Who does Tim McGraw look up to? That's a question you or many of his fans probably haven't asked before. After all, McGraw is one of the biggest country stars on the planet. But even he has heroes that he aspires to be, and four of his greatest musical inspirations couldn't be different.
In the latest Instagram post, McGraw revealed he put pictures of his idols up in his dressing room. They help give him the drive needed to perform. The four musicians McGraw looks up to is Merle Haggard, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley, and Prince. All four are very different but icons in their own right.
He said, "So I wanted to put sort of inspiration under the stage. This is where I get ready under the stage. Who are the people that I idolize not only as a songwriter or singer but also as a performer. And I try every night, I'm nowhere near in the same league as any of these guys. But I try to be the combination of all these guys."
From a vocal and songwriter standpoint, McGraw says he wants to be like Haggard. Likewise, he considers Springsteen one of the greatest performers around.
He said, "So first off is the Hag who's one of my favorite singer songwriters of all time. My favorite vocalist of all time. I mean, he's right there at the top of my list. So if I could sing like Hag, boom got that one down. And then you got The Boss who is one of the greatest live performers ever. And a great guy. Great music. Huge fan. He puts on the best show that you'll ever. Brings more energy than anybody I've ever seen to a show."
Tim McGraw Talks Elvis and Prince
McGraw also has a life long appreciation for Elvis.
He said, "And then of course, you have the King. Who isn't an Elvis fan? I'm a huge Elvis fan. My wife's a huge Elvis fan. I grew up being a huge Elvis fan and still idolize Elvis and the things he used to do on stage, especially early in his career. The 68 Comeback Special I think it was, that he did — that picture's from where he was at the peak of his skills. That's to me one of the most iconic pictures of a liver performer ever."
Finally, McGraw got teary-eyed when speaking about Prince. It's clear that Prince's death still haunts him.
He said, "You got Prince, who he's like a God. He's just fantastic. He's one of the best live performers I've ever seen. One of the nicest people I've ever met. Hated losing him. And just rips on the guitar — on every instrument he plays he just rips on it. So the combination of all these guys is my aspiration, I should say."
