Tim McGraw Remains Relevant by Being Open But Staying In His Lane

Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw (Photo courtesy of BMLG)

After three decades of making music, Tim McGraw continues to turn out hits and stay relevant on new country radio. Tim credits part of that to keeping an open mind. “I think for me, I’m certainly influenced by everything that I hear, always,” says Tim. “I mean, I think that as a artist you have to keep your heart and soul open as you move along for things to sort of hit you and sorta sink in or bounce off.”

The key for Tim is staying open while staying in his lane. “I think I’ve been doing this for so long that I certainly know my road that I travel,” he says, “the kind of music that I make and what I’m comfortable with and the kind of atmosphere I create with my music.”

Rather than trying to copy or imitate sounds he hears on country radio, Tim says, “I also like to hear stuff and sort of think, well this is kinda cool. Let me do my version of some of these sounds that I hear on the radio now. Or let me do my version of some of these drum beats that I hear on the radio, and still do what I like to do, and still do the kind of music and the sort of soulfulness and the groundedness and the earthiness, I guess is the best way to put it, that I like to put into music, and not go too far off the road one way or the other. Just sort of stay true to my core but sort of incorporate some stuff that I hear along the way.”

Tim’s latest single, “7500 OBO,” off his Here On Earth album, is top 30 and continuing to climb the charts.