TN – May 21, 2012 – Big Machine Records announced today the signing of
country music superstar Tim McGraw to a worldwide recording deal. The
powerhouse label and McGraw will release new music which will be
distributed globally by Universal Music Group. With over 40 million
albums sold and 32 No. one singles
over the course of his remarkable career to date, this new era of
McGraw’s career will be driven by a dream team of the most successful
and dynamic thinkers in the music industry.
“Many people know that I came to Nashville 23 years ago on a Greyhound
bus with nothing but a guitar,” said McGraw. “And 23 years to the day,
on May 9, I went back to the bus station and officially signed this
deal. It was a significant way for me to mark this new beginning.
Scott Borchetta has developed a powerhouse at Big Machine, and I’m
happy to be a part of what he has built and to call Big Machine Records
my new label home. Excited doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m
feeling about working on a new album for this next chapter in my career.
Here’s to the next 20 years!”
“I’ve always felt a kinship to Tim as my dad (Mike) originally signed
Tim to Curb Records. We have wanted to work together for years and I
can’t believe this day has finally come. His level of artistry, vision,
passion and energy comes along only so many times in any given era and I
can tell you with the utmost confidence that there are many, many
important chapters left to write,” said Scott Borchetta, President and
CEO of the Big Machine Label Group.
“I’m
so pleased to add the great superstar Tim McGraw to our incredible
Nashville family of distributed labels,” added Lucian Grainge, Chairman
and CEO of Universal Music Group. “Tim’s accomplishments reach around
the world and we intend to exert the full compliment of global support
to Tim’s new releases on Big Machine Records.”
McGraw will further strengthen Big Machine Label Group’s star-studded
roster of talent which includes international superstar Taylor Swift,
multiplatinum vocal group Rascal Flatts, award winning female vocalists
Reba and Martina McBride, and many of country music’s most promising
rising stars.
With 7.8 million spins at radio, McGraw was deemed “Artist of the
Decade” (2000-2010) by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. He has won three
GRAMMY® Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 11 Country Music
Association Awards, 10 American Music Awards, three People’s Choice
Awards and numerous other honors. This June, McGraw will kick off what
is anticipated to be the biggest stadium tour in country music history.
The Brothers of the Sun Tour will reunite McGraw with longtime friend
Kenny Chesney for the first time in 10 years. The tour begins on June 2
in Tampa and will hit the nation’s biggest stadiums through August.