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Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an independent record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973 Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of MGM and Verve Records.

History[link]

Throughout the years the Curb Companies have had major successes with such artists as the Stone Poneys (featuring Linda Rondstadt), Eric Burdon and War, Sammy Davis Jr., the Osmond Family (including Donny & Marie), Lou Rawls, Exile, the Righteous Brothers, Solomon Burke, Gloria Gaynor, the Hondells, the Arrows (featuring Davie Allan), Lyle Lovett, Roy Orbison, the Electric Flag (featuring Mike Bloomfield and Buddy Miles), the Sylvers, and the Four Seasons. The Four Seasons comeback album, Who Loves You, including "December 1963 Oh What A Night" which was the first single to spend more than one year on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

Curb's roster has included many successful country music artists, such as Tim McGraw, LeAnn Rimes, Hank Williams, Jr., Wynonna, Sawyer Brown, Rodney Atkins, the Bellamy Brothers, Chris Hillman's Desert Rose Band, Lee Greenwood, Steve Holy, the Judds, Hal Ketchum, Jo Dee Messina, Rio Grand, Trick Pony (featuring Heidi Newfield), Mel Tillis, T.G. Sheppard, Jim Stafford and Ray Stevens.

In late 2002 Curb Records also acquired a stake in Word Records from then-owners Time Warner. Curb still holds partnership in Word even though Time Warner's stake was sold to newly formed spin-off Warner Music Group in 2004.

Four-time GMA Music Award Female Vocalist of the Year Natalie Grant is signed to Curb Records in addition to the 5 time GMA music award winning group Selah . Throughout the years Curb has had success with other Gospel music artists such as MercyMe, the Second Chapter of Acts, Degarmo and Key, Patti Cabrera, Michael English, Debby Boone, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Barlowgirl, pureNRG, Worship Kids, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Building 429, Fernando Ortega, Downhere, Group 1 Crew, Nicole C. Mullen, Larry Norman, Jonathan Pierce, Plumb, Point of Grace, Group 1 Crew, Salvador, Jamie Slocum, Steller Kart, Jaci Velasquez and Mark Schultz.

In 2006 Curb launched a sister rock label, Bruc Records, the name of which is an acronym for "Blues, Rock, Urban, Country" (the name is also "Curb" spelled backwards). Straight to Hell by alternative country artist Hank Williams III was the first album to be released on the new imprint.

Curb Foundation[link]

Curb Records supports charitable programs through the Mike Curb Family Foundation. Some of the supported programs include; the Mike Curb Family Welcome Center at Second Harvest, Curb Youth Symphony, Curb Young Musicians Competition, Curb Concerto Competition, the Curb Family Humane Center, the Curb Junior Achievement Center in Los Angeles and Nashville, the Curb Family Pediatric Center, the Nashville Boy Scout Conference Center, the Patriots Theatre at Fort Campbell, the Curb Family Education Oasis Center and the Stella Curb Teacher Development Classrooms.

The Curb Foundation is very active in Education including the Curb Center at Vanderbilt (which has launched the Curb Creative Campus Program), the Curb College for Music Business at Belmont University, the Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication at Cal State University, the Curb Beaman Jubilee Singers Chair at Fisk University, the Curb College of Arts, Music and Sciences at Daytona State College, the Business and Law Chair and Facility at Claremont McKenna College, the Curb Learning Lab for Music and Entertainment at Baylor University, the Curb Keller Dormitories at Neve Yerushalayim in Jerusalem University and the Curb History Institute at Rhodes College.

Projects[link]

In conjunction with Curb's educational projects, Curb has purchased and restored Elvis Presley's first home in Memphis, TN, the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville, TN, the Historic RCA Studio B, and Columbia's Historic Quonset Hut which was the first recording studio on Nashville's famed Music Row. These historic facilities are being used by students at the various Curb supported colleges and universities for the purpose of studying music history.

In October 2008 the 6,000 seat Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, TN hosted the Town Hall Presidential debate between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama.

Curb Records - Europe[link]

In the United Kingdom, Curb artists (apart from those sub-licensed to majors) are eligible for the UK 'independent' charts. In January 2006, Curb scored a top ten hit with Brian Kennedy and Peter Corry's 'Tribute to George Best', an EP featuring recordings of You Raise Me Up amongst others. Earlier major hits in Europe with the Four Seasons, the Osmonds, LeAnn Rimes, and Soundtracks such as Coyote Ugly.

See also[link]

• List of Curb Records artists

References[link]

• http://www.mikecurbfamilyfoundation.com/
• http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60123291.html?dids=60123291:60123291&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+17%2C+1990&author=JOHN+MEDEARIS&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Lawsuit+Accuses+Curb%27s+Firm+of+Pirating+Song+Music%3A+Rights+to+a+compact+disc+remix+of+Sammy+Davis+Jr.%27s+%60Candy+Man%27+are+at+stake.&pqatl=google
• http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/682362212.html?dids=682362212:682362212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+15%2C+1977&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Mike+Curb--The+Reagan+of+Tomorrow%3F&pqatl=google

External links[link]

• Curb Records official site
• Bruc Records official site
• Mike Curb's official site
• Mike Curb Family Foundation official site

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2007)

Hank Williams III
Hank III performing in 2006 at the South by Southwest Festival.
Background information
Birth name	Shelton Hank Williams
Born	(1972-12-12) December 12, 1972 (age 39) Nashville, Tennessee
Genres	Country, Punkabilly, Punk Rock, Heavy Metal
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, drummer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, drums keyboards, yodeling
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Hank3, Curb
Associated acts	Assjack, Arson Anthem, Attention Deficit Domination, Superjoint Ritual, Whipping Post, Bedwetter, Salida, BuzzKill, Unknown Hinson
Website	hank3.com
Notable instruments
Last Badass Gibson ES-175 Guild Acoustics and Nightbird Solidbody Fryette Pitbull Crate BV300H Randall RG100

Shelton Hank Williams, also known as Hank Williams III and Hank 3^[1] (born December 12, 1972), is a singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates between country, punk and metal. He is the principal member of the punk metal band Assjack, the drummer for the Southern hardcore punk band Arson Anthem, and was the bassist for Pantera singer Phil Anselmo's band Superjoint Ritual. He has released seven studio albums, including five for Curb Records. Williams is the grandson of country music legend Hank Williams and the son of Hank Williams Jr.. Williams has dabbled in feature length films, most notably a small role in the famous Mark Wahlberg film "Shooter".

Music career[link]

Early career[link]

Hank spent much of his early career playing drums in punk rock bands during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. Williams signed a contract with Nashville, Tennessee, music industry giant Curb Records. Three Hanks: Men With Broken Hearts was issued shortly thereafter, which spliced together recordings to make it seem that three generations of Williams men were singing alongside one another. In the late 1980s, upon first meeting Hank Williams III, Minnie Pearl, a friend of the late Hank Williams Sr., reportedly said "Lord, honey, you're a ghost," as she was astonished by his striking resemblance to his grandfather.^[2]

[edit] Risin' Outlaw and contract issues (1999-2004)

Hank Williams III first solo album, Risin' Outlaw, was released in September 1999 to respectable sales and strong reviews. While his name (and his uncanny vocal and physical resemblances to his grandfather) could have guaranteed Williams a thriving country audience, he had little patience for the often predictable Nashville sound, nor for even the minimal constraints on behavior his promoters required. His opinions on this subject are well summed up in his songs "Trashville" and "Dick in Dixie."

Williams' live shows typically follow a Jekyll and Hyde format: a country music set featuring fiddle player Adam McOwen and slide guitar player Andy Gibson, followed by a hellbilly set, and then an Assjack set. He plays both the country and the psychobilly with his "Damn Band." Assjack produces a very different sound than either, mixing heavy doses of metalcore, psychobilly, and hardcore punk.

The lineup for Assjack includes the addition of supplemental vocalist Gary Lindsey, bassist Zach Shedd switching from upright to electric bass, and the departure of his fiddle and slide guitar players. McOwen's predecessor was fellow-fiddle-player Michael "Fiddleboy" McCanless, who would play all three sets, adding traditional violin for the country set of the concert before plugging his instrument into an amplifier and distortion unit for later sets. Fiddleboy died in 2003. Another former band member was guitarist Duane Denison, previously with The Jesus Lizard, who left The Damn Band and Assjack in January 2001 and later that year formed Tomahawk.

Williams has had significant contractual conflicts with Curb Records. He expressed dissatisfaction with his debut, and reportedly the label was unwilling to release his appropriately named This Ain't Country LP, nor to allow him to issue it on another record label. In response, Williams began making t-shirts stating "Fuck Curb." Also during this era, Williams played bass guitar in heavy metal band Superjoint Ritual, a now-defunct band led by former Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo.

[edit] Thrown out of the Bar and Straight to Hell (2004-06)

In late 2004 Thrown Out of the Bar was slated for release, but Curb opted not to issue it. Williams and label executive Mike Curb would be in and out of court for the next year before a judge ruled in favor of Williams in the spring of 2005, demanding that Curb release the album. Shortly thereafter Williams and Curb came to terms, and Williams dropped his "Fuck Curb" campaign. Bar was reworked into Straight to Hell, released on Curb’s rock imprint, Bruc. Battles with Wal-Mart delayed the appearance of this album, which was released on February 28, 2006 as a two-disc set in two formats: a censored version (for Wal-Mart), and an uncensored version that was the first major-label country album ever to bear a parental advisory warning. One of the songs, "Pills I Took", was written by a little-known Wisconsin group called Those Poor Bastards, who originally released the song on their 2004 CD Country Bullshit.^[3]

Independent releases (2007-present)[link]

Williams recently played drums for Arson Anthem, formed with Phil Anselmo and Mike Williams of the sludge band Eyehategod.^[4]

Williams released his long awaited punk-metal album AssJack on August 4, 2009.

His next album, Rebel Within, was released in May 2010.^[5] It charted at number 20 in Billboard magazine.

Williams' former label Curb Records released This Ain't Country under the title Hillbilly Joker on May 17, 2011 without the consent or input from Williams after his contract with the label had been terminated. Williams told his fans, "Don’t buy it, but get it some other way and burn the hell out of it and give it to everyone."^[6]

On May 18, 2011 it was posted on Williams's web site that he is busy making new material / album which could be released very soon.^[7]

On June 23, 2011, it was revealed through Williams' personal Facebook that he would be releasing four new CDs on September 6, 2011. It said to expect country, doom-rock, speed metal with cattle callin' on the releases. Entitled Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town (a 2 disc country record), 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin' (a metal record in the newly anointed cattle core genre) and Attention Deficit Domination (a doom-rock record), these new albums will be released on Williams's own record label Hank3 Records through Megaforce Records, and feature guest appearances by Tom Waits, Les Claypool (Primus), Alan King (Hellstomper), Ray Lawrence Jr., Troy Medlin (Sourvein), Dave Sherman (Earthride) and Williams' dog, Trooper.^[8]

On July 13, 2011, the track listing for the four upcoming albums were posted online.

On April 17, 2012, Curb released a Hank III album titled Long Gone Daddy, marking the second album the company has released under his name since his departure.

Discography[link]

• Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts (1996)
• Risin' Outlaw (1999)
• Lovesick, Broke and Driftin' (2002)
• Straight to Hell (2006)
• Damn Right, Rebel Proud (2008)
• Rebel Within (2010)
• Hillbilly Joker (2011)
• Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town (2011)
• 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin' (2011)
• Attention Deficit Domination (2011)
• Long Gone Daddy (2012)

Other appearances[link]

• Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska (contributing track: "Atlantic City") (2000)
• The Crybaby (The Melvins, vocals and guitar on "Ramblin' Man", vocals on "Okie from Muskogee") (2000)
• Driven Soundtrack (contributing track: "Hang On") (2001)
• Timeless: A Tribute To Hank Williams (contributing track: "I'm a Long Gone Daddy") (2001)
• Sharp Dressed Man: A Tribute To ZZ Top (contributing track: "Fearless Boogie") (2002)
• Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (contributing track: "Wreck of the Old 97") (2002)
• Live in London... England (Dale Watson, backing vocals on "Country My Ass") (2002)
• Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit The West Memphis Three (contributing track: "No Values") (2002)
• Use Once and Destroy (Superjoint Ritual, touring only bassist) (2002)
• Grand Ole Opry at The Ryman Auditorium: Tribute to Hank Williams Sr. (2003)
• A Lethal Dose of American Hatred (Superjoint Ritual featuring Hank III on bass) (2003)
• Stars & Guitars (Willie Nelson and Friends, backing vocals w/Keith Richards and Ryan Adams on "Dead Flowers") (2003)
• Touch My Heart: A Tribute To Johnny PayCheck (contributing track: "I'm The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised") (2004)
• 50 Years Too Late (Joey Allcorn, vocals on "This Ain't Montgomery")
• Rebel Meets Rebel (Rebel Meets Rebel, vocals on "Get Outta My Life") (2006)
• Everybody Loves ANTiSEEN: A Loving Tribute to the Boys from Brutalsville (contributing track: "Ruby, Get Back to the Hills") (2006)
• For the Sick: A Tribute To Eyehategod (contributing tracks: "Take as Needed for Pain" and "Torn Between Suicide and Breakfast"; credited as The Unholy 3) (2007)
• Arson Anthem (Arson Anthem featuring Hank III on drums) (2008)
• Satan Is Watching (Those Poor Bastards, vocals on "Swallowed by Sin") (2008)
• Black Dog Yodel 7" (Those Poor Bastards and Skelton, vocals on "Black Dog Yodel") (2009)
• Insecurity Notoriety (Arson Anthem featuring Hank III on drums) (2010)
• The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (2010)
• Rare Breed: The Songs of Peter La Farge (contributing track: "Marijuana Blues") (2010)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Hank III interview on AmericanaRoots.com

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2010)

Kimberley Locke
Locke in May 2011
Background information
Birth name	Kimberley Dawn Locke
Also known as	Kim Locke
Born	(1978-01-03) January 3, 1978 (age 34) Hartsville, Tennessee
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres	AC, R&B, pop, dance
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, model
Years active	2003–present (singing) 2005–present (modeling)
Labels	Curb (2003-09) Dream Merchant 21 (2010) I AM Entertainment (2011-Present)[1]
Associated acts	Nacole Rice,Randy Jackson[2]
Website	http://www.kimberleylockeofficial.com

Kimberley Dawn Locke (born January 3, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter and model. She has recorded in the dance, pop and adult contemporary music genres.

Locke gained fame with her participation in the 2003 American Idol television series in which she placed third. In 2007 she garnered media attention for her participation in Celebrity Fit Club.

Early life[link]

Locke was born in Hartsville, Tennessee, to Donald and Christine Locke, and is the second of two children, with an older brother named Ashley. She and her brother spent most of their life in Gallatin. At age five, Locke began singing in church. Her parents divorced when she was eight years old.

Locke grew up admiring such singers as Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle and Diana Ross. In 1987, she and childhood friends Chandra Boone, Selina Robb, and Nacole Rice formed a quartet named Shadz of U, which performed at many local churches. The group later appeared on Locke's 2007 Based on a True Story album, singing backup on Everyday Angels.

Locke went to Gallatin High School, where she was one of sixteen members to participate in its performing group. She remained in the group throughout her high school years. She was also selected twice as a member of the All-Middle State Chorus. After graduating, she began to work for a company in Nashville as an administrative assistant.

Like 2007 American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle, Locke is an alumna of Belmont University in Nashville.

[edit] American Idol and singing career

On October 30, 2002, the reality TV singing competition American Idol held auditions in Nashville, Tennessee for the show's second season. Locke successfully passed through to the next round, and in December was chosen to perform on the show. She finished third, behind winner Ruben Studdard and runnerup Clay Aiken. She has since been invited back to the show to perform twice (seasons 3 and 7).

Locke went on to sign a record deal with Curb Records on September 6, 2003. Her debut album, One Love, was released May 4, 2004. Debut single "8th World Wonder" reached the top half of the Billboard Hot 100 and was successful on other charts, and entered the UK charts. "Wrong" and "I Could" followed as singles.

Locke released her version of "Up on the House Top" in the autumn of 2005 and by the end of year, it had reached the top spot of the Adult Contemporary (A/C) charts. The following year, Locke's version of "Jingle Bells" was released and topped the same charts. A full Christmas album entitled Christmas — only available digitally — was released on November 6, 2007.

Locke performing in 2006

Locke's second album, Based on a True Story, was released on May 1, 2007. The album's original lead single, "Supawoman," co-written with her producers Damon Sharpe and Mark J. Feist, was released to radio on August 7, 2006. "Change," was released to radio on January 15, 2007. The album's next single was a cover of Freda Payne's "Band of Gold," which was released to radio on August 13, 2007, and became Locke's sixth solo A/C Top 10 hit. The album's third single,"Fall," co-written by Clay Mills and also recorded by country music artist Clay Walker, was released to radio in February 2008. All three singles from this album hit number one on the Billboard dance club chart.

After parting ways with Curb Records in 2009, Locke went on to be the first artist to sign a deal with Randy Jackson's Dream Merchant 21 record label^[3][4] and recorded the single "Strobelight", which was released April 6, 2010.^[5] as part of the "singles only" agreement about which Locke stated, "We live in a world where people go to iTunes and download the songs they want.^[6] "

In 2011, Locke issued a press release announcing her new entertainment company called I AM Entertainment. Her first independent release through her new company was her danced-themed EP album, "Four for the Floor", which was released on July 19, 2011.^[7] On November 1, 2011 Locke released a cover of Silver Bells which was accompanied by an I AM Entertainment produced music video.^[8] During the summer of 2011, fans chose via a Facebook voting campaign,^[9] which would be Locke's next single. The winning song was "Finally Free" which is slated to be released with a full remix package in 2012.^[10]

[edit] Songs performed on American Idol

• ^Note 1 Due to Corey Clark's disqualification, the Top 9 performances became Top 8 when no one was eliminated.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

¹ Current single

Other recordings[link]

• 2003: "Ammon" - New Blues Sessions (backing vocals)
• 2003: "Over the Rainbow" (American Idol Season 2: All Time Classic American Love Songs)
• 2003: "God Bless the USA" (along with the other Idols of AI2) (American Idol Season 2: All Time Classic American Love Songs)
• 2003: "What the World Needs Now" (along with the other Idols of AI2) (American Idol Season 2: All Time Classic American Love Songs)
• 2003: "The Christmas Song" (American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics)
• 2003: "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (Group performance) (American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics)
• 2003: "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Group performance) (American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics)
• 2005: "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" (DisneyMania 3)
• 2005: "Wishes" (duet with Peabo Bryson) (Wishes)
• 2005: "Better Than This" (The Perfect Man movie soundtrack)
• 2005: "Come Together Now" (Multi-artist charity single) (Come Together Now Collaborative)
• 2007: "Please Come Home for Christmas" (with Dave Koz on his Memories of a Winter's Night album)
• 2009: "Let the Fire Burn Hot" (Camille movie soundtrack)
• 2009: "Lay Down in My Love" (Camille movie soundtrack)
• 2010: "Spanish Guitar" (with Benise on his 'Spanish Guitar' album)

Television career[link]

Whilst pursuing her music career, Locke was also interested in becoming a television star. Since 2005, Locke has featured on many television shows.

In August 2004, Locke was invited to be a guest host on Good Day Live, and was invited back to co-host twice more. In 2005, she was a contestant on the game show, Family Feud, and she hosted Word Slam!, a GSN live game show; an accompanying documentary with Locke aired on that cable channel that September. Throughout the summer of 2005, a proposed reality TV series, Aren't You That Girl?, taped Locke's progress on her second album and preparations for her upcoming wedding. The engagement was later called off and the project was cancelled.^[16] During MTV's early fall 2006 lineup, Locke was a judge and co-host on the short lived reality-show competition "Little Talent Show".

Locke sat in as a guest co-host of The View in March 2007. In April 2008, she also appeared on "Don't Forget the Lyrics!" with her winnings to benefit Camp Heartland. She was the first contestant in the history of the show to attempt the million dollar song. Although unsuccessful, she was awarded $100,000 for ranking so well. Locke vowed she would raise the $400,000 she lost when she unsuccessfully attempted to win the million dollars.

On June 24, 2009, Locke became one of the hosts of the talent show Gospel Dream 2009 on Gospel Music Channel.

On September 11, 2010, Locke appeared on Celebrity Ghost Stories

[edit] Celebrity Fit Club: Men vs. Women

In November 2006, VH1 issued a press release confirming that Locke would be a participant on the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club, which had just begun filming and would continue through March 2007. The show began airing on April 22, 2007. She has been the focused target of derision from fellow cast member Dustin Diamond, who has repeatedly called her "a loser on another show [American Idol]." Later, he says, "She is a nobody...If there were eight of her here, nobody would watch the show." She responded on-camera at a weigh-in ceremony, "Two-faced, backstabbing people who will smile in your face one day and eat you up the next. That's why I don't have anything to do with you...If you even fucking look at me, Dustin. [Because] you talk about losers? Let's talk about 'I'm a fucking child star. Now I've got a porn tape on TV and selling T-shirts to pay for my house note.'" He later walked off the stage. He later offered her a sex toy in the shape of his penis, saying that she "needed one." The ensuing argument caused all other contestants to leave the stage.^[17] On June 17, 2007, the season finale of Celebrity Fit Club aired, drawing in 2.7 million viewers, the show's highest yet.

Modeling career & weight loss[link]

From 2005 through September 2006, Locke was signed with Ford Models' 14+ Division. She has appeared on the covers of the July 2005 issue of Figure magazine and the summer 2007 issue of UneQ magazine. She has also been a former spokesperson for Lane Bryant and Seven7 Jeans.

While filming for Celebrity Fit Club, Kimberley chose to follow the Jenny Craig diet plan and had great success. In December 2006, Locke was offered a deal as spokeswoman with Jenny Craig.^[18] At the completion of filming for the show, Kimberley weighed in at a final weight of 149 lbs; down a total of 27 lbs. from her original start weight of 176 lbs. A feature in the September 10th issue of People Magazine shows Kimberley at 141 lbs., only 3 pounds away from her goal. Locke announced through her official MySpace blog on October 8, 2007 that she had finally achieved her 40 pound weight loss goal.

In January 2008, Kimberley was featured as the centerfold of Us Weekly's "Diets That Work" issue. The feature counted down the top five celebrity diets of 2007, with Kimberley being named the winner.^[19] Ellen DeGeneres was so personally blown away by the feature that she asked Kimberley to be a special guest on an upcoming episode of her popular daytime talk show. The episode taped on January 10, 2008 and aired the following day.

Business career[link]

In 1999, Locke enrolled at Belmont University and graduated in August 2001 with a Bachelor's degree of Business Administration in Management. In December 2006, Locke, with partners Eric Kupferberg, Liam Harvey and Jim Stake, opened the Croton Creek Steakhouse & Wine Bar, located in Croton Falls, New York.

In 2011, Kimberley announced she had founded her own entertainment company called I AM Entertainment.^[1]

Charitable work[link]

Locke has been active in many charities, particularly in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS and Breast cancer. Locke's first exposure to working with children living with HIV/AIDS was through her work with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, which sent her on an 11 day trip through Africa. She then went on to work with other organizations such as YouthAIDS, the Davy Foundation and Camp Heartland. In recognition of her extensive charitable efforts as an HIV/AIDS activist, Locke was presented with the Red Ribbon award on November 9, 2007.^[15] "The Red Ribbon Award is done for someone in the community that advocates AIDS awareness, and especially HIV awareness," said press liaison Chris Prouty. "They want to pinpoint one specific person and get the community involved in the accolades and a congratulatory celebration." At a news conference prior to her performance that night, Locke gave an acceptance speech. "All the kids [at Camp Heartland] have a great story, and that's what I've chosen to be a part of. It's the old cliché: kids are our future."^[20] She appeared on a Celebrity episode of Don't Forget The Lyrics to raise money for Camp Heartland, walking away with $100,000 for her charity. In March 2010, Kimberley was voted onto Camp Heartland's board of directors.^[15]

In October 2007, Locke teamed up with General Mills to introduce the 'Pink For A Cure' campaign to promote awareness of breast cancer in the African-American community. "My aunt is a breast cancer survivor. So, as someone whose family has been directly touched by this disease, I'm very passionate about getting people talking more about their health," said Locke.^[21]

Locke is also a member of the Entertainment Council of Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief organization.^[22]

Videography[link]

• "8th World Wonder" (2004) directed by Sam Erickson.
• "Wrong" (2004) directed by Urban Strom.
• "Coulda Been" (2004) directed by Urban Strom.
• "Change" (2007) directed by Roman White.
• "Silver Bells" (2011) directed by Adam Bergey and Eric Baldetti.

Awards and nominations[link]

New Music Awards

• 2005: Nominated - Female Adult Contemporary Artist Of The Year

Teen Choice Awards

• 2003: Nominated - Choice TV Reality/Variety Star - Female
• 2004: Nominated - Favorite Love Song - "8th World Wonder"

See also[link]

• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kimberley Locke

• Kimberley Locke on Myspace
• Kimberley Locke at the Internet Movie Database
• Kimberley Locke discography at Discogs.
• Kimberley Locke at American Idol

Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw performing for the United States Air Force in 2003
Background information
Birth name	Samuel Timothy McGraw
Born	(1967-05-01) May 1, 1967 (age 45) Delhi, Louisiana, U.S.
Origin	Start, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres	Country
Occupations	Musician, actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Curb Big Machine
Associated acts	Faith Hill, The Dancehall Doctors, Nelly, Taylor Swift, Def Leppard, Mindy McCready, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lionel Richie
Website	timmcgraw.com

Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the Soundscan era.^[1] He is married to country singer Faith Hill and is the son of former baseball player Tug McGraw.

McGraw had 11 consecutive albums debut at Number One on the Billboard albums charts. Twenty-one singles hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He has won 3 Grammys, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music Association (CMA) awards, 10 American Music Awards, and 3 People's Choice Awards. His Soul2Soul II Tour with Faith Hill is the highest grossing tour in country music history, and one of the top five among all genres of music.^[2]

McGraw has 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). He was a minority owner of the Arena Football League's Nashville Kats. Taylor Swift's debut single, "Tim McGraw", refers to him and his song, "Can't Tell Me Nothin'".^[3]

In acknowledgement of his grandfather's Italian heritage, McGraw was honored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in 2004, receiving the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Music during the Foundation's 29th Anniversary Gala.

Early life[link]

McGraw was born Samuel Timothy McGraw in Delhi, Louisiana, to Elizabeth "Betty" Ann D'Agostino, a waitress, and Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr., who later became a relief pitcher for the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. McGraw is of Italian and some Irish descent on his mother's side, and of Scots-Irish and distant German descent on his father's side.^[4][5] In 1966, Tug was a pitcher for the Jacksonville Suns, and he lived in an apartment above Betty D'Agostino, who attended Terry Parker High School. The pair had a relationship, and when Betty became pregnant, her parents sent her to Louisiana to live with relatives and to have the baby.^[6]

Start, Louisiana, welcome sign notes that McGraw once resided there.

Reared by his mother in Start, also in Richland Parish, east of Monroe, McGraw grew up believing his stepfather, Horace Smith, was his father. From the time of his mother's marriage until the time he met his biological father, his last name was Smith. At age 11, McGraw discovered his birth certificate while searching his mother's closet to find pictures for a school project. After his discovery, his mother revealed that his biological father was Tug McGraw, and took Tim to meet him for the first time.^[5] 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, McGraw loved to play competitive sports, including baseball, even though he did not know his natural father was a professional athlete.^[5] He attended Northeast Louisiana University, now the University of Louisiana at Monroe, on a baseball scholarship,^[7] and became a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.^[8] During his college period, he learned to play guitar, and would frequently perform and sing for tips, although he claims that his roommates often hid the guitar because he was so bad.

His mother, Betty, returned to Jacksonville, Florida in 1987, and McGraw followed. He attended Florida Community College at Jacksonville for one term, and occasionally sat in with local bands.^[6] In 1989, on the day his hero Keith Whitley died,^[7] McGraw dropped out of college to head to Nashville and pursue a musical career.^[5]

1990s[link]

[edit] Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

McGraw came to the attention of Curb Records in 1990. After cutting a demo single, McGraw gave a copy to his father, Tug McGraw. A man who was friends with Curb Records executives heard the demo while driving with Tug McGraw one day and recommended that Curb contact the young singer. Several weeks later, he was able to play his tape for Curb executives, after which they signed him to a recording contract.^[5] Two years later, in 1992, he had his first minor hit with "Welcome to the Club" off his self-titled debut album. Although the album failed to make much of a dent on the charts, McGraw did have two other minor hits from it in 1993: "Memory Lane" and "Two Steppin Mind".^[7]

[edit] Not a Moment Too Soon

His second album, Not a Moment Too Soon, was much more successful, becoming the best-selling country album in 1994. The first single, "Indian Outlaw", caused considerable controversy, as critics argued that it presented Native Americans in a patronizing way.^[7] Some radio stations refused to play it,^[9] but the controversy helped spur sales, and the song became McGraw's first top-ten country single (getting as high as No. 8), and reaching No. 15 on the pop chart.^[10]

The second single from the album, "Don't Take the Girl", became McGraw's first No. 1 country hit, and "helped cement his image as a ruggedly good-looking guy with a sensitive side".^[9] The following year, the album's title track became a No. 1 country single, while "Down on the Farm" reached No. 2, and "Refried Dreams" reached the top 5. The album sold over 6 million copies, topping the Billboard 200 as well as the country album charts.^[7] On the strength of this success, McGraw won Academy of Country Music awards for Album of the Year and Top New Male Vocalist in 1994.^[11]

[edit] All I Want

All I Want, released in 1995, continued his run of success, debuting at No. 1 on the country charts. The album sold over 2 million copies and reached the top 5 on the Billboard 200. "I Like It, I Love It" reached No. 1 on the country charts as the lead-off single, while "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart" also went to No. 1 in 1996. "Can't Be Really Gone", "All I Want Is a Life", and "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It" were all top 5 hits.^[7]

In 1996, McGraw headlined the most successful country tour of the year, The Spontaneous Combustion Tour, with Faith Hill as his supporting act. Faith Hill broke off her engagement to her former producer Scott Hendricks so that she and McGraw could start dating each other; they then married on October 6, 1996. The couple have since had three daughters: Gracie Katherine (born May 1997), Maggie Elizabeth (born August 1998), and Audrey Caroline (born December 2001).^[12]

[edit] Everywhere

McGraw's next album, 1997's Everywhere, again topped the country charts and reached No. 2 on the album charts, selling 4 million copies.^[7] Four singles ("It's Your Love", "Everywhere", "Where the Green Grass Grows", and "Just to See You Smile") reached the top of the country charts from the album, with the last of these setting a new record by spending 42 weeks on the Billboard charts.^[13] The Country Music Association awarded Everywhere its Album of the Year award for 1997.

[edit] A Place in the Sun

A Place in the Sun in 1999 continued McGraw's streak, debuting atop both the US pop and country album charts^[11] and selling 3 million albums. It featured another four chart-topping singles on the country charts including "Please Remember Me", "Something Like That", "My Best Friend", and "My Next Thirty Years". "Some Things Never Change" reached No. 7 on the country chart.^[7] He also contributed a song for the Grammy-winning tribute album to Bob Wills: Ride With Bob. His song, a cover of "Milk Cow Blues", was recorded as a duet with Asleep at the Wheel, whom he had met while performing together at the George Strait Country Music Festival.^[11]

McGraw recorded two more duets with his wife in the late 1990s, both of which appeared on her albums. "Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me", off of her multi-platinum 1998 album Faith, reached the top five of the US country charts,^[7] while her follow-up and 1999 album Breathe featured "Let's Make Love", which would win a Grammy Award in 2000 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.^[11]

2000s[link]

[edit] Greatest Hits

In 2000, McGraw released his Greatest Hits album, which topped the charts for nine weeks and sold almost 6 million copies, making it one of the biggest-selling albums in the modern country market. In the latter half of the year, he and Hill went out on the Soul2Soul Tour, playing to sellout crowds in 64 venues, including Madison Square Garden. It was one of the top tours of any genre in the US, and the leading country tour during 2000.^[13]

While in Buffalo, New York, McGraw and Kenny Chesney became involved in a scuffle with police officers after Chesney attempted to ride a police horse. McGraw came to Chesney's aid after police officers nearby believed the horse was being stolen and tried to arrest him. The two were arrested and charged with assault, but were later cleared. During a concert with the George Strait Country Music Festival several weeks later, Hill, dressed as a police officer, made an unscheduled appearance at the end of McGraw's set and led him off the stage.^[14]

[edit] Set This Circus Down

McGraw's next album, Set This Circus Down, was released in April 2001, and spawned four number-one country hits: "Grown Men Don't Cry", "Angry All the Time" (with Faith Hill), "The Cowboy in Me", and "Unbroken". He provided harmony vocals for the Jo Dee Messina song "Bring On the Rain", which he also produced. The song topped the country charts.^[11]

Hungry for more of his music, fans downloaded a version of his performance of the song "Things Change" from his appearance at the Country Music Association Awards Show. The song was played extensively on radio, becoming the first country song to appear on the charts from a fully downloaded version.^[13]

[edit] Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors

In 2002, McGraw bucked country music traditions by recording his album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors with his tour band The Dancehall Doctors. Unlike rock music, where it is commonplace for touring bands to provide the music on albums recorded by the artist they support, country albums are typically recorded with session musicians.^[15] McGraw chose to use his own touring band, in order to recognize their part in his success, and to capture some of the feel of a real band.^[13]

All of the Dancehall Doctors have worked with McGraw since at least 1996. They include:

• Darran Smith – lead guitar, acoustic guitar
• Bob Minner – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin
• Denny Hemingson – steel guitar, electric, baritone, and slide guitars, dobro
• John Marcus – bass guitar
• Dean Brown – fiddle, mandolin
• Jeff McMahon – piano, organ, synthesizer, keyboards
• Billy Mason – drums
• David Dunkley – percussion^[13]

The album debuted at No. 2 on the country albums charts,^[5] with the single "Real Good Man" reaching No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. "She's My Kind of Rain" reached No. 2 in 2003, and "Red Ragtop" reached the top 5. The album also featured a cover version of Elton John's early 1970s classic "Tiny Dancer", as well as appearances by Kim Carnes on "Comfort Me" (a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks) and Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles on "Illegal".

[edit] Live Like You Were Dying

2004's 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 a soaring ode to living life fully and in the moment,^[16] while the second single "Back When" was a paean to an easy nostalgia. Live Like You Were Dying spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard (10 weeks on Radio & Records), and went on to become the biggest hit single of the year. 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", a soft ballad of lost love, became a crossover hit,^[17] spending 10 weeks atop the Top 40 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 and Nelly's third number one hit in the country after Dilemma and My Place. '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.^[18] 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.^[19]

[edit] Let It Go

In April 2006, McGraw and Hill began their 73-concert 55-city Soul2Soul II Tour, again to strong commercial acceptance. The tour grossed nearly $89 million and sold almost 1.1 million tickets, making it the top grossing tour in the history of country music.^[20] It was named "Major Tour of the Year" by the prestigious Pollstar Magazine, beating out such heavyweights as Madonna and the Rolling Stones. In a special gesture, the couple donated all of the profits from their performance in New Orleans to Hurricane Katrina relief.^[21]

McGraw, along with Kenny Chesney, contributed to a version of Tracy Lawrence's song "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", which can be found on Lawrence's album For the Love. Although the official single version features only Lawrence's vocals, many stations have opted to play the version with McGraw and Chesney instead.

McGraw released his eleventh album, Let It Go, on March 27, 2007. The album's debut single, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)", reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, marking McGraw's first No. 1 single since "Back When" in late 2004. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album chart, marking his fourth No. 1 top 200 album and ninth No. 1 country album.^[22] His daughters can be heard singing the chorus during the last few seconds of the song on the video.

During the Academy of Country Music awards show on May 21, 2007, McGraw performed a song titled "If You're Reading This", which he co-wrote with The Warren Brothers.^[23] Several radio stations began to play the live recording of the song; as a result, it entered the Hot Country Songs chart at No. 35.^[24]

McGraw also produced the debut album of country music duo Halfway to Hazard. The duo's first single, "Daisy", peaked at No. 39 on the country charts in the summer of 2007.

In the summer of 2007, McGraw and Hill toured together once again in the Soul2Soul 2007 tour.

In the January 18, 2008 edition of the USA Today newspaper, McGraw was stated to be featured on the Def Leppard album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, having also co-written the first single, "Nine Lives", with Def Leppard band members Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, and Rick Savage. The unusual pairing goes back to 2006 when McGraw joined Def Leppard onstage for the song "Pour Some Sugar On Me", and then collaborated on the song "Nine Lives" afterward. The album was released on April 25, 2008.

In May 2008, he hit the road with the Live Your Voice tour. The mainly-outdoor arena concert tour was his first solo outing in nearly three years. Also in May 2008, he debuted a new song off of his follow-up to Let It Go at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California.

In July 2008, McGraw's sixth single, and the title track of his album, "Let It Go", was released to country radio. Following that, a seventh single, "Nothin' to Die For", entered the Country charts at No. 57 in late December. McGraw released his third greatest-hits package, Greatest Hits 3 on October 7, 2008. The album features 12 tracks. McGraw was set to debut a new song on the 2009 ACM Awards, but then cancelled his performance; he was replaced by Blake Shelton, who sang "She Wouldn't Be Gone".

[edit] Southern Voice

McGraw's twelfth studio album, Southern Voice, was released October 20, 2009, and led by the single "It's A Business Doing Pleasure With You", which was shipped to radio outlets in late June 2009.^[25] Southern Voice was argued to be McGraw's last album for Curb Records, following the dispute over releasing his third Greatest Hits collection back in October 2008 without his permission. McGraw did not approve of the release. On November 30, 2010, Curb Records released his fourth greatest hits compilation, Number One Hits.

2010s[link]

[edit] Emotional Traffic and Curb Records lawsuit

On January 2, 2011, McGraw announced plans for his Emotional Traffic Tour featuring opening acts Luke Bryan and The Band Perry.^[26] Sirius XM announced on March 30, 2011 that they would be launching Tim McGraw radio, a commercial-free music channel devoted to McGraw's music, and featuring an in depth interview with McGraw as well.^[27]

McGraw has also finished work on a new album, also entitled Emotional Traffic, his last album with Curb Records.^[28] On May 13, 2011, Curb Records filed a breach-of-contract suit against McGraw.^[29] The label alleged that McGraw recorded tracks for his Emotional Traffic album too early prior to its delivery to the label.^[29] Several days later, McGraw filed a counter suit against the label seeking advance payment and recording-fund reimbursement, unspecified damages, and a jury trial.^[30] A trial is scheduled to begin in July 2012.^[31][32]

In November 2011, a judge granted McGraw permission to record music for another label, ending his relationship with Curb Records that began in 1990.^[31][32] A few hours after the ruling, Curb released "Better Than I Used to Be", the second single from Emotional Traffic.^[33][34] The album was released on January 24, 2012.^[34]

In December 2011, McGraw released his first Christmas single, "Christmas All Over the World", on his own label StyleSonic records. He is also said to be recording his debut album for the label. On May 21, 2012, he signed with Big Machine Records.^[35]

Acting[link]

McGraw's first acting appearance came in a 1995 episode of The Jeff Foxworthy Show, where he played Foxworthy's rival.

In 2004, McGraw played a sheriff in Rick Schroder's independent release Black Cloud. Later in the same year, McGraw received critical acclaim as the overbearing father of a running back in the major studio Texas high school football drama Friday Night Lights. The Dallas Observer said the role was "played with unexpected ferocity by country singer Tim McGraw".^[36] The movie went on to gross over $60 million dollars worldwide at the box office,^[37] and sold millions in the DVD market. Most recently, it was named one of the Top 50 High School Movies of All Time (No. 37) by Entertainment Weekly.

McGraw's first lead role was in the 2006 film Flicka, which was released in theaters October 20, 2006. In the remake of the classic book My Friend Flicka, McGraw played the father, Rob, costarring with Alison Lohman and Maria Bello. The family-friendly movie debuted in the top 10 list and has grossed over $25 million at the box office.^[38] McGraw again achieved critical acclaim for his acting.^[39][40]

Shortly before Flicka opened, McGraw received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 6901 Hollywood Blvd. near stars in the sidewalk honoring Julie Andrews, William Shatner, and the late Greta Garbo. One of his Flicka co-stars, Alison Lohman, attended the ceremony that included comments from Billy Bob Thornton, McGraw's co-star in the film Friday Night Lights.^[41]

In addition to acting in Flicka, McGraw served as executive producer of the soundtrack album, which was released by his record label, StyleSonic Records, in association with Curb Records and Fox 2000 films. It featured the closing credit song "My Little Girl", one of the first two songs that McGraw recorded that he also co-wrote (the other being "I've Got Friends That Do", both of which were included on Greatest Hits Vol. 2).^[42] The song was nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics for "Best Song" in a film, and the movie was nominated in the category "Best Family Film (Live Action)". The movie proved to be another success in the DVD market, and has sold over a million copies, debuting at No. 3 on the DVD sales chart.^[38]

McGraw also had a small part in the Michael Mann–produced 2007 film The Kingdom, reuniting him with Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg. McGraw played a bitter, angered widower whose wife was killed in the terrorist attack that is the centerpiece of the movie.

On November 22, 2008, McGraw made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live. He also played "Dallas McVie" in Four Christmases.

His house appeared in an episode of CSI with special guest Taylor Swift.

McGraw appeared in the 2009 film The Blind Side as Sean Tuohy, husband of Sandra Bullock’s character, Leigh Anne Tuohy. The Blind Side is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in and adopted by the Tuohys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. In addition to his appearance in the film, McGraw's hit song "Southern Voice" was played during the closing credits of the film.

He is among the stars of Dirty Girl, a film that premiered on September 12, 2010, at the Toronto Film Festival, along with Juno Temple, Milla Jovovich, William H. Macy and Dwight Yoakam.

Also in 2010, McGraw starred in Country Strong as James Canter, the husband and manager of the fictional country singer Kelly Canter (portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow).^[43]

Charitable efforts[link]

As his success has grown, McGraw has become increasingly interested in giving 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.^[44]

From 1996 to 1999, McGraw hosted an annual New Year's Eve concert in Nashville with special guests including Jeff Foxworthy, the Dixie Chicks, and Martina McBride. 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", and all proceeds from the show would go to a charity from that community.^[44]

In the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina, McGraw and his wife, who was raised in Mississippi, joined groups taking supplies to Gulfport, Mississippi. The two also hosted several charity concerts to benefit those who were displaced by the storm.^[45] Later in the year, the couple established the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation, which provides funding for community charities to assist with basic humanitarian services, in the event of a natural disaster, or for desperate personal circumstances.

McGraw is also a member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, to which various celebrities donate their time, skills, and fame, to help the Red Cross highlight important initiatives and response efforts.^[46]

McGraw has helped out with charity events held by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. The Brett Favre Fourward Foundation has featured McGraw (and at other times Faith Hill) performing concerts during dinners and auctions that benefit children with disabilities in Wisconsin and Mississippi. One instance is recorded on Favre's official website.^[47]

On July 12, 2007, it was made public that McGraw and his wife Faith Hill, while in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a performance, donated $5000 to Kailey Kozminski, 3-year-old daughter of Officer Robert Kozminski, a Grand Rapids police officer who was killed on July 8, 2007 while responding to a domestic disturbance.^[48]

In June 2010, McGraw and his wife Faith Hill organized Nashville Rising, a benefit concert aimed to raise $2 million for The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in response to the flood in early May that killed 22 people and caused $2 billion in damage.^[49]

Politics[link]

Tim McGraw poses for a sailor at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on May 5, 2010, before performing at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass military appreciation day.

McGraw, a Democrat, has stated that he would like to run for public office in the future, possibly for Senate or Governor of Tennessee, his home state.^[50][51] In the same interview, he praised former President Bill Clinton.^[51] He has referred to himself as a "Blue Dog Democrat" and stated that he supported presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008.^[52]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Tim McGraw (1993)
• Not a Moment Too Soon (1994)
• All I Want (1995)
• Everywhere (1997)
• A Place in the Sun (1999)
• Set This Circus Down (2001)
• Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors (2002)
• Live Like You Were Dying (2004)
• Let It Go (2007)
• Southern Voice (2009)
• Emotional Traffic (2012)

Compilation albums[link]

• Greatest Hits (2000)
• Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (2006)
• Greatest Hits: Limited Edition (2008)
• Collector's Edition (2008)
• Greatest Hits 3 (2008)
• Limited Edition: Greatest Hits: Volumes 1, 2 & 3 (2008)
• Number One Hits (2010)

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

^[53]

Further reading[link]

• Brown, Jim; Sparrow, Susan. Faith Hill & Tim McGraw: Soul 2 Soul. Quarry Music Books, 2002. ISBN 1-55082-293-4
• Gray, Scott. Perfect Harmony: the Faith Hill & Tim McGraw Story. 1st ed. Ballantine Books, 1999. ISBN 0-345-43412-9
• McGraw, Tim. Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors: This is Ours. Atria Books, 2002. ISBN 0-7434-6706-X
• Nichols, Tim, and Craig Wiseman. Live Like You Were Dying. Rutledge Hill P, 2004. ISBN 1-4016-0212-6
• Trimble, Betty "McMom". A Mother's Story. D'Agostino/Dahlhauser/Ditmore Pub, 1996. ISBN 1-886371-32-6

References[link]