Tim McGraw just released his new album, Sundown Heaven Town, and he hopes his fans will take note of the CD cover because he put a lot of thought and effort into it. Tim worked with Nick Egan, a renowned visual design artist, and director of music videos, commercials and film, who has designed album covers for people like Bob Dylan, Duran Duran and INXS. Tim says a great cover for his new album was important to him because “A lot of times an album cover is somethin’ that you’ll remember and somethin’ that’s iconic and also makes you remember the music and also makes you think of the music and all those kinds of things. I think I’ve always been a big fan of album covers and so I’ve always tried to put a lotta work into that throughout my career. I wanted to do somethin’ that made a statement in a lotta ways, and make this record sorta stand out. It’s a piece of art.”
Mostly, Tim doesn’t want anybody to think the cover of Sundown Heaven Town was an afterthought. “I don’t want anybody to look at that and say there’s not some effort that was involved in that. And I think that that’s the key thing. Then you wanna present a package and present an album cover that represents the music, represents the effort that went into the music.”
Sundown Heaven Town is available in a standard 13-song version and a deluxe 18 song version and it features Tim’s brand new single, “Shotgun Rider.”
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Tim McGraw – SHT album cover :46
“You know they say, don’t judge a book by its cover, but a lot of times an album cover is somethin’ that you’ll remember and somethin’ that’s iconic and also makes you remember the music and also makes you think of the music and all those kinds of things. I think I’ve always been a big fan of album covers and so I’ve always tried to put a lotta work into that throughout my career. I wanted to do somethin’ that made a statement in a lotta ways, and make this record sorta stand out. It’s a piece of art. I don’t know how else to say it. I don’t want anybody to look at that and say there’s not some effort that was involved in that. And I think that that’s the key thing. Then you wanna present a package and present an album cover that represents the music, represents the effort that went into the music. Yah, I think you’ll see a lotta cool stuff in there. There’s even a picture of my Mom in there.”
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Tim McGraw – SHT album cover designer :25
“Well, Nick Egan designed the cover of the album and the package, along with Kelli, who’s been workin’ for me for years, or workin’ with me for years. And she found Nick and Nick’s, I mean he’s famous. We’re all famous. He’s done so many great projects. You could go look at his discography, so to speak. I think he just got put into the Album Cover Hall of Fame, or somethin’. So, he’s done a lotta stuff. It’s cool with him. A lotta energy and lotta fresh ideas.”
WHAT HE’S DOING THIS WEEK – SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 – MONDAY
Last week was a huge week for Tim McGraw after he released his Sundown Heaven Town album and made several TV appearances including on Tuesday (9/16) where he performed in a LIVE stream event “American Express Unstaged.” Over the weekend, McGraw celebrated his wife Faith Hill’s birthday with his family. As for live performances, Tim only have five shows coming up in October and one in November to round out the year.
2014 CMA NOMINATIONS
SINGLE OF THE YEAR – “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” – Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR – “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill
The 48th Annual CMA Awards will be handed out in Nashville live on ABC on November.
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: Upcoming this week – Sundown Heaven Town – TO BE RELEASED: September 16, 2014 (Tuesday)
CURRENT SINGLE: “Shotgun Rider” was recently released.
LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2014 – “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”
RECENT TWEETS:
Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Sunday, September 21
this one is full-on 80s!! #BlackJacket #sundownheaventown http://youtu.be/Onj1zfi87jA
Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Sunday, September 21
early mornings this week hangin with country radio in tennessee #sundownheaventown
Tim McGraw @TheTimMcGraw · Saturday, September 20
.@KidRock took this to a whole other level #LincolnContinentalsAndCadillacs #SundownHeavenTown http://bit.ly/1wBmLt2
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