Country music star Tim McGraw has never been shy about showing respect for the pioneers of country music and rock ‘n roll.
In fact, the “Live Like You Were Dying” singer says that is where a lot of his influence comes from. He used to listen to country music growing up back in the 1970s.
“There’s a lot. Certainly, the stuff I grew up with, the 70s country music,” McGraw told Big Machine Records. “There’s a lot of that stuff that’s so great. I mean, Alabama, George Strait – that was the 80s – but some so many great songs.”
However, if McGraw had to narrow it down to just one band, he would have to pick the Eagles. Not only is he a huge fan, but he also says they have played a big part in his style as a country music singer. And according to McGraw, he says that the music from the ’70s rock band is “really country.”
“I loved 70s rock ‘n’ roll music. I’m a huge Eagles fan,” Tim McGraw explained. “I’d probably put Eagles number one on my list for my favorite music of all time. Cause to me, certainly now, a lot of their stuff is really country.
Furthermore, he believes that one song in particular could be a “country smash hit” even today.
“I mean ‘Lyin’ Eyes’ is a country smash right now if somebody was cuttin’ that song, if it was a newly written song today,” McGraw points out.
Tim McGraw Says He Wants to Cover an Eagles Song One Day
As a long-time fan of the Eagles, Tim McGraw has always wanted to cover one of their songs. He even recalled a time right as he was getting his feet wet in the country industry when there was an Eagles album being covered.
“But gosh, how do you cover an Eagles song? I mean, there was an Eagles album that was covered by country music, and that was right when I started in the business. And I was really mad because I didn’t have a hit at the time, and I wanted to be on that album so bad, and not a chance in hell I was gonna get on it.”
There is definitely a lot of nostalgia when it comes to Tim McGraw and the Eagles. And by the sounds of it, we may yet see him cover an Eagles song before things are all said and done.
“But the Eagles, I’d put top of my list. I’d love to cut an Eagles song one day.”
