Benefactor (album)
Benefactor is the second studio album by the American band Romeo Void, released in 1982. It was released on CD in 2006 by Wounded Bird Records, with their "Never Say Never" EP as four bonus tracks. The version of the song "Never Say Never" is a shorter, "clean" edit suitable for general radio broadcast.
Critical reception.
"The New York Times" wrote that "too much of "Benefactor" suffers from Miss Iyall's artsy overwriting... And the feverishly clever arrangements can't quite disguise the band's lack of strong melodies." "The Boston Phoenix" opined that "As scrambled as its material gets, "Benefactor" is saved by the struggle this band brings to their rock ‘n’ roll — their conviction that escape routes from lovelessness are worth fighting for, worth opening up for the audience."
Charts.
Album
References.
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Romeo Void
American rock band
Romeo Void was an American new wave/post punk band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. The band primarily consisted of saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, vocalist Debora Iyall, guitarist Peter Woods, and bassist Frank Zincavage. The band went through four drummers, starting with Jay Derrah and ending with Aaron Smith. The band released three albums, "It's a Condition", "Benefactor" and "Instincts", along with one EP. They are best known for the songs "Never Say Never" and "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)"; the latter became a Top 40 pop single.
The band was started at the San Francisco Art Institute by Iyall and Zincavage. They released a single on the recently formed 415 Records before recording their debut album, which has been deemed a "masterpiece of American post-punk". The success of their second release, a four-song EP titled "Never Say Never" resulted in a distribution deal with Columbia Records. The band continued to release music and tour until they broke up in 1985. The members have reunited briefly over the years. Iyall has continued to pursue music as a side project. Iyall has garnered acclaim as a skilled lyricist who explores themes like sexuality and alienation from a female perspective with "searing imagery".
History.
1979: Formation.
Romeo Void formed at the San Francisco Art Institute in February 1979. Vocalist Debora Iyall occasionally visited the Bay Area to see Patti Smith perform. She decided to pursue an art education after reading a fortune cookie. "It was in the late '70s at the Indochina Friendship Booth at the annual Fourth of July streetfair in Eureka, California," she said. "I got a fortune cookie that said 'Art is your fate, don't debate.' That next January, I was enrolled in an art school in San Francisco." She began frequenting the Mabuhay Gardens, a popular nightclub, to see local alternative rock groups like The Nuns, the Mutants, Crime, and the Avengers. She also formed the Mummers and Poppers, a punk parody band that covered 1960s tunes with guitarist Peter Woods, Charles Hagan and drummer Jay Derrah, . Iyall was originally hesitant to perform because she was overweight: "After seeing Patti Smith, I still had it in my mind that you had to be skinny to be up there [on stage], but after going to the Mabuhay [...] you just do whatever you want, be whoever you want, just make it happen."
Bassist Frank Zincavage met Iyall at the SF Art Institute; the two hit it off and discussed putting a band together. They formed one with Woods and Derrah a few weeks later, drawing inspiration from the "burgeoning local punk and post-punk scenes". Iyall recruited Woods because she enjoyed playing with him in the Mommers and Poppers. "[It] seemed only natural that we invite Peter Woods to join us [... He] played clean and was a natural on rhythm guitar." Romeo Void officially formed on Valentine's Day in 1979. According to Iyall, the name Romeo Void referred to "a lack of romance" and came to mind after they saw a local magazine with the headline "Why single women can't get laid in San Francisco." The name "means there are not romantic notions here — and there shouldn't be," Iyall told an interviewer: "We are about reality, not the myths created by other artists."
The band practiced in Iyall's flat in the Mission District. It was decided that the group would embrace punk ideals despite the possibility that they become associated with the new wave movement. "Even though I was going to the [Mabuhay Gardens] so much, I also had criticisms: Everyone was leaning against the wall wearing black," Iyall said. "I guess we were considered new wave, but for me Romeo Void was a reaction against the regimentation of everyone having to be bleached blond and everything being about despair and no future, when I thought the do-it-yourself thing should encompass all the different kinds of emotions, and all the different colors. [...] I was proud of being American Indian, so I purposely never bleached my hair blond."
1980–1982: "It's a Condition", "Benefactor", and mainstream success.
The band became busy playing shows at clubs and warehouses around San Francisco, and quickly became popular. Saxophonist Benjamin Bossi was added to the lineup as an "accident" when Iyall met him while he worked in the New York City Deli on Market Street in San Francisco. The group released their first single, "White Sweater", which consisted of the title track and a cover of Jerry Lordan's popular instrumental composition "Apache", in February 1981 on a recently founded local label called 415 Records. They worked on the recording of their debut album, "It's a Condition", with producer David Kahne. Before recording began, Derrah left the band and was replaced by John "Stench" Hanes, who had previously played with Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. Romeo Void's debut was critically acclaimed upon its release through 415 in July 1981, and introduced Romeo Void's "unique blend of jazz, funk, rock and confrontational poetry". AllMusic writer Stewart Mason later heralded it as one of the "masterpieces of American post-punk". Indie labels were enthusiastic with promotions and the band embarked on several nationwide tours. Eventually Hanes left the band, leaving Larry Carter to fill the drummer position.
The sudden surge in popularity was disorienting to Iyall. "It was frightening: we played a college in Santa Barbara, and there were all these blond people crowding the stage, and I thought 'These are the people who hated me in high school!' When you grow up being 'outside' – because I wasn't white, and I was fat, and always a bit of a free thinker – it was strange. It was like, 'uh-oh, I must be doing something wrong – they like me!'" Highly successful mainstream artists like Ann Wilson and Ric Ocasek were eager to meet the band. Ocasek extended an invitation to collaborate at his Syncro Sound recording studio in Boston. The recording sessions in Boston resulted in the "Never Say Never" EP in January 1982. The title track became (arguably) their best-known song and has remained synonymous with the band ever since. The song was also featured in the 1984 romantic teen drama "Reckless". Additionally, the success of the single directly led to 415 Records signing a deal with Columbia Records, which elevated the indie label's roster to major-label status. Romeo Void released their second album, entitled "Benefactor", in November 1982. The album appeared at No. 119 on the "Billboard" 200. "Benefactor" was noticeably more commercial sounding than previous endeavors; the music was made more danceable and swearing was removed on the song "Never Say Never". The different approach in the sound resulted in comparisons to Blondie, which AllMusic writer William Ruhlmann suggested was a deliberate attempt by Columbia. Iyall stated that there was more pressure to write sexually laced lyrics for "Benefactor": "I do like to be provocative, and I definitely have access to my sexuality, and as a topic I find it ripe, but I wasn't ever going to be a sex-pot diva, so that was kind of odd." She also said there was pressure to produce more singles.
1983–present: "Instincts", break-up, and post-band endeavors.
A third and final album was again helmed by David Kahne, which AllMusic writer Stewart Mason speculated was a "reaction against the more commercial sound of "Benefactor". By this time, Carter had been replaced by veteran session drummer Aaron Smith. "Instincts" was released in October 1984, debuted at No. 68 on the Billboard 200, and proved to be the band's best-selling album. It also launched their most successful single, "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)," which broke the Billboard Top 40 and peaked at No. 35. Critical reactions were positive. Despite being the band's most successful effort to date, Columbia pulled the band's promotional support while on a nationwide tour. "The very next town we got to after they made that decision, there wasn't an A&R person there," said Iyall. "[There] was no local person there, there were no interviews and in-stores arranged as they had been. All that just ground to a halt." The band returned to San Francisco and soon broke up. Constant touring has been cited by Iyall as the primary reason for the break-up. "You get tired of each other, and you get intolerant of being uncomfortable and away from your family and your friends." According to a VH1 reunion episode, the issue of Iyall's weight was the reason for the label dropping them. In 2003, Iyall agreed with this claim: "Howie sold us from 415 to Columbia Records, and they were like 'Who's this fat chick?' They decided that was as far as it was going to get, and pulled their support." "Crawdaddy!" writer Denise Sullivan stated that the label spoke to Iyall about losing weight, but she subsequently refused. In 2010, Iyall declined to discuss the issue, but added that she may not be taking full responsibility in the matter.
Iyall released a solo album entitled "Strange Language" with former band members Bossi and Smith in 1986. Afterward she pursued a career as an art teacher. The band reunited briefly for a live performance in 1993. In 2004, Romeo Void was featured on an episode of VH1's "Bands Reunited". Bossi had sustained too much hearing damage over the years and was unable to perform, although he did meet up with the band again and watched the reunion performance from an adjacent room. Iyall has continued to dabble in music related projects and events. "I still like to sing and I still like to perform," she said. In 2003 she was involved in a musical project called Knife in Water. She began collaborating with Peter Dunne, who was known as Peter Bilt when he played guitar for Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. Iyall and Dunne performed at a support benefit for "Crawdaddy!" founder Paul Williams in June 2009, and performed at a concert honoring 415 Records later that September. They released an album entitled "Stay Strong" in 2010.
Drummer Larry Carter died in August of 2021, from what is thought to be heart complications. Saxophonist Benjamin Bossi died of complications from Alzheimer's disease on December 13, 2022, at the age of 69.
Music.
Romeo Void has generally been classified as a new wave or post-punk band. Some critics have noted dance elements in the music. According to Stewart Mason, writing for AllMusic, "[The] band's muscular blend of Joy Division's atmospherics and the Gang of Four's rattling momentum, with Benjamin Bossi's splattering free jazz saxophone coloring everything, made Romeo Void one of the strongest of the American post-punk bands. The "St. Petersburg Times" wrote that they "had no trouble creating a signature sound for [themselves with a] scratchy guitar, soulful sax, [and] tight, precise drums." "The New York Times" stated that they sounded like "an art-school band, with its textural complexity [and] touches of jazz and funk" Saxophone player Benjamin Bossi has been observed as the ingredient that "set the band apart" and showed a "talent for both improvisation and arrangement." Alan Niester, writing for "The Globe and Mail", said that he weaved "in and out [...] like a snake charmer" and reminded him of Andy Mackay, a saxophonist who played with Roxy Music.
Liam Lacey, also writing for "The Globe and Mail", described Iyall's voice as "sultry [and] sexy", while Mason called it "powerful". Her style has sometimes been compared to Chrissie Hynde, vocalist for the Pretenders. Richard Harrington of "The Washington Post" acknowledged the similarity, but also noted the influence of other singers in "Never Say Never" where Iyall mixed the "aggressive bitchiness of [Hynde], the coy confrontational tactics of Patty Donahue of the Waitresses and the slack sensuality of Debbie Harry of the earliest Blondie." Iyall used to find the comparison annoying, but eventually warmed to it: "When people said I sounded like her, I'd say, 'Oh yeah, thanks a lot.' But this year, I've fallen in love with "Learning To Crawl" so now I don't care if people want to make comparisons." After a live show in 1982, Niester contended that she was the weakest part of the group and had the "vocal range of an automobile horn". "Billboard" writer Kathy Gillis wrote after a concert two years later that Iyall exhibited a "dramatic range that, while not extreme in either direction, was touching."
Patti Smith had a great influence on Iyall. "[She was] someone who was both a rock singer and a poet," she said. "She combined things I was interested in. Plus, she wasn't a trumped-up sex symbol. She was herself on stage. That appealed to me. It looked like something I could do. You didn't have to look like all the other singers." Iyall was highly critical of the music of the day and found inspiration in other mediums. "I hate rock and roll right now. It's turned into some new kind of stupid religion... I'd rather listen to Billie Holiday, maybe Tom Waits. Actually, I'll admit I like The Bangles – they have a great sound. But I'd just as soon read novels or paint pictures as listen to music. I love language – plain speech, used in an enigmatic, subliminal way; I'm not much tied to the literal."
Lyrics.
Iyall was observed by "Mother Jones" to be among a new group of female fronted rock bands that displayed a "tough, wry, street-wise, [and] cynical" attitude and sought to redefine the role of women in rock music. She developed a sizable following for her writing that covered topics like "frustrated desire [and] sexually motivated rage" from a female perspective. Critics praised her lyrics for their "searing imagery", "seething poetics", and "darkly intelligent lyrics" "My approach was always that I had something to say, I had a point of view," Iyall said, commenting on her outspokeness. "I remember seeing Penelope from the Avengers at the Mabuhay Gardens and thinking, I can do that. I have something to say."
Romeo Void's best known song is "Never Say Never", which contains the famous line "I might like you better if we slept together." AllMusic writer Heather Phares has argued that Iyall's "teasing, existential musings [...] predated and predicted the aloof yet frank sexuality of early- and mid-'90s artists such as Elastica and Liz Phair". Phares concluded that the song was "a subversive, influential classic" and "one of new wave's most distinctive and innovative moments. " The song has been covered by many artists, among them are Queens of the Stone Age, Amanda Blank and Xiu Xiu. The song "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)", their highest-charting single, was reportedly written as a response to Michael Jackson's hit song "Billie Jean", but can also be seen as a tribute to women who have experienced traumatizing events. Iyall also wrote songs that touched on themes like social alienation ("Undercover Kept") and generation gaps ("Chinatown").
References.
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The Shivers (New York City)
American musical group
The Shivers is a musical group formed in 2001 in New York City, led by singer, primary songwriter and only consistent member Keith Zarriello. To date, the only other regular member of the band was Joanne Schornikow, who played keyboards and sang in the band at most performances between 2009 and 2012.
History.
The Shivers' first record, "The Shakes", was recorded at Context Studios in Brooklyn. It was released independently and sold at shows, and is now out of print. Shortly thereafter, Erdos left the band, and Zarriello was left to continue on alone playing New York City clubs for the next few years, both solo and with a revolving cast of musicians.
In 2004, Zarriello was spotted by touring musician Red Hunter, who offered to take him on the road and release an album on his label/collective, Whiskey and Apples. The album, "CHARADES", released in October 2004 (produced by Zarriello and Brian "Boots" Factor) received little critical attention but began to develop The Shivers a following. The track "Beauty" has gone on, in subsequent years, to receive good reviews on sites such as "Pitchfork", who said Zarriello's voice carried a "mesmerizing eroticism", and was a subject of a column in "The Guardian" and "Spin".
While Zarriello was living in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he was contacted by a former high school classmate, Sheldon Roberts, who had discovered The Shivers' music through a friend and proposed releasing their next album on a label he and friends were forming, Outerborough Records. Zarriello agreed and took measures to return to the United States.
Five-piece band: 2004–2008.
Back in New York City, Zarriello started performing again and sending "CHARADES" to college radio stations around the country. At one station, Fordham University's WFUV, the album was discovered in the garbage can by young intern/DJ, Benham Jones, who reached out to Zarriello at a Tuesday night show at Arlene's Grocery. He offered Zarriello a gig at Fordham and the two became friends. Zarriello, now having his deal with Outerborough, gathered musicians and reached out to Jones to play bass. Jones agreed and helped the band record the album secretly overnight in the studios of WFUV. The album featured William Martina on cello, Matthew Jahn on guitar, Benham Jones on bass, and Alex Saltz and Danny Fischer on drums. Also featured on one track was visiting Australian pianist, Joanne Schornikow.
The album, "Phone Calls", released in early 2006. The Shivers continued as a five-piece, including Schornikow on piano and new drummer, Evan Pazner on drums. Schornikow, having an expiring visa, was forced to return to Australia. She was, however, sold on The Shivers, and begun plans to return to the US on an artist's visa with the primary goal of joining The Shivers. Zarriello and Schornikow kept in touch via the mail, sending each other packages and tapes. The five-piece band played the SXSW music festival in 2007.
In 2008, Zarriello decided to fund the production of the next Shivers album himself. Using money he had earned as a real estate agent, Zarriello hooked up with engineer Dan Hewitt and the band recorded the album "Beaks To The Moon" in four days at the now defunct LoHo Studios on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The album was released by the band via their own label in April 2008. Once again, the critics largely ignored the release with the growing independent critics/blogs, like "Quiet Color" championing it.
As a duo: 2008–2012.
Frustrated by a lack of commercial success and what he felt was an unacceptable level of commitment to the band, Zarriello dismissed all the band members except Schornikow, and the two continued as a duo. The Shivers had been in talks with Hewitt about releasing a DIY record on his micro-indie, State Capital Records. The label and the band would split all costs and profits. The album, "In The Morning", was recorded on a 4-track tape recorder. It was the rawest, most analog/DIY album The Shivers had made since "CHARADES" and featured a more experimental duo sound. Again it did very little commercially and was primarily used as something to sell while on tour. The Shivers bought out Hewitt and now solely own the record.
The Shivers continued on as a duo doing national tours and short stints overseas, and decided to independently record an album. The band used their own funds from day jobs and donations from their following decided to record their next album at all analog studio, Analogue Catalogue outside of Manchester, England.
The album, "More", was recorded by Producer Julie McLarnon and assisted by Rob Ferrier in five days to 2" inch tape. No computers were used. Tom Raysmith played drums. Semay Wu played cello and Jon Thorne played bass. Andrew Southern (bass) and Ryan Thornton (drums) were the rhythm section on the track "Love Is In The Air". The album was released in May 2011 on Silence Breaks Records (US). It was the most regularly released album The Shivers had to that time, and the first that included a proper public relations campaign. The album gained them some further recognition and a wider audience.
Musician and label owner Johnny Lynch The Pictish Trail from Scotland had discovered "In The Morning" and decided to release "More" on his Fence Records in the UK in September 2011. The Shivers subsequently toured the UK in late fall of 2011 including performing a sold-out show in London and recording a session for the BBC Radio 1's Rob Da Bank show at Maida Vale Studios. Schornikow has also continued her own career alongside her work with the band, and undertook a small club tour of the U.K with New Yorker Scott Rudd in the summer of 2012.
"Forever Is A Word": 2015–present.
The Shivers latest album "Forever Is A Word" was self-released on February 14, 2015. The band is currently working on a new full-length album and playing shows around New York City.
In popular culture.
In May 2013, the song "Beauty" was sung by wedding guests at actor Aaron Paul's wedding. The band is featured in Matthew Bonifacio's film "The Quitter". The Shivers music appears in other films such as Short Term 12, The Benefactor and Horns.
References.
Notes
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I Killed the Prom Queen
Australian metalcore band
I Killed the Prom Queen were an Australian metalcore band from Adelaide, formed in 2001. They were prominent in the Australian live music scene and toured the US, Japan and Europe several times. They issued three studio albums: "When Goodbye Means Forever..." (2003), "Music for the Recently Deceased" (2006) and "Beloved" (2014). The latter two albums peaked at #27 and #6 on the ARIA Albums Chart respectively.
The band initially split up in April 2007 due to the inability to find a permanent vocalist. They reformed with vocalist Michael Crafter to play a farewell tour in mid-2008 and released a live album and DVD, "Sleepless Nights and City Lights", which peaked at #48 in Australia. In May 2011 the band reformed with new vocalist Jamie Hope and performed on the Destroy Music Tour. They subsequently released their third studio album Beloved in February 2014.
History.
Formation and "Choose to Love, Live or Die", Stacy's departure (2001–2002).
I Killed the Prom Queen formed in Adelaide, South Australia in 2001, with the original line-up featuring Ben Engel on bass guitar, Simon O'Gorman on guitar, JJ Peters (Josef John W. Peters) on drums, Lee Stacy on vocals and Jona Weinhofen on guitar. Peters, Weinhofen and bass guitarist Leaton Rose had previously been members of the local band Cur. In 2000 Weinhofen left Cur to form The Fall of Troy with vocalist Michael Crafter, before later forming I Killed the Prom Queen.
Originally named The Rubik's Equation, then briefly Child Left Burning, Michael Crafter joined to share lead vocals and soon after Rose replaced Engel on bass guitar. The band's first performance was at the Dom Polski Centre in Adelaide, October 21, 2001. The band was influenced by late 1990s hardcore bands Poison the Well, Converge, Hatebreed, and Earth Crisis and Swedish melodic death metal groups like At the Gates, Soilwork and In Flames.
In late 2001 and early 2002, the group recorded the four-track "Choose to Love, Live or Die" EP, which was produced by Paul Degasperi and the band; with additional guitar supplied by Cain Kapetanakis. Five songs were recorded during the sessions, but a computer glitch caused the fifth to be erased. In 2002, it was issued by 618 Recordings, then re-released by Final Prayer Records and distributed by Missing Link Records. O'Gorman left after the release to join Day of Contempt and he was replaced by guitarist Kevin Cameron in late 2002. "Choose to Love, Live or Die" was the only release to include both Lee Stacey's vocals and the higher-pitched vocals by Crafter, as Stacy would depart from the band later that year. The tracks were later re-recorded for their third EP, "Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You" (2005).
Split CD with Parkway Drive and "When Goodbye Means Forever" (2003–2005).
In March 2003, Rose departed (he later joined The Hot Lies) and Sean Kennedy took his place. The new lineup then recorded the "Homicide" demo, which appeared on "Blunt Magazine"'s "Harder Core than You" compilation. While in Byron Bay Crafter saw the first performance by local metalcore band Parkway Drive and was so impressed that he invited the group to record a split CD with his band. In May, Final Prayer Records issued the "" split EP, with two tracks by I Killed the Prom Queen ("Homicide Documentaries" and "Death Certificate for a Beauty Queen") and two by Parkway Drive.
In September, the line-up of Cameron, Crafter, Kennedy, Peters and Weinhofen recorded their debut studio album "When Goodbye Means Forever..." for Sydney hardcore label Resist Records, which was released in December. It was produced by Dan Jones, Anj and the group. In early 2004, they toured Australia with Evergreen Terrace, Give Up the Ghost, and Boysetsfire. The album was released in the US by Eulogy Recordings in March, and extensive US touring followed. Crafter said that when entering Hawaii, "Three of us got questioned. They were asking us what jails we had been in, what our parents did and what our parents thought of our tattoos".
The band spent the coming months supporting Caliban, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today, Lamb of God, Silverstein, Bleeding Through, The Red Chord, Fear Before the March of Flames, Until the End, The Warriors, Between the Buried and Me, and On Broken Wings over four months. On March 7, 2005, the band released their third EP, "Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You". The recording featured reworked versions of the band's older songs and "To Be Sleeping While Still Standing". The latter track was written by The Fall of Troy (not to be confused with the US band of the same name), an earlier band including Crafter and Weinhofen, which only played two shows before breaking up.
"Music for the Recently Deceased" (2005–2007).
In August 2005, I Killed the Prom Queen flew to Sweden to record their follow-up album, "Music for the Recently Deceased". By late 2005, they had completed recording the album but in January 2006 Crafter was fired. Instead of releasing the album as it was, they decided to recruit a new vocalist and replace Crafter's tracks. They recruited Ed Butcher from UK band The Hunt for Ida Wave. New lyrics were written by Cameron and Butcher, while some lyrics that the whole band had contributed during the Crafter sessions were retained. "Music for the Recently Deceased" was produced by Fredrik Nordström, whose other credits included Dimmu Borgir, Darkest Hour, At the Gates and In Flames, and by Patrik J. Sten.
The album was released on 31 July 2006 by Stomp Entertainment and peaked in the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The Australian tour in support of the album had over 50 concert dates in three months, from north Western Australia to the southern states and then along the east coast to Cairns. They followed with a support slot on a tour for US groups Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God. The Sydney show brought 3,500 patrons to Luna Park, where I Killed the Prom Queen also played at the annual Come Together Music Festival. Shortly afterward Metal Blade released the album in the US, coinciding with the group's appearance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. Returning to Australia after their third tour of the US in three years, the group toured with The Haunted and Exodus and in December, before headlining the Metal for the Brain festival.
Break-up and Say Goodbye Tour (2007–2008).
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"At the time we were without a permanent vocalist and were in a strange place. Jona was offered the opportunity to join Bleeding Through and we didn't want to continue the band without him, so we decided to call it a day."
JJ Peters in an interview in 2011.
In January 2007 Butcher left the band, which he attributed to "personal reasons". Weinhofen later stated that limited touring markets for the band at the time, and the accompanying financial issues, also put pressure on Butcher and the band during this period. After returning to the UK, Butcher fronted UK metalcore band Eternal Lord from 2007 to 2008. Tyrone Ross from Mourning Tide subsequently filled in as the vocalist for I Killed the Prom Queen for a Japanese tour. Colin Jeffs of Bendigo band Heavenslost and Aversions Crown then provided vocals on a European tour with Bleeding Through, All Shall Perish and Caliban.
In April 2007, I Killed the Prom Queen announced their breakup, citing both an inability to find a permanent vocalist and Weinhofen's decision to join Bleeding Through. Soon after a final Australian tour with Crafter on vocals was arranged for 2008.
In May 2008, Stomp re-issued "Music For The Recently Deceased" in a limited tour edition – of 5,000 hand-numbered copies – for the Say Goodbye Tour. The release included a cardboard slipcase, two live tracks and four tracks with Crafter's vocals taken from the original album recording. The group toured in May and June, with most of the 18 shows selling out. The support acts were Bring Me the Horizon, The Red Shore, The Ghost Inside and local acts from each city. A live album and DVD, "Sleepless Nights and City Lights", was recorded at their Adelaide performance; it was released on 22 November 2008 and peaked in the top 50. I Killed the Prom Queen played what was meant to be their final show in Brisbane on 8 June 2008.
Hiatus (2008–2011).
After the Say Goodbye tour Crafter formed Melbourne hardcore band Confession. He also previously did stints as the vocalist for Carpathian (2006–2007) and Bury Your Dead (2007). He also appeared as a contestant on reality TV show "Big Brother" in 2008.
Weinhofen departed Bleeding Through in 2009 and joined Bring Me the Horizon the same year. He acted as Bring Me the Horizon's rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, programmer and backing vocalist until January 2013, at which point the band's manager notified him that the band had kicked him out. He also managed Australian deathcore act The Red Shore.
Kevin Cameron formed the progressive metalcore band In Trenches with vocalist Ben Coyte. He also acted as a touring musician for several other groups. Peters formed and fronted hardcore project Deez Nuts and was one half of the hip-hop duo Grips & Tonic, alongside New Zealand rapper Louie Knuxx. Kennedy played bass for Deez Nuts on Australian and international tours.
Reformation, "Beloved" and second hiatus (2011–2017).
In March 2011 I Killed the Prom Queen announced their reunion and an upcoming Australian tour in May with The Amity Affliction, Deez Nuts, and Of Mice & Men. Jamie Hope (Who was previously the vocalist of The Red Shore) joined the band as their new permanent vocalist. At the time, Weinhofen was not planning to leave Bring Me the Horizon and intended to remain in both groups. Likewise Peters continued his work with Deez Nuts.
In January 2012 Weinhofen confirmed that the band was writing their third studio album and said they were entering the studio at the end of the year with a tentative release date for the album in early 2013. However, in March 2013 the band announced on Facebook that the planned release date had been pushed back to early 2014.
The band played three UK dates in July. These three shows were around a similar time the band was planning to perform at the 2012 Sonisphere festival however, the festival was cancelled. After the cancellation, the band incorporated the UK shows into a 17-date European tour across eleven countries. Jona Weinhofen said touring in Europe was special for the band as they have a very strong fanbase there.
On 21 August 2012, I Killed the Prom Queen released new song "Memento Vivere" on YouTube. The accompanying live footage was taken from the recent European tour. The release was their first new song in six years, and the first song with Hope on vocals.
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"JJ Peters is my oldest & closest friend in the entire world. We went to high school together, we'e played together in bands prior to IKTPQ and I believe we will continue to work together in the future. Its sad to think that he will no longer be a part of IKTPQ but I know he's going to continue to kill it with DN and anything else musical that he touches."
Jona Weinhofen on JJ Peters' departure from the band
The band supported Parkway Drive on the Australian and New Zealand legs of the "Atlas Tour" in December 2012. In January 2013, Weinhofen departed Bring Me The Horizon, and shortly after his departure he confirmed that Prom Queen would become a full-time band.
On 24 March 2013 the band announced on Facebook that JJ Peters had left the band amicably to focus on his other project Deez Nuts. He was replaced by Shane O'Brien, formerly of Confession and Buried In


Felt Good on My Lips
"Felt Good on My Lips" is a song written by Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brett Warren and Brad Warren, and was recorded by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in September 2010 as the first single from his compilation album "Number One Hits", and has since become McGraw's 24th Number One hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The song is also included on his 2012 release "Emotional Traffic".
Background and writing.
Songwriter Brett Beavers wrote "Felt Good on My Lips" with his brother, Jim Beavers, as well as Brett Warren and Brad Warren (also known as The Warren Brothers). In an interview with The Boot, Jim said that Brett provided the idea of writing with The Warren Brothers, and Brett Warren based the song around a bass guitar riff that Jim played.
Critical reception.
Stephen M. Deusner of Engine 145 gave the song a thumbs-down. He thought that the verses were well written and said that McGraw "ably conveys the excitement of attraction" on them, but criticized the chorus. Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave it three and a half stars and thought that the chorus is "catchy with repeatable lyrics and a progressive melody." Bjorke calls it one of McGraw's best single in the last couple of years. Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave it a C−, saying that "the production sank this record before the song had any chance to win me over. The whole thing has the vibe of a long-lost demo being spruced up for a posthumous cash-in." Coyne also states that McGraw's voice is so processed it is difficult to tell it is him singing.
Release.
"Felt Good on My Lips" was released to radio in September 2010. It is included on a compilation album titled "Number One Hits", which comprises all of McGraw's number-one singles as well as "Felt Good on My Lips" and a remix of "Indian Outlaw".
Chart performance.
The song debuted at number 33 on the Hot Country Songs charts for the week ending October 9, 2010. It is the second-highest debuting single of his career, behind only "Grown Men Don't Cry", which entered the same chart at number 30. It reached Number 1 on the country chart for the week ending January 8, 2011, and stayed at that position for three consistent weeks. It also debuted at number 26 on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 chart for the week of November 20, 2010, number 36 on Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of November 20, 2010 and number 30 on the U.S. "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart for the week of February 19, 2011.
References.
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Tim McGraw
American country singer and actor (born 1967)
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, five for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those albums have reached number one on the Top Country Albums charts, with his 1994 breakthrough album "Not a Moment Too Soon" being the top country album of 1994. In total, McGraw's albums have produced 65 singles, 25 of which have reached number one on the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts.
Three of these singles – "It's Your Love", "Just to See You Smile", and "Live Like You Were Dying" – were respectively the top country songs of 1997, 1998, and 2004 according to "Billboard" Year-End. He has also won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music Association (CMA) awards, 10 American Music Awards, and three People's Choice Awards. His Soul2Soul II Tour, which was done in partnership with his wife, Faith Hill, is one of the highest-grossing tours in country music history, and one of the top five among all genres of music. He has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
McGraw has ventured into acting, with supporting roles in "The Blind Side", "Friday Night Lights", "The Kingdom", "Tomorrowland", "Four Christmases", flashback scenes in 2 episodes of "Yellowstone", and "The Shack" as well as lead roles in "Flicka" (2006), "Country Strong" (2010), and "1883" (2021). He was a minority owner of the Arena Football League's Nashville Kats. McGraw has been married to singer Faith Hill since 1996 and is the eldest son of former MLB pitcher Tug McGraw.
Early life and education.
Samuel Timothy McGraw was born in Delhi, Louisiana, the only child of Elizabeth "Betty" Ann D'Agostino, a waitress from Jacksonville, Florida, and Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr., a pitcher for the minor league Jacksonville Suns and future star pitcher for the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1966, D'Agostino was a student at Terry Parker High School. She lived in the same apartment building as Tug McGraw, who was playing baseball for Jacksonville. When she became pregnant with McGraw as a teen, D'Agostino's parents sent her to Louisiana to live with relatives. Through his father, McGraw has two half-brothers, Mark and Matthew, and a half-sister named Cari. He also has two younger half-sisters, Tracey and Sandra, through his mother's marriage to Horace Smith.
McGraw grew up believing Smith was his father, and used this stepfather's surname until meeting Tug. At age 11, McGraw discovered his birth certificate while searching in his mother's closet to look for a picture for a school project. Following the discovery, he learned from her who his biological father was and she took him to meet the elder McGraw for the first time. Tug McGraw denied the parentage for seven years until Tim was 18 years old. After that time, the two formed a relationship and remained close until the former baseball star died in 2004.
As a child, McGraw played competitive sports, including baseball, even before the knowledge of who his father was and his professional baseball career. McGraw was also a member of the FFA in high school. Following high school graduation, he attended Northeast Louisiana University on a baseball scholarship, where he was a pre-law major and pledged as a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. A knee injury sustained while playing baseball for the college prevented him from pursuing a professional career in sports.
While in college, McGraw learned to play guitar and would frequently perform and sing for money. He has claimed his roommates often hid the guitar because he was so bad. McGraw followed his mother when she returned to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1987. After the move, he attended Florida Community College at Jacksonville for one term, and occasionally sat in with local bands. In 1989, on the day his hero Keith Whitley died, McGraw dropped out of college to head to Nashville and pursue a musical career.
Music career.
1990s.
"Tim McGraw".
McGraw came to the attention of Curb Records in 1990. After cutting a demo single, McGraw gave a copy to his father. A man who was friends with Curb Records executives heard the demo while driving with Tug 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. McGraw made his debut with the single "What Room Was the Holiday In", which was released on March 29, 1991, and did not enter the "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart upon its release. In a 2001 retrospective on McGraw's career in "Billboard", a former program director for Nashville station WSM-FM said that he added the song to the station's playlist because it showed "undeniable promise", while another former program director at WXTU in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, recalled that McGraw's debut single was "terrible" but that he booked the singer to make an appearance at the station due to his father's fame.
Two years later in April 1993, McGraw released his debut album "Tim McGraw", which was commercially unsuccessful and did not sell well. This is his only studio album not to achieve a music recording sales certification or to enter the Top Country Albums charts. Three more singles were released from "Tim McGraw": "Welcome to the Club", "Memory Lane", and "Two Steppin' Mind". None made country Top 40 and the album itself did not chart. Both "Memory Lane" and "Tears in the Rain", another cut from the album, were co-written by Joe Diffie. "Memory Lane" had originally appeared on Keith Palmer's self-titled 1991 debut album.
"Not a Moment Too Soon".
McGraw's second album, entitled "Not a Moment Too Soon", was much more successful than his self-titled debut, and it was the best-selling country album of 1994. Its first single, "Indian Outlaw", sparked controversy, as critics argued that it presented Native Americans in a patronizing way. Some radio stations even chose not to play it. However, the controversy helped spur sales, and the song became McGraw's first Top 10 entry on the U.S. country charts after getting as high as number 8. The song also peaked at number 15 on the "Billboard" Hot 100.
The album's second single, "Don't Take the Girl", became McGraw's first number one on the U.S. country charts, in addition to peaking at number 17 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The song also "helped cement his image as a ruggedly good-looking guy with a sensitive side." By year's end, the third single from the album, "Down on the Farm" peaked at number 2; after that, the album's fourth single, also its title track, became the singer's second number one song in early 1995. The fifth and final single "Refried Dreams" reached number 5. The album sold over 6 million copies, topping the "Billboard" 200 and Top Country Album charts. 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. "Billboard" named "Not a Moment Too Soon" as the top country album of 1994 on Billboard Year-End.
"All I Want".
McGraw's third studio album, "All I Want", was released in 1995. Just like its predecessor, this album debuted at No. 1 on the country charts. The album even sold over 2 million copies in the United States and reached the Top 5 on the "Billboard" 200. The album's first single, "I Like It, I Love It", became McGraw's third number one on the American country charts and it also peaked at number 25 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. This song also eventually became the goal song for the Nashville Predators once they began their inaugural season and since then has been left unchanged. The album's next two singles, "Can't Be Really Gone" and "All I Want Is a Life" (its partial title track) both made the top 5 at numbers 2 and 5, respectively. The fourth single, "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart", gave McGraw his fourth number one on the U.S. country charts in 1996. Finishing off the singles was "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It", which peaked at number 4.
In 1996, McGraw headlined the most successful country tour of the year, The Spontaneous Combustion Tour, with Faith Hill as his supporting act. 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.
"Everywhere".
The singer's fourth album, "Everywhere" was released in 1997. It topped the country charts as well and reached No. 2 on the "Billboard" 200, selling 4 million copies. The album spawned six singles. Four of those singles - "It's Your Love" (a duet with Faith Hill), the title track, "Where the Green Grass Grows", and "Just to See You Smile" - reached number one on the country charts. The Country Music Association awarded "Everywhere" its Album of the Year award for 1997. At the 40th Grammy Awards, "It's Your Love" received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and Best Country Song. Both "It's Your Love" and "Just to See You Smile" were the number one country songs of 1997 and 1998 according to "Billboard" Year-End charts; "Just to See You Smile" also set a record for the longest run on the country charts at the time, at 42 weeks. The album's other two singles, "One of These Days" and "For a Little While" both peaked at number 2.
"A Place in the Sun".
McGraw's fifth album, "A Place in the Sun", continued his streak in 1999, debuting atop both the US country and pop album charts and selling 3 million copies. Over 251,000 of those copies were sold during its first week, making this the singer's first number 1 opener on the "Billboard" 200. It produced another four number one hits on the U.S. country charts with "Please Remember Me", "Something Like That", "My Best Friend", and "My Next Thirty Years". "Some Things Never Change" peaked at number 7 on the charts. McGraw also contributed a song for the Grammy-winning tribute album to Bob Wills entitled "Ride With Bob". A cover of "Milk Cow Blues", this song was recorded as a duet with Asleep at the Wheel, whom he had met while performing together at the George Strait Country Music Festival.
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", from her multi-platinum-certified 1998 album "Faith", reached the Top 5 of the US country charts. Her follow-up album, 1999's "Breathe", featured "Let's Make Love", which won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Collaboration in 2000.
2000s.
"Greatest Hits".
In 2000, McGraw released his first "Greatest Hits" album, which topped the country albums charts for nine weeks and sold nearly 6 million copies, making this 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. The tour was one of the top tours of any genre in the U.S. It was also the leading country tour of 2000. 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.
"Set This Circus Down".
McGraw's sixth studio album, "Set This Circus Down", was released in April 2001. It even spawned four number one hits on the country charts as well, this time with "Grown Men Don't Cry", "Angry All the Time" (with Faith Hill), "The Cowboy in Me", and "Unbroken". The singer provided harmony vocals for Jo Dee Messina's song "Bring On the Rain", which he also produced. That song topped the country charts. 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.
"Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors".
In 2002, McGraw bucked country music traditions by recording his seventh studio 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. 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.
All of the Dancehall Doctors have worked with McGraw since at least 1996. Their lineup includes:
The album debuted at No. 2 on the country albums charts, Its fourth and fifth singles "Real Good Man" and "Watch the Wind Blow By" both climbed to number one on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart. "She's My Kind of Rain" peaked at No. 2 in 2003, and "Red Rag Top" reached number 5. The album also features a cover of Elton John's early-1970s classic "Tiny Dancer," as well as duets with 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." "She's My Kind of Rain" also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance-Male at the 46th Grammy Awards.
"Live Like You Were Dying".
His eighth album, 2004's "Live Like You Were Dying", continued the singer's record of commercial success. The album's first single and its title track was 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. The second single "Back When" was a paean to an easy nostalgia. In December 2019, McGraw spoke on stage at the annual End Well Symposium about why he wrote "Live Like You Were Dying" and his struggles with caregiving for his dying father. "Live Like You Were Dying" spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 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 records by winning ACM Single and Song of the Year, CMA Single and Song of the Year, and a Grammy. "Back When" went to number one on the country charts as well. The album produced three more singles with "Drugs or Jesus", "Do You Want Fries with That", and "My Old Friend". "Drugs or Jesus" became McGraw's first single since 1993 to not ever reach within the Top 10 on the U.S. country charts, while "Do You Want Fries with That" and "My Old Friend" peaked at numbers 5 and 6, respectively.
In late 2004, his unlikely duet with hip hop artist Nelly on "Over and Over" became a crossover hit, 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 R&B 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 hit single in Britain 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 10 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.
"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 roughly $89 million and sold approximately 1.1 million tickets, making it the top-grossing tour in the history of country music. It was also named "Major Tour of the Year" by "Pollstar", 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. 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 studio album, "Let It Go", on March 27, 2007. The album's first single, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)", peaked at number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. This marked McGraw's first No. 1 single since "Back When" in late 2004. The album debuted at No. 1 on both the "Billboard" 200 and Top Country Album charts, marking his fourth No. 1 album on the 200 charts and his ninth overall. 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 15, 2007, McGraw performed a song titled "If You're Reading This", which he co-wrote with The Warren Brothers. Several radio stations began to play the live recording of the song; as a result, it entered the U.S. "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart at No. 35. 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 edition of January 18, 2008 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. At the 2007 50th Annual Grammy Awards, McGraw received 5 nominations including Best Country Album (for "Let It Go"), Best Country Song (both for "If You're Reading This" and "I Need You"), Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (with "I Need You"), and Best Male Country Vocal Performance (with "If You're Reading This"). 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 in his follow-up to "Let It Go" at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California. In July 2008, the album's sixth single and its title track, "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 at the 2009 ACM Awards, but then canceled his performance; he was replaced by Blake Shelton, who sang "She Wouldn't Be Gone".
"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.
"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.
"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.
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. As of fall 2010, McGraw had finished work on the album "Emotional Traffic", his last album with Curb Records. On May 13, 2011, Curb Records filed a breach-of-contract suit against McGraw. The label alleged that McGraw recorded tracks for his "Emotional Traffic" album too early prior to its delivery to the label. Several days later, McGraw filed a counter suit against the label seeking advance payment and recording-fund reimbursement, unspecified damages, and a jury trial. A trial was scheduled to begin in July 2012. In November 2011, a judge granted McGraw permission to record music for another label, ending his relationship with Curb Records that began in 1990. A few hours after the ruling, Curb released "Better Than I Used to Be", the first single from "Emotional Traffic". The album was released on January 24, 2012.
"Two Lanes of Freedom".
In December 2011, McGraw released his first Christmas single, "Christmas All Over the World", on his own label StyleSonic Records. On May 21, 2012, however, he signed with Big Machine Records.
McGraw's debut album for Big Machine, entitled "Two Lanes of Freedom", was released on February 5, 2013. It debuted at number 2 on the charts by selling 108,000 copies. The album includes the singles "Truck Yeah", "One of Those Nights", "Highway Don't Care" (a duet with Taylor Swift which also features Keith Urban on lead guitar), and "Southern Girl". McGraw performed at the festival in London on March 16, 2013.
"Love Story" and "Sundown Heaven Town".
McGraw released a single titled "Lookin' for That Girl" in January 2014 as the lead-off single to his second album for Big Machine. It was followed immediately by the announcement of the Sundown Heaven Town Tour. The album, titled "Sundown Heaven Town", was released on September 16, 2014. Four months into its run, "Lookin' for That Girl" was withdrawn as a single and replaced with "Meanwhile, Back at Mama's", which features backing vocals from Hill. "Shotgun Rider" became the album's third single and a number 1 Country Airplay hit by the end of 2014. Following it was "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools", a duet with Catherine Dunn. McGraw's eighth greatest hits album, "Love Story", is a compilation of his twelve biggest love songs and two previously unreleased recordings. It was released exclusively through Walmart on February 4, 2014, by Curb Records.
"Damn Country Music".
On August 10, 2015, McGraw released a new single to digital retailers, titled "Top of the World", which was later released to radio on August 17, 2015, as the lead single to his third studio album for Big Machine Records. On September 17, McGraw announced that the album was titled "Damn Country Music", with a release date scheduled for November 6. The album's second single, "Humble and Kind", released to country radio on February 1, 2016, and went on to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country charts. McGraw was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of Take Me Home, Country Roads, On the Road Again and I Will Always Love You which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards. The album's third single, "How I'll Always Be" released to country radio on July 11, 2016. It reached number 3 on the Country Airplay in January 2017.
"The Rest of Our Life".
On October 4, 2016, during a show at the Ryman Auditorium, McGraw and Hill announced that they would be going back on the road together again on the . The tour began on April 7, 2017, in New Orleans and will continue into 2018, incorporating the festival held in the UK and Ireland throughout March 2018.
Before the commencement of the tour, it was reported that McGraw, alongside Hill, had signed a new deal with Sony Music Nashville. The signing also indicated the release of a duet album between the couple, and that multiple solo recordings would be produced. The new record label signing also preceded the release of "Speak to a Girl", the lead single from the duet album, "The Rest of Our Life", which was released on November 17, 2017. The release of the album coincided with the opening of an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum titled "Mississippi Woman, Louisiana Man", which celebrates the careers of both McGraw and Hill.
McGraw released two major best-selling books in 2019, with the first co-written with "Pulitzer Prize" winner Jon Meacham which reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation. New York: Random House. 2019. . His second book, "Grit and Grace", also reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.
2020s.
"Here on Earth".
In February 2020, McGraw rejoined Big Machine Records, which he was previously signed to from 2011 to 2017. He released a new album, "Here on Earth", on August 21, 2020. The "Here on Earth Tour" was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, McGraw released the single "Undivided" with Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, which was included on a deluxe edition of "Here on Earth" released later that year. On October 9, 2021, McGraw confronted a heckler at a performance at the Nugget Events Center in Sparks, Nevada, after he forgot the words to his song "Just to See You Smile." After removing the heckler, he explained that he had been filming a movie and had a lot on his mind, and asked for the audience's help in remembering the words.
"Standing Room Only" and "Poet's Resumé".
On August 25, 2023, McGraw released his sixteenth studio album, "Standing Room Only". The title track was released as the album's lead single on March 10, 2023. It reached number 2 on the U.S. Country Airplay chart. Three months after releasing "Standing Room Only", McGraw surprise-released a six-track EP, "Poet's Resumé" on November 21, 2023.
Production career.
McGraw has occasionally served as a record producer in collaboration with Byron Gallimore, who has co-produced all of his albums. The two co-produced Jo Dee Messina's self-titled debut, as well as her next two albums, "I'm Alright" and "Burn". McGraw and Gallimore also produced the only album released by The Clark Family Experience in 2000, and Halfway to Hazard's 2007 self-titled debut album.
Acting career.
McGraw's first acting appearance came in a 1997 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 running back "Donald Billingsley" 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". The movie went on to gross over $60 million worldwide at the box office, 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. McGraw again achieved critical acclaim for his acting. Shortly before "Flicka" opened, McGraw received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard near stars 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". 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"). 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.
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". 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. 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). In addition to his appearance in the film, McGraw's song "Me and Tennessee", a duet with Paltrow, was played during the closing credits and appears on the film's soundtrack. In 2015, McGraw appeared in Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland" as Eddie Newton, a NASA engineer, and Casey Newton's (played by Britt Robertson) father.
"1883", a spinoff prequel to Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone television series was released in late 2021 and stars McGraw, Faith Hill, and Sam Elliott.
Charitable efforts.
In 1994, when McGraw first reached fame, he established the 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 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.
McGraw designed a charity T-shirt sold through Angelwear to benefit MusiCares. MusiCares supports musicians in times of need. His charity focuses particularly on health issues. The Tim McGraw Foundation raises funds to enhance the quality of life of children and adults with brain tumors. He supports the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, the David Foster Foundation, which helps families of children in need of organ transplants, and Musicians on Call, which brings music to hospital patients' bedsides. He also performs during dinners and auctions to benefit children with disabilities. Hill and McGraw gave the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society $375,000 (the entire gate receipts from one of their concerts) to assist the families of 17 sailors following the terrorist attack on , the guided-missile destroyer that suffered significant damage in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen on October 12, 2000.
In the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina, McGraw 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. 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.
McGraw has helped out with charity events held by Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. The Brett Favre Fourward Foundation has featured McGraw performing concerts during dinners and auctions that benefit children with disabilities in Wisconsin and Mississippi. One instance is recorded on Favre's official website.
On July 12, 2007, it was made public that McGraw while in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a performance, donated $5,000 to Kailey Kozminski, the 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.
In April 2023, McGraw surprised rising country star Brandon Davis, whom he previously brought on tour with him in 2022, with a new guitar after all of his gear was stolen earlier in the month.
Personal politics.
In a 2006 interview with "Esquire" magazine, McGraw stated he would like to run for public office as a Democratic Party candidate, possibly for United States Senate or Governor of Tennessee—his home state. In the same interview, he praised Bill Clinton.
In a 2008 interview with "People" magazine, McGraw referred to himself as a "Blue Dog Democrat" and stated that he and his family support Barack Obama.
In January 2021, McGraw performed on the "Celebrating America" inaugural special, a primetime virtual concert celebrating the inauguration of Joe Biden.
Personal life.
McGraw married fellow country singer Faith Hill in 1996, and they have three daughters. He and Hill own Goat Cay, which they unofficially named L'île d'Anges, a private island in the Bahamas.
In 2000, Kenny Chesney and McGraw became involved in a scuffle with police officers in Buffalo, New York, after Chesney was riding a State Police horse and refused to get off the horse. McGraw came to Chesney's aid after police officers nearby believed the horse was being stolen. The two were arrested and charged, Chesney for disorderly conduct and McGraw for assault, but were acquitted in 2001.
McGraw holds a private pilot license and owns a single-engine Cirrus SR22.
In 2015, "Forbes" estimated McGraw's annual income at $38 million.
McGraw is the godfather to the son of Garrett Hedlund and Emma Roberts. He and Hedlund became friends after co-starring in "Friday Night Lights" and "Country Strong".
In acknowledgment 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.
McGraw's Bracco Italiano named Lepshi won Best of Breed at the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The McGraw-Hill family also has two other Bracco Italianos, Caesar and Stromboli.
Tours.
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References.
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