On May 1, 1967, the world was graced with a little more country, thanks to the birth of Samuel Timothy Smith, or Tim McGraw, as he is known today. McGraw first learned how to play guitar as a student at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe). Through out college he would frequently perform and sing for tips, although he claims that his roommates often hid the guitar because he was so bad. McGraw was in school on a baseball scholarship but dropped out in 1989, on the day his country hero, Keith Whitley, passed away, to pursue his dreams of a music career. And he hasn’t looked back since…McGraw signed with Curb Records in 1990, struck success with his 1994 record, “Not a Moment Too Soon”, and has gone on to make a big impact on country music. The “Live Like You Were Dying” hit maker is no longer a baby-faced 20-something with long hair and a mustache; now, he’s a superstar with an impressive 13 studio albums, three (3) Grammys, 14 ACM Awards and 11 CMA Awards. Ten of his albums have reached #1 on the Top Country Albums charts, with his 1994 breakthrough album “Not a Moment Too Soon” being the top country album of 1994. These albums have produced over 50 singles, of which 25 have reached #1 on the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts. Three (3) of his singles, “It’s Your Love“, “Just to See You Smile“, and “Live Like You Were Dying,” were the top country songs of 1997, 1998, and 2004 respectively, according to Billboard Year-End. As Tim always says, “Some say it’s too country, some say it’s too rock n’ roll. But its just good music if you can feel it in your soul.”
Tim is the only child of Elizabeth “Betty” Ann (D’Agostino) and Frank Edwin “Tug” McGraw Jr., a star pitcher for the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. Tim is of Italian and Irish descent on his mother’s side, and of Scots-Irish, English, Scottish, French, Dutch, Czech, and German descent on his father’s side. In 1966, while Tug was a pitcher for the Jacksonville Suns, he had a relationship with Betty, and when she became pregnant, her parents sent her to Louisiana to live with relatives and to have the baby. Raised by his mother, Tim grew up believing his stepfather, Horace Smith, was his father as his last name was Smith until the time he finally met his biological father. At age 11, Tim discovered his birth certificate while searching his mother’s closet for Christmas presents. After this surprise, his mother revealed that his biological father was Tug McGraw and took Tim to meet him for the first time. For seven years, Tug denied being Tim’s father. Tim was 18 years old when Tug first realized how much Tim looked like him at that age, and he acknowledged paternity. They remained close until Tug’s death in 2004.
As a child, he loved to play competitive sports, including baseball, even though he did not know his biological father was a professional athlete. In acknowledgement of his grandfather’s Italian heritage, the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) honored Tim in 2004, receiving the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Music during the Foundation’s 29th Anniversary Gala.
“Live Like You Were Dying” continued McGraw’s record of commercial success. The title track, dedicated to his father Tug McGraw, who died of a brain tumor earlier in the year, was an ode to living life fully and in the moment. “Live Like You Were Dying” spent seven (7) non-consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard and went on to become the top country song of 2004 on the Billboard Year-End charts. It also became one of the most awarded songs/records by winning ACM Single and Song of the Year, CMA Single and Song of the Year, and a Grammy.
In late 2004, his unlikely duet with hip-hop artist Nelly on “Over and Over” became a crossover hit, spending 10 weeks on the Top 40’s chart. “Over and Over” brought McGraw a success he had never previously experienced on contemporary hit radio or rap radio, and brought both artists success neither had previously experienced in the hot adult contemporary market. The song also spent a week at the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, becoming McGraw’s first British hit single. “Over and Over” also reached the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland, and the top ten in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Romania and Switzerland.
Throughout the 2005 NFL 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 on Monday Night Football. Later in the year, McGraw became a minority owner of the Arena Football League‘s Nashville Kats when majority owner Bud Adams (owner of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans) was awarded the expansion franchise.
Soon McGraw ventured into acting, with supporting roles in The Blind Side (with Sandra Bullock), Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, and Four Christmases (with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon), and lead roles in Flicka (2006) and Country Strong (2010). Shortly before Flicka opened, McGraw received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
As his success has grown, McGraw has increasingly given back to the community. When McGraw first reached fame in 1994, he established his 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 new Little League parks and equipment, and have established college scholarship funds for students in the northeast Louisiana area. From 1996 to 1999, McGraw has hosted an annual New Year’s Eve charity concert in Nashville. 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” with all proceeds from the show going to a local charity from that community.
As the father of three (3) beautiful daughters, Tim states, “You never feel like you are doing everything right as a parent- especially when you have daughters. I dread the first broken heart.”
The husband of fellow country star Faith Hill, Tim laughs and says, “The main thing I have learned being in a house full of women is saying ‘yes ma’am’ or nothing at all.”
Tim is a self-professed workout maniac, looking more chiseled than ever, even at the age of 48 and states, “we all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” As the 2014 People’s Choice Awards recipient of the Country Music Icon award, Tim is humbled and says, “continue to chase your dreams but always know the road that’ll lead you home again.” Don’t miss Tim’s Shotgun Rider Tour on August 21, 2015 at 7:00pm at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach.