While backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville years ago, I was introduced to a young singer who just hit the country charts with his first number one song! His name: Tim McGraw.

While we chatted, Tim told me about his dad---the late Tug McGraw of baseball fame. That’s when I invited Tim to share his personal story publicly for the first time! Here it is:

“I thought my step father was my father until I was 11 or 12 years old. My mom and step dad got a divorce. I guess with any kid at that age when a divorce happens you have problems, discipline problems. Mom sat me down one day and told me the whole story.”

Tim vividly recalls the conversation with his mom!

“I remember being out of school one day. We were driving down the road and pulled in to get some gas. That’s when she told me. I guess it’s a weird thing to hear when you’re that old. She asked me if I ever had anyone say my step dad wasn’t my dad. At the time I didn’t remember it. But, looking back I recall comments from cousins. That’s when mom told me when she was a senior in high school she met my dad. He was playing minor league baseball. They lived in the same apartment complex and dated all summer long and I got here!”

Tim reacted to the news this way!

“It was kind of strange I guess. The first couple of months I thought ‘wow my dad’s a baseball player.’ It’s like a dream. After my mom told me about my dad, I met him twice that summer. We briefly got together the first time in Houston when he was playing baseball. I didn’t see him until I was 18 years old.”

More with Tim McGraw, Country Music Superstar, on my next report.

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