As the release date of the much anticipated studio project Set This Circus Down moves closer, McGraw relishes in the glory of his recent- and first- Grammy win (Vocal Collaboration with Hill for "Let's Make Love"). The first glimpse of the album came with the performance of "Things Change" at last year's CMA Awards shows. The standing ovation performance was taped by various radio programmers, circulated through Napster, and ultimately charted.
The debut single, "Grown Men Don't Cry", penned by Tom Douglas and Steve Seskin, weaves a poignant tale of how a man should set his priorities and proves yet again what a strong sense for material McGraw possesses. It has become the fastest rising single in McGraw's career.
Those instincts also extend to the creation of the album artwork. McGraw thought-over the album cover in his mind and enlisted the help of an artist to draw his vision. The cover came to life as evolving sketches by the artist were presented to him until the vision became a tangible piece of art- thus the life of the CD cover- and ensuing 25 pages of the CD jacket were born. "I spent a lot of time reading the covers of albums when I was younger. That was as much fun as listening to them. I want to be able to share something special like that with my fans. We have put together the largest CD booklet possible for the album. Any larger and it wouldn't fit in the case!"
Greatest Hits- released November 21, 2000 The Greatest Hits package was launched to record buyers just before Christmas of 2000, selling two million copies in two months. It debuted at Number One on the country charts, selling 306,416 units, the highest sales debut of McGraw's career to date. The project contained 15 previously released singles, which spent eight consecutive weeks at Number One. The celebration of the tremendous sales launch was sweet but McGraw kept his focus on the album he had anticipated.
Circus Q&A Tim McGraw would never allow a journalist to see a document of this kind. He is proud of what he's accomplished, but is uncomfortable with the accolades. He would never allow his fans to see a document like this. Of course he's appreciative of what he has received, but "feels guilty that his success cannot be shared with all". In a few words, Tim McGraw feels "like a bum with a pocket full of diamonds". And so, after numerous conversations we've taken it halfway. A bit of our feelings about Tim and the rest just Tim - the way that only Tim can be - straight forward, practical, honest and direct. Enjoy the show.
Tim McGraw is to many, a modern day country music Icon. He is the voice of a new generation of country fans that have embraced him as a leader, friend, producer, innovator and visionary. An undeniable live entertainer that has left his own indelible imprint on thousands of bars, clubs, amphitheaters and stadiums, McGraw to many, has taken the tradition of country music to the mainstream without compromise.
He has learned from experience, he has maintained his drive, he has kept himself personally and musically grounded and has matured into not just one of country music's best male vocalists, but into one of its greatest examples. He has sold nearly 25 million albums, had 21 Top 10 singles (17 #1's), won The County Music Association's Album of The Year Award twice, is a two-time Academy of Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of The Year and has landed an award from every award's show known to mankind. He has had 5 multi-platinum recordings and as his newest offering "Set This Circus Down" has already retained platinum status we find that the only way to have been able to tell you all of that, was to allow Tim McGraw to tell you all of this:
QUESTION: It seems like these days there is not a lot of road work that figures into the growth of a band. ANSWER: I started playing clubs in 1987. So I've been on the road playing for 14 years. I think that's what has helped me to build my career and our fan base. We'd have fans going from club to club with us and we'd play to sold-out audiences. We did songs like "Indian Outlaw", which we've been playing since well before it was recorded and still do play it to this day. It's the ability to play these songs before they come out that gives the songs a boost in interest and familiarity. I think this concept helped launch our career more than anything and we still do it to this day.
QUESTION: Do you question the styles of today with bands who don't tour or who seem to be products of marketing or studio technology? ANSWER: I don't hold anything against anybody like that. Even if they're groomed, trained or put together, they still want to be an artist. They're following their dream. They're trying to be successful and they want a career and you get these kids that are out there who may have just gotten a record deal and they're willing to do whatever it takes - whatever people tell them. They're only out there just trying to hit a lick.
QUESTION: Do you feel that you true to yourself as a musician? ANSWER: Absolutely. I don't think that you can be successful as an artist if you're not being true to yourself. If you start doing things according to what the critics say or start changing what you do because of what people say then you're a puppet. What do they want you to be if you're not doing it the way you want to do it.
QUESTION: So then you're rebel or bad boy image. Is that just you or is that you just doing things the way that enables you to be true to yourself? ANSWER: I wouldn't say bad boy. But I do try to do things the way that I want. My first album didn't work and perhaps that was because I listened to everybody else and didn't follow my heart. Now I stiffen my back and do everything I can to make my records the way my heart tells me.
QUESTION: How do you continue to dream after selling 25 million albums? ANSWER: It's the music. You just dream about making music. I'm sure that there will come a time where the records aren't as good as they should be or when I'm just not feeling it anymore and I'll just back off and let somebody else do it for awhile.
QUESTION: "Set This Circus Down". How much of your life has been a circus? ANSWER: I wish that I could have written the song because it really does sound autobiographical. Everyday you throw the tent up, put the lights up, do a show in a certain amount of time and then do it all over again in another place. We don't have any clowns, but we sure do have a bunch of weirdo's out there with us.
QUESTON: You mention that you wished you would've written the song. Is that what makes a good song for you - one that you can relate to? ANSWER: I think that as a recording artist you have to find some way to relate to the song. It doesn't necessarily have to relate to you, but I do think at the least that you have to be able to step outside your skin and look at other situations in life.
QUESTION: You grew up listening to all sorts of music didn't you? ANSWER: Between the ages of like three to six I spent a lot of time hauling cottonseed across Louisiana listening to 8-tracks of Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard and Charlie Rich. My mother was a big Tammy Wynette and Tanya Tucker fan, but she also listened to the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. If you were lucky enough to own a record player you could listen to everything, but for me the radio turned us on to R&B, Blues and all sorts of music.
QUESTION: Why do you feel that the recording industry pigeonholes musical genres and is this part of the reason for the tension between the traditionalist and contemporary country musicians? ANSWER: I think what people have to realize is that country music isn't just for people in the rural south and pop music isn't only for people in the big cities. Music is going to end up where it ends up. What's amazing to me is that pop music isn't really a genre. What pop music is to me are all different types of music that lean towards the middle. Nevertheless, there are R&B purists and rap purists that don't like the fact that they get played on pop radio. So I think it's that way in every kind of musical genre. For me I put blinders on when I go into the studio and I make what I like as an artist. To me that's what being an artist is all about. C'mon, nobody is going to say that they don't want their music played on a radio station. That's ridiculous. As an artist you should want to reach as many people as you can and the more people that want to play it the better.
QUESTION: What do you say to those people who say "Branford Marsalis, sell-out, Faith Hill, sell-out, Dixie Chicks, sell-outs, Tim McGraw, sell-out"? ANSWER: I say that you're selling out if you do things that other people want you to do and not what you want to do.
QUESTION: You're not like a senior citizen, but you could certainly be considered a spokesperson for your industry given your statistics and longevity in the business. Do you feel any responsibility towards those around you in the business? ANSWER: If I feel any responsibility it would be to lead by my actions - to set a good example for others. To me, setting a good example is encouraging people through your actions to be themselves - to make the kind of music that they want to make.
QUESTION: How do you keep up the energy and the desire to perform live? ANSWER: Performing live is what I do. I don't think that anybody ever gets into this business or picks up a guitar or tries to learn a song thinking, "man, I just can't wait till I'm in this little room in this studio performing my music". Everybody's image is to be on the stage in front of thousands of people slinging sweat. It's an amazing feeling being out in front of that many people who know the words to your songs. It definitely helps when you forget them.
QUESTION: Tell me about the artwork. The concept, the layout is a departure for you isn't it? ANSWER: You know you get tired of seeing your mug plastered on the top of everything. I wanted something that people could hold in their hand and look at like a book. I had this vision for the cover of the art, but we couldn't find a stock photo anywhere that was good. So we found an artist and I conveyed what I was thinking. It took awhile and a lot of hard work from a lot of people to do that.
QUESTION: Some might feel that marriage, children and age have taken away some of your edge. Do you think so? ANSWER: Well I do a few more ballads then I used to and I do sing about different subjects now that I'm older. But I don't think the edge is gone at all in how I feel about how I approach my music. But I'll tell you that when the edge is gone then I'll know that it's time to go coach high school football or something.
QUESTION: Are you at peace with yourself? ANSWER: I'm in a good place in my life. I've got a career that I love and a great family.
QUESTION: Are you appreciative of all that you have? ANSWER: Absolutely. I mean I know the opposite because I didn't grow up with a lot of stuff. We really didn't grow up with anything. We got love, but I grew up in a very depressed area. There's not a day that goes by that I don't appreciate what I have. But probably the toughest thing about being successful is dealing with the guilt that you feel about why you have success and other people don't.
QUESTION: Without telling me about Faith or family or the kids. What are Tim McGraw's goals? ANSWER: What I want to get out of my career, out of everything that I do, out of my life, out of myself is good music and good friends. I want to be somebody who can be counted on. When my kids grow up I want somebody to say well if there's a project or something that needs to be done and one of my kids says that they're going to do it, I want everybody to say well that's…that's a McGraw kid. I think your legacy is probably the biggest accomplishment that you can ever have. I hope that mine will ultimately be children that are established, well rounded and who one day will make a difference.
Industry Awards
2002 American Music Awards- Best Country Album- Set This Circus Down, Favorite Male Country Artist
Nominations: Grammy's- Country Album Set This Circus Down Male Country Vocal Performance- "Grown Men Don't Cry" Vocal Collaboration- "Bring on The Rain" w/Jo Dee Messina
2001 American Music Awards- Favorite Male Country Artist
Grammy- Vocal Collaboration w/Faith Hill (Let's Make Love)
Radio & Records Country Radio Readers Poll- Best Male Vocalist
Blockbuster Award- Favorite Male Artist- Country
Playboy Magazine's Top Male Performer
Radio Music Awards- Country Artist of the Year Single of the year- "Grown Men"
Country Music Association: Entertainer of the Year
Billboard Awards- Country Artist, Male Country Artist, Country Albums Artist, Country Album- Greatest Hits, Country Single Artist
2000 Country Music Association- Male Vocalist
Father of the Year- National Fatherhood Initiative
Academy of Country Music Awards- Male Vocalist
American Songwriter Magazine- Favorite Artist of the Year
Radio & Records Country Radio Readers Poll- Best Male Vocalist & Album (A Place in the Sun)
Billboard Magazine's Male Artist of the Year
1999 Academy of Country Music Awards - Male Vocalist & Vocal Collaboration- ("Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me" w/Faith Hill)
American Songwriter Magazine - Favorite Artist of the Year
Country Music Association Awards- Male Vocalist & Album of The Year (A Place in The Sun)
Music City News/TNN Awards - Male Vocalist, Vocal Collaboration- ("Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me") & Song of the Year- ("Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me")
Radio & Records Country Radio Readers Poll - Best Male Vocalist, Best Album (Everywhere)
1998 Billboard Awards - Country Single of the Year ("Just To See You Smile")
Country Music Association Awards - Album of The Year (Everywhere)
Country Radio Music Awards - Best Male Artist
Academy of Country Music Awards - Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year & Top Vocal Event ("It's Your Love")
Radio & Records Country Radio Readers Poll - Best Album (Everywhere)
1997 Billboard Magazine Single of the Year ("It's Your Love")
Billboard Monitor Single of the Year ("It's Your Love")
Radio & Records Single of the Year ("It's Your Love")
Gavin Single of the Year ("It's Your Love")
Country Music Television - Male Artist of the Year
Country Music Television - Video of the Year ("It's Your Love")
Country Music Television - Top Video of All Time ("It's Your Love")
Playgirl Magazine Sexiest Men of the Year, Top Ten
Country Music Association Awards - Vocal Event ("It's Your Love")
1996 Country Music Association SRO Awards - Best Tour Package (Spontaneous Combustion Tour)
1995 Country Music Association SRO Awards - Best New Touring Artist
Country Dance Music Awards - Best Dance Album (Not A Moment Too Soon)
American Music Awards - Favorite New Country Artist
TNN/Music City News Awards - Male Star of Tomorrow
1994 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite CD (Not A Moment Too Soon)
Country Music Television Awards - Male Video Artist of the Year
Academy of Country Music - Album of the Year (Not A Moment Too Soon)
Academy of Country Music - Top New Male Vocalist
American Jukebox Awards - Best New Artist
Country Radio Awards - Best New Artist
Billboard Awards - Top New Country Artist
Billboard Magazine- Top New Country Album (Not A Moment Too Soon)
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