One of the advantages of making music as long as Tim McGraw has been doing it is that it has given him a comfort and a confidence in his artistry. “I think anytime you do something for a long time there becomes a point you worry less and less about what other people think about what you do.”
Tim still cares because it’s human nature that everyone wants to be liked and they want their work to be liked, but he says, “I think more and more you just really become confident with what you do, and confident with goin’ into the studio and … I don’t go in and think about, alright my label wants me to make this kinda record, or radio wants me to make this kinda record, or fans wanna hear this or my management company thinks I should do this… You go in there and you sorta crank the speakers up and start playin’ and let the songs lead where they’re gonna lead and you have to lead with your heart and soul, and you just have to put everything else behind and just sort of be able to walk out of there and look in the mirror as an artist and say, ‘I fulfilled myself as an artist.’”
Tim isn’t opposed to input from people he trusts and respects because he always wants to be relevant and he wants to compete and have his songs played on the radio but he says, “I think that when you reach a place where you’re pretty sure about your comfort level as an artist and you can look in the mirror and say, I was true to myself when I made this record, then the rest of it just sort of either falls into place or it doesn’t, and it doesn’t matter as much to you.”
So far Tim’s confidence has served him well. He just celebrated his fourth week at #1 with his latest single, “Shotgun Rider,” off his Sundown Heaven Town album.
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Tim McGraw – having more confidence 1:26
“I think anytime you do something for a long time there becomes a point you worry less and less about what other people think about what you do. Not that that doesn’t become part of the process that everybody has, ‘cause everybody wants to be liked and everybody wants their work to be liked and if you’re makin’ records you want people to buy ‘em, you want radio to play ‘em, and all those sorta things. But, I think more and more, and I feel like I’ve always done this, but I think more and more you just really become confident with what you do, and confident with goin’ into the studio and not really… I don’t go in and think about, alright my label wants me to make this kinda record, or radio wants me to make this kinda record, or fans wanna hear this or my management company thinks I should do this. Certainly those things are in the back of your mind because you wanna be relevant and you wanna compete, and I’m a competitive person, and I wanna be out there in the middle of it, and I listen to the radio and I get influenced by everything that I hear. But at the end of the day I wanna go in and sorta shut all that stuff off. It’s much like goin’ into a submarine with a bunch a troops. You go in there and you sorta crank the speakers up and start playin’ and let the songs lead where they’re gonna lead and you have to lead with your heart and soul, and you just have to put everything else behind and just sort of be able to walk out of there and look in the mirror as an artist and say, ‘I fulfilled myself as an artist.’ I feel like I’ve made myself comfortable with what I do. I think that when you reach a place where you’re pretty sure about your comfort level as an artist and you can look in the mirror and say, I was true to myself when I made this record, then the rest of it just sort of either falls into place or it doesn’t, and it doesn’t matter as much to you.”
WHAT HE’S DOING THIS WEEK – JANUARY 12, 2015 – MONDAY
Tim McGraw spent last night (1/11) at home in Nashville watching the Golden Globe Awards with his daughters. While his “Shotgun Rider” still sits in the top five this week after enjoying a few weeks at number one, McGraw is teasing on Facebook that he has a big announcement coming soon.
2015 GRAMMY AWARDS
Best Country Song – “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” – Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston & Jeffrey Steele, songwriters (Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill)
Best Country Duo/Group Performance – “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” – Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill
The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be handed out live from Los Angeles on February 8, 2015. The show will air live on CBS.
TIM MCGRAW – JUST THE FACTS
BIRTH DATE: May 1, 1967 (He’s 47)
HOMETOWN: Start, Louisiana
WIFE: Faith Hill – Married on October 6, 1996
CHILDREN: Gracie, Maggie and Audrey (all three teenagers)
DEBUT ALBUM: 1993′s Tim McGraw
CURRENT ALBUM: – Sundown Heaven Town –
CURRENT SINGLE: “Shotgun Rider” again sits in at number five on the country charts this week.
LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2014 – “Shotgun Rider”
RECENT TWEETS:
Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Sunday, January 11
But most of all it’s fun to watch and listen to the commentary from my girls #goldenglobes
Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Sunday, January 11
Pullin for “foxcatcher” to win some things tonight also really loved “birdman”
Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Sunday, January 11
Big news coming soon! Make sure to LIKE Tim’s FB page for updates! http://bit.ly/McGrawFB
TIM MCGRAW – AWARD WINS
1994 – Country Music Television – Male Video Artist of the Year
1994 – American Music Awards – Album of the Year – Not a Moment Too Soon
1994 – American Music Awards – Top New Male Vocalist
1994 – Billboard Awards – Top New Country Artist
1994 – 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)
1997 – Country Music Television – Video of the Year – “It’s Your Love” (with Faith Hill)
1997 – Country Music Television – Male Artist of the Year
1997 – Playgirl Magazine – Top Ten, Sexiest Men of the Year
1997 – CMA – Vocal Event – “It’s Your Love” (with Faith Hill)
1998 – Billboard Awards – Country Single of the Year – “Just to See You Smile”
1998 – CMA – Album of the Year – Everywhere
1998 – Academy of Country Music – Single of the Year – “It’s Your Love” (with Faith Hill)
1998 – Academy of Country Music – Song of the Year – “It’s Your Love” (with Faith Hill)
1998 – Academy of Country Music – Video of the Year – “It’s Your Love” (with Faith Hill)
1998 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Event – “It’s Your Love” (with Faith Hill)
1999 – Academy of Country Music – Male Vocalist
1999 – Academy of Country Music -Vocal Collaboration – “Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me” (with Faith Hill)
1999 – CMA – Male Vocalist
1999 – CMA – Album of the Year – A Place in the Sun
2000 – CMA – Male Vocalist
2000 – National Fatherhood Initiative – Father of the Year
2000 – Academy of Country Music – Male Vocalist
2000 – Billboard Awards – Male Artist of the Year
2001 – American Music Awards – Favorite Male Country Artist
2001 – Grammy Awards – Vocal Collaboration – “Let’s Make Love” (with Faith Hill)
2001 – CMA – Entertainer of the Year
2001 – Billboard Awards – Country Artist
2001 – Billboard Awards – Male Country Artist
2001 – Billboard Awards – Country Albums Artist
2001 – Billboard Awards – Country Single Artist
2001 – Billboard Awards – Country Album – Greatest Hits
2002 – American Music Awards – Best Country Album – Set This Circus Down
2002 – American Music Awards – Favorite Male Country Artist
2003 – American Music Awards – Favorite Country Male Artist
2003 – Radio Music Awards – Country Male Artist
2003 – American Music Awards – Favorite Country Male Artist
2004 – People’s Choice Awards – Favorite Country Male Artist
2004 – Radio Music Awards – Country Male Artist
2004 – CMA – Single of the Year – “Live Like You Were Dying”
2005 – American Music Awards – Album of the Year -Live Like You Were Dying
2005 – American Music Awards – Best Male Country Artist
2005 – Academy of Country Music – Song of the Year -”Live Like You Were Dying”
2005 – Academy of Country Music – Single of the Year -”Live Like You Were Dying”
2005 – People’s Choice Awards – Favorite Country Male Artist
2005 – Grammy Award – Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “Live Like You Were Dying”
2005 – Country Music Television – Most Inspiring Video – “Live Like You Were Dying”
2006 – People’s Choice Awards – Top Male Performer
2006 – Grammy Award Country – Vocal Collaboration – “Like We Never Loved At All” (with Faith Hill)
2012 – CMA – Musical Event of the Year – “Feel Like a Rock Star” (with Kenny Chesney)
2013 – CMA – Music Video of the Year – “Highway Don’t Care” Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
2013 – CMA – Musical Event of the Year – “Highway Don’t Care” Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
2014 – People’s Choice Awards – Country Music Icon