Tim McGraw Triumphs at Inaugural Music City Rodeo With Unforgettable Family Moments and New Music
“Welcome to the inaugural Music City Rodeo!” Tim McGraw declared to a packed Bridgestone Arena crowd. “We’re going to be here every single year, so I want y’all to keep coming out.”
That was just one of many heartfelt moments during McGraw’s return to the stage following a string of serious surgeries—including back and knee procedures. At 58, the country music icon headlined the final night of Nashville’s first-ever rodeo and concert series, joining forces with Reba McEntire and Jelly Roll for a three-day celebration of music, family, and rodeo grit.
McGraw hit the stage at 9:35PM with the rowdy crowd-pleaser “Truck Yeah,” setting the tone for a 90-minute set that featured hit after hit—from “I Like It, I Love It” to “Paper Umbrellas.” Backed by his longtime band, The Dancehall Doctors, he delivered the kind of high-energy show that’s earned him decades of country stardom.
He took a moment to acknowledge those who made the event possible. “Give it up for Miss Reba, Mr. Jelly Roll, and my boys,” he said. “Big hand for the cowboys and cowgirls—it wouldn’t be a show without those guys.”
Among the highlights was the live debut of a new, unreleased track titled “King Rodeo,” which McGraw introduced as “appropriate for the night.” Lit by a single spotlight, the performance was a glimpse at his upcoming album, the follow-up to Standing Room Only.
But the most emotional moment came when McGraw brought his three daughters—Gracie, Maggie, and Audrey—onstage to sing the final chorus of “Last Dollar (Fly Away).” They were joined by Byron Gallimore’s daughters, who also sang on the original recording as children. “They’re all grown up now! My girls!” McGraw said, pulling them into a warm group hug as the audience erupted.
The show also featured a touching tribute to his wife, Faith Hill, during a performance of “Bad Habit,” with decades’ worth of personal videos and moments playing behind him. “Woah, I’m a lucky man!” he shouted mid-song, a nod to their enduring love story.
Before his encore, McGraw honored his role as James Dutton in 1883 with a dramatic montage of scenes featuring him and Hill. He returned to the stage with moving performances of “The Cowboy In Me,” “Humble And Kind,” and “Where The Green Grass Grows,” before closing the night with a powerful, crowd-wide singalong of “Live Like You Were Dying.”
The Music City Rodeo itself was a milestone for Nashville. Created by Pat Humes and Brian Kaplan—McGraw’s Down Home co-founder—the event marked the first time a full-scale PRCA-sanctioned rodeo was held in the city. Each night featured pro rodeo events like bull riding and barrel racing, with more than $200,000 in prize money and a festival atmosphere complete with rodeo queens, clowns, and mutton bustin’.
McGraw, Reba, and Jelly Roll aren’t just performers—they’re the founding members of what promises to become an annual Nashville tradition. And if night three is any indication, the Music City Rodeo is already a new cornerstone of country culture.