McGraw Discusses His New Deal

The formal press conference took place Monday May 21st in the Rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Tim McGraw, recording and movie star, had signed a new record deal with Big Machine Music Group.  The label already includes many of Tim’s friends, such as Reba, Martina McBride, and Taylor Swift.  But some had speculated he might launch his own label, as Toby Keith and others have done.  Tim spoke about his decision with Country Countdown USA host and Country Aircheck Publisher Lon Helton: “Yeah it’s a new day for me.  I know I’ve got so much more ahead of me than I’ve ever done in my career.  I feel like a new artist.  I feel like I have such a sense of freedom, what I want to do, and I feel I found a partner who is on the same page with me, and help me fulfill my vision, and I want a partner who’s really gonna pull the best out of me, and I think we’ll have a great symbiotic relationship.  I’ve known Scott Borcetta of Big Machine a while, I respect for how he does business, and I knew his dad for a long time.  His dad is who signed me at Curb Records, and he stuck his neck out for me, and it’s why I have a record deal at all.  Very passiomate about music, and his son Scott inherited that.”

You could have done many things, even done your own label, and you chose Big Machine.  Why?  Because I’ve always had a great relationship with radio, radio’s always been good to me.  I looked at the landscape and for me, it was about control, being able to fulfill my artistic vision, and find someone who was going to challenge me, and I couldn’t find a better scenario than Big Machine.”

So what’s the timetable for new music? “You’ll hear new music on the road this summer.  You’ll hear two or three new songs, so I’m looking forward to finishing a project at the end of the summer.  I don’t know if we’re gonna get it out this fall, or after the new year, but the music I’m recording is a watershed time for me.  I think that there’s gonna be a whole new level for what I do.”

People would be surprised to hear you talk about having freedom: “I’ve always fought for that.  Be as free as I could, so to have that freedom and not have to fight to get it will trasfer my energy to where it needs to be.”

Sounds like you’re excited: “I’m very excited, we have a fantastic team around me, and like I said there’s way more ahead of me than there is behind me.”

LISTEN: 12-22 Tim7

Tags: mcgraw

Category: Audio, VIDEO