Tim McGraw was once a 'bridesmaid' alongside Garth Brooks and Tracy Lawrence

This was before McGraw made it big in Nashville.

ByCarena Liptak via logo
March 5, 2021, 11:05 AM

Talk about a star-studded wedding party! Tim McGraw may be used to high-profile country musical collaborations now, but during his early days in Nashville he once teamed up with Garth Brooks and Tracy Lawrence for a much more unusual project: Being bridesmaids together.

As McGraw remembered during a recent interview on Apple Music, it all started when he was an up-and-comer making friends in his new hometown of Nashville.

"There was a girl named Tammy Rose who sort of took new artists under their wing when they first moved to town, and Garth Brooks was a friend of hers. I was a friend of hers. Tracy Lawrence was a friend of hers," the 53-year-old "I Called Mama" singer recounted.

"And so when she got married, she asked Garth, me and Tracy Lawrence to be her bridesmaids," he added.

At the time, McGraw had a record deal but hadn't had a big hit yet. His fellow bridesmaids, however, were both bona fide country stars. He admits he felt a little starstruck, especially around Brooks, who'd broken down so many barriers between country and mainstream rock.

At that wedding, McGraw made a point to thank Brooks for the barriers he'd broken down in country music, particularly in terms of bringing rock elements and influences to a mainstream country audience.

In the years since, McGraw has paid it forward, influencing and getting to know many of the younger stars coming up after he did. Most recently, he collaborated with Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard on a new song, "Undivided."