summer 2012, Tim McGraw will join Kenny Chesney on the “Brothers of the Sun Tour,” already anticipated to become one of the highest grossing tours of the year across all genres.

[Kim]

GAC Album Review: Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic


By Daryl Addison
gactv.com



Tim McGraw's 2012 CD, Emotional Traffic. Photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

After a court ruled in November that Tim McGraw had fulfilled his contract with Curb Records, his final album for the label, Emotional Traffic, is set for release next week on January 24. The record that Tim calls one of his ‘best ever’ is a tight collection of 12 songs that brings a close to one of the most successful Music Row partnerships of the last two decades.

The album’s lead single, the multi-week No. 1 hit “Felt Good On My Lips,” serves as a solid representation of Emotional Traffic’s overall sound. The polished work of Tim’s longtime Producer Byron Gallimore (Martina McBride, Faith Hill) is heard in the song’s crisp mix and pop-laden structure. Driven by a melodic bass line and a crunchy, sing-along chorus, Tim lightheartedly sings, I want to go crazy with you over a hook more suited for a dance floor than a bar stool. Much of the record makes a move to combine this modern, adult-contemporary feel with subtle country twang. Album-opener “Halo” works to achieve this by layering mid-tempo, ringing guitars underneath the lower range of Tim’s smooth drawl before breaking into a powerful chorus.

“I Will Not Fall Down” (written by Tim, Martina McBride, Brad Warren and Brett Warren) follows a similar path. Palm-muted guitar chords work methodically through a verse with the lines, I should probably just go out quietly / But I still got something left to say, before a dramatic chorus with lyrics that speak of thriving in someone’s love and gaining the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. While songs like these illustrate Tim’s mainstream appeal, he really is at his best in more traditional surroundings.

Possibly the album’s best song, “Touchdown Jesus” is a fresh description of divine intervention. With a similar feel to 2009’s No. 1 hit “Southern Voice,” Tim sings, I raised my hands above my head and said ‘Touchdown Jesus’, when witnessing the miracles made by recovering addicts and those who are sick. On the acoustic, traditional-leaning “Better Than I Used To Be,” Tim shows off his veteran ability to phrase lines and melodies to squeeze out every ounce of emotion. Standing in the rain so long has left me with a little rust, he sings with pure cowboy poetry of his own path to redemption.

Drawing from an array of influences, Emotional Traffic features a little bit of R&B. Though most clearly seen on “Only Human,” a duet with hit R&B artist Ne-Yo, tracks like “The One” and “Hey Now” feature a few funky guitar riffs. “Hey Now” is the most successful example of the album’s country/R&B twist with an ultra-accessible hook. Hey now, it don’t seem that late now, Tim sings through the upbeat chorus before calling to, break the Tanqueray out, in order to keep the good times rollin’.

And Emotional Traffic features plenty of good times. Despite its somewhat serious name, the album is much more lighthearted. Though it may draw a close to one period in Tim’s musical career, Emotional Traffic is a celebration of his rich history to date and an optimistic step toward the future.

[Kim]

Emotional Traffic Draws Stellar Reviews From Top Music Critics!
Prep Begins for "Brothers of the Sun" Stadium Tour


Country music superstar and "Artist of the Decade" Tim McGraw's 11th studio album EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC is being praised by music critics and fans across the country. With Rolling Stone saying, "His 11th LP is his most assured, with a dozen sharp songs about middle-American struggles."

"With a voice that can go from earthy to angelic in a single phrase and a back catalog that shows serious growth over two decades, McGraw is a star with substance..." NPR

"McGraw continues to expand country music's boundaries. That's why, 20 years into his career, his music still sounds so fresh..." Associated Press

"a solid outing from a solid singer in his prime..." Washington Post

"McGraw sounds more relevant than he has in years." Toronto Star

"McGraw's 44, but he's pushing 50 singles on the country chart. The songs on 'Emotional Traffic' are professionally programmed with GPS precision toward that destination." Chicago Sun-Times

"a celebration of his rich history to date and an optimistic step toward the future." GAC

"worth the wait..." Cleveland Plain Dealer

"I'm profoundly proud of this album, and I'm extremely happy to finally be able to share this with the fans, especially the ones who came out to see us on the Emotional Traffic tour last summer," said McGraw. "We're getting ready for the Brothers of The Sun tour, and I can't wait to share some new music and create some truly memorable nights together this year."

This June, McGraw will kick off what is anticipated to be the biggest stadium tour in country music history with old friend Kenny Chesney. The 'Brothers of the Sun' Tour will reunite McGraw and Chesney for the first time in 10 years. The 20-city tour kicks off on June 2 in Tampa and will hit the nation's biggest stadiums through August.

Tim McGraw has sold over 40 million albums and dominated the charts with 32 No. one singles. He's won three GRAMMY® Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 10 American Music Awards, three People's Choice Awards and numerous other honors. With 7.8 million spins at radio, McGraw was deemed "Artist of the Decade" (2000-2010) by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. His current single, "Better Than I Used To Be," continues to steadily climb the charts.

Next up on McGraw's schedule is an Australian arena tour with wife Faith Hill. For more information and a full list of tour dates, visit www.timmcgraw.com.

[Kim]

Country star Tim McGraw's long-delayed 'Emotional Traffic' finally hits the streets


By Chris Talbott
The Associated Press | The Canadian Press
1 hour ago


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tim McGraw's long-delayed album "Emotional Traffic" has the attention of Music Row this week as it finally hits the streets.

The last album in the long, lucrative but contentious relationship between McGraw and Curb Records arrives more than a year late with a fascinating backstory and a little bit of buzz. McGraw isn't actively promoting the album, but it kicks off what promises to be a high visibility year for the country star.

He's currently considering his next move after a judge granted his freedom from his record deal last November. What's already on the schedule is the "Brothers of the Sun" stadium tour this summer with Kenny Chesney and actively recording new songs.

"Emotional Traffic" already indirectly produced a multi-week No. 1 song, "Felt Good on My Lips," which was released against McGraw's wishes on a hits package in 2010. McGraw has called the new album his "best ever" and fan interest is piqued.

"There are a lot of possibilities with this record. It's hard to say," said Wade Jessen, who tracks country music and other charts for Billboard Magazine in Nashville. "I think at least in the public comments Tim has made about it, he's very much a cheerleader for this music, and that may go a long way to making the most emotionally invested fans overlook the fact that it's coming out on a record label Tim has had some issues with. And we know how loyal country music fans are. They like for their artists to be treated fairly and with respect, and if there's any perception otherwise it can guide their decisions."

With legal issues to resolve still, McGraw and Curb executives aren't doing interviews to promote "Emotional Traffic." But McGraw laid the groundwork for a promotional campaign in a few interviews last year. He also previewed a handful of cuts from the album on last year's extremely popular "Emotional Traffic" tour.

In an interview last April, McGraw said he couldn't wait for fans to hear the new album. After recording four or five LPs with his road band, The Dancehall Doctors, McGraw decided to use a different set of musicians on "Emotional Traffic" and looked to open up his sound. He brought in Ne-Yo for a duet as well.

"There are some great players," McGraw said. "A couple of guys from Paul McCartney's band are on this album. Paul Bushnell is on bass, who's one of my favourite bass players ever. The songs are just really fresh and cool. I'm excited."

McGraw's longtime producer Byron Gallimore agrees with McGraw's assessment of the album. He says over the two decades they've worked together, they've used a formula for choosing songs. "Emotional Traffic" continues that trend of not only including country material, but expanding into areas like R&B, pop and rock. McGraw can then use his voice to pull the song back into country territory.

"We're certainly happy with it and feel like it's one of our best," Gallimore said. "I think every time you do another one you feel like it's probably better than the last one, for me personally at least. We've got a great batch of songs on here and I'm just excited that it's getting out there. ... I feel very strongly about this record. I would agree with Tim on that."

Without McGraw's direct help, Curb has had to get creative with its promotion. It's liberally using McGraw's "best ever" quote, for one, enlisting the artist's help at least passively. The label also partnered with NPR's "First Listen" series to stream the album for a week leading up to release. While this practice isn't unusual in the indie rock world, it's a step in a different direction for mainstream country.

There's also a new single "Better Than I Used to Be" moving up the charts, the traditional way to get a fan's attention.

Jessen isn't sure all this will translate into a blockbuster sales week for McGraw, but he suspects McGraw's faithful will be ready to spend some money.

"I think this is a good day for Tim McGraw fans because they've got new music in their hands," Jessen said. "That's the upside of this entire scenario. That's the bottom line."

[grg_straitfan]

Tim McGraw Shows Off a Hidden Talent

The entire world knows of most of Tim McGraw‘s talents — singing, songwriting, acting, entertaining, cooking, being athletic — the list goes on and on. But a new talent that has just been discovered thanks to a YouTube video is McGraw’s ability to juggle!

During tour rehearsals for his Australian tour with wife Faith Hill, McGraw took a breather in his dressing room area, where he decided to unwind a bit by juggling what looks like three plump organges. As Hill belts out a song in the background, a casual-dressed McGraw cuts up for his small audience of band and crew members.

McGraw and Hill’s Australian tour is set to kick off on March 16 in Adelaide and conclude on March 27 with a finale performance in Sydney. Eli Young Band are also going on the trek to open the dates for the superstar couple. Click here to see a complete list of McGraw’s dates both overseas and in the U.S., including his Brother of the Sun joint tour with Kenny Chesney.

[Kim]

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Take in Culture During Current Tour of Australia


Tim McGraw and Faith Hill kicked off their joint Australian tour this week, and tonight they’re giving a performance at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. While the two country celebs will do their fair share of getting ready for the event, they’re not neglecting their other full-time jobs either: being parents to daughters Gracie, Maggie and Audrey.

In an interview with Adelaide Now, Hill said the family has been enjoying themselves by doing a lot of walking and even popping into a chocolate factory, which sounds like a pretty great time by anyone’s standards. ”We’ve been to botanical gardens, we’ve been to great restaurants,” McGraw said, adding that they’re just trying to soak it all in. ”Our favorite thing is just to get out and walk around the city, find fantastic cool little things and try and find out what the locals like.”

They seem to be doing a pretty good job of taking in the local culture, and Hill said one thing that astounded her more than anything else was the plant life.”The trees here are blowing my mind, I cannot believe the trees in this city, they’re miraculous.”

Hill and the girls did accompany McGraw on the last trip to Australia in 2010, but this will be the ‘Breathe’ singer’s first time to perform down under. In a recent interview with the Australian, she opened up about how the McGraw-Hill family maintains some semblance of normalcy with both parents’ busy careers.

“We spend most of our time working on scheduling,” she says. “We try to work it all around their school schedule, so by the time we do that and get around to doing a show, it’s a celebration.”

[Kim]

On the day he moved to Nashville, Tim McGraw stepped off a Greyhound bus with a guitar and a suitcase.

He arrived inauspiciously around 3 a.m. on May 9, 1989, and checked into small room at the Hall of Fame hotel, a few blocks off Music Row. The next morning, he went downstairs and started drinking beers – and more importantly, buying beers.

At the hotel bar that day, the 22-year-old hopeful crossed paths with Tommy Barnes, the songwriter who played him a novelty number, “Indian Outlaw.” And he met Craig Wiseman, the songwriter who forged a close relationship with McGraw by writing future No. 1 hits such as “Live Like You Were Dying,” “Everywhere,” “The Cowboy In Me” and “Where The Green Grass Grows.” With a friendly face and a running tab, McGraw quickly built a close circle of allies in the Nashville songwriting community, like Mack Vickery, Wayne Perry and “Wild” Bill Emerson.

Of course, success didn’t happen overnight. McGraw’s first day in Nashville took a turn for the worse when one of his musical heroes, Keith Whitley, was found dead at age 34. A few weeks later, McGraw went broke and had to move out of the hotel and onto a former fraternity brother’s couch.

Although the money had run out, his luck didn’t. Today, McGraw can boast 37 million albums sold and 45 Top 10 country hits – including 23 chart-toppers. He’s also a Grammy-winning fan favorite who has relied almost exclusively on outside material to build his impressive catalog.

In a rare and exclusive interview with American Songwriter, the Louisiana native discusses the hits that made him a superstar, as well as his early musical heroes and his favorite duet partner, his wife Faith Hill. And now that he’s free from his longtime contract with Curb Records, he drops a hint at what lies ahead.

What did you hope to achieve when you got to Nashville? What was your ultimate goal?

I was playing clubs at home and I wanted to come and be a country star. That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to play country music. Songwriting wasn’t the main focus. I mean, I was writing songs. Those first two or three years, I had written a couple hundred songs with writers all over town. They’re floating around out there somewhere. A couple may be good but most of them were awful. I really wanted to be an artist and get an artist deal.

Who were your heroes back in those days?

If I had to pick two, I would pick Merle Haggard and Bruce Springsteen. Those were my songwriting heroes.

Did you ever cross paths with Harlan Howard back then?

No, I never met Harlan. When I first moved to town, those kind of guys were around everywhere. I was sort of … drunk most of the time [laughs].

Did you hang out with songwriters a lot in those early days?

I hung out with Tommy Barnes all the time and “Wild” Bill Emerson, who wrote a lot of Hank Williams Jr. stuff. Wayne Perry and I hung out a lot together. There was a group of us – Kenny Chesney, Tracy Lawrence – that got together.

Did you write with them, too?

Yeah, we wrote. I don’t remember any of it but we wrote. I was actually performing some of the songs Kenny was writing. Back then, Kenny, Tracy and I would run around together and I never thought of Kenny wanting to be an artist. I don’t think he ever said much about wanting that. I think he was concentrating on songwriting back then. And he’s a really good songwriter, by the way.

How did you find songs for your first album?

When I got my record deal, I was running around with Byron [Gallimore, his longtime producer] listening to songs. Of course, being a new artist and being with Curb Records, nobody knew who I was. Curb was sort of new in town at the time. It was tough to get good songs played for me. So when it came down to recording, I didn’t have any say-so in the songs. I had “Indian Outlaw” but I wasn’t allowed to do it. The label didn’t like it and one of my producers, James Stroud, didn’t like it. Byron liked it but James didn’t like it.

Do you still like that song?

Yeah, I think that song … how do I say it … sort of changed what I thought I could do. I don’t look at it as high art, but I do look at it as a moment in time that defined what I could do in my career and where I could go … And then “Don’t Take the Girl” came right behind it. Remember, “Achy Breaky Heart” had just come out, so when “Indian Outlaw” came out, people thought, “Oh, here’s another one of these guys who has another one of these kinds of songs, so it’s going to be a moment in time and then it’s going to go away.” I think “Indian Outlaw” started my career and could have ended my career if I didn’t have “Don’t Take The Girl.”

[Kim]

Tim McGraw Praises Wife Faith Hill’s Organizational Skills


Tim McGraw has a lot on his plate. He’s a husband, a father of three daughters, just signed a new record deal with Big Machine Records and is working on new music. He’s also on the Brothers of the Sun Tour with Kenny Chesney all summer. To keep it all straight, he relies on his wife, Faith hill.

“Faith is great at it,” he said. “She’s so type A and she’s very organized. She’s got my career, her career, the house and all the family stuff, and then the three girls with all their different interests. There’s such a great schedule and plus, we’ve got great people working for us. And so they’re great. I’m not good at that at all. I’m sort of like the meat that just shows up and does the job.”

While his career is important, Tim says, “Our first priority is as long as the kids are good and happy and stable, our family unit is stable and happy and everybody’s comfortable and in a good place then everything else sort of finds its spot. As long as the top’s stable, everything else just sort of finds a place to settle in.”

For a complete list of Brothers of The Sun tour dates, visit www.timmcgraw.com. At each tour stop, Tim will award a mortgage-free home to a wounded warriors through ‘HomeFront’ a partnership between him, Chase and Operation Homefront.