People have often said Tim McGraw has a knack for picking great songs to record, and Tim attributes his song picking abilities to a gut reaction. When listening to songs he says, “I sort of open myself up to some sort of visceral attack. I think that when you hear a song it has to affect you, and usually right away I know if it’s gonna affect me or not, and if it doesn’t move me, in some sort of way, it can be a physical chill bump reaction, or it can be somethin’ that sort a chokes you a bit, or it could be somethin’ that makes you smile or somethin’ that makes you feel happy, makes you roll the window down. All those things, somethin’ has to happen.”

Those types of reactions are how he chose all the songs on his latest album, Sundown Heaven Town, including his latest single, “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools.” Tim says if he doesn’t have some sort of reaction to a song when he starts listening to it, “Then there’s no need listenin’ to it anymore.”

 

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/205230517?secret_token=s-biiU0″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Tim McGraw – has to feel something :26
“I sort of open myself up to some sort of visceral attack. I think that when you hear a song it has to affect you, and usually right away I know if it’s gonna affect me or not, and if it doesn’t move me, in some sort of way, it can be a physical chill bump reaction, or it can be somethin’ that sort a chokes you a bit, or it could be somethin’ that makes you smile or somethin’ that makes you feel happy, makes you roll the window down. All those things, somethin’ has to happen, and if somethin’ doesn’t happen, then there’s no need listenin’ to it anymore.”

WHAT HE’S DOING THIS WEEK – MAY 18, 2015 – MONDAY  

Tim McGraw was in Las Vegas over the weekend (5/17) where he supported his wife Faith Hill as she performed “Girl Crush” with Little Big Town on the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. McGraw is currently gearing up for his “Shotgun Rider 15 Tour” which kicks off next month in Little Rock. McGraw was also nominated for a 2015 CMT Music Awards for his video “Meanwhile, Back At Mamas.”

CMT MUSIC AWARDS 2015 – NOMINEE

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR – Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”

The 2015 CMT Music Awards will be handed out live from Nashville on CMT On June 9, 2015.

TIM MCGRAW – JUST THE FACTS

BIRTH DATE: May 1, 1967 (He’s 48)

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: “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”- a duet with Catherine Dunn, which sits at number 11 on Mediabase / Country Aircheck chart this week.

LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2015 – “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”

UPCOMING TOUR: “Shotgun Rider Tour ’15” kicking off on June 5, 2015.

RECENT TWEETS:

Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Sunday, May 17
I’ve got a #GirlCrush!! Excited to watch “my girl” perform with @littlebigtown tonight on the Billboard awards!!

Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · May 15
Time for a poll! Where was the first time you saw Tim McGraw live? How about the next time? #ShotgunRiderTour

Tim McGraw retweeted
Faith Hill @FaithHill · May 14
#TomorrowlandMovie premiere last weekend w/ Tim at #Disneyland. #TBT

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

2015 – Time – 100 Most Influential People