Country music superstar Tim McGraw is confirmed to tour Australia for the first time, promoters Chugg Entertainment and Rob Potts announced today.
McGraw, and his band the Dancehall Doctors, will bring his Southern Voice Tour to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for shows in September.
"My career's been going for a while and I've been looking for opportunities to come down, and this is the first time the timing's worked out. I'm very excited," said McGraw when asked about Australia and touring here for the first time.
Chugg Entertainment's Executive Chairman, Michael Chugg said, "This is big news, full stop, but for country music fans, it's massive!
"It's actually Tim's birthday in the US (May 1) today, so to announce his first Australian tour timed with that is special."
In Australia McGraw's setup will include an 18 metre catwalk that takes him up the centre floor and puts him in the thick of it with audiences.
Tickets go on public sale Monday 17th May from ticketek.com.au or 132 849.
Tim McGraw has released 16 albums (his latest 2009's Southern Voice), has sold over 40 million units and landed 31 singles at Number 1 in the US, including his latest title track Southern Voice; he's taken home 50 Awards, including three Grammys; and been in seven films. He is Sandra Bullock's husband in the Academy Award-nominated The Blind Side and has just finished filming Love Don't Let Me Down with co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester.
McGraw's song Something Like That was the number 1 played song on US radio for the first decade of the 21st Century and with 7.8 million spins, himself the most-played artist.
His 2006 Soul2Soul II Tour with wife, Faith Hill, beat Madonna and the Rolling Stones that year, is the highest grossing country tour of all time and in the top five of any.
From hard rock to hip hop, McGraw has collaborated - singing, songwriting or live - with: Def Leppard, Kid Rock, Kim Carnes, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, Tony Bennett, the Eagles' Don Henley and Timothy B Schmidt and rapper Nelly.
"Tim is a true superstar and many of his Aussie fans have been waiting almost two decades to see him," said Rob Potts.
"When Tim's on stage he's having a great time," said Potts. "He puts on a show that reaches out, mixes it up, makes sure fans have a great time too."
Working with Potts, Chugg Entertainment is Australia's only major-league promoter hitting home-runs with big name country tours like Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes, the Dixie Chicks and is a partner in CMC Rocks the Snowys.
"Country music fans are loyal and dedicated and they probably don't get enough of the artists they want to see," said Chugg.
"We're proud to be able to bring Tim, that it all worked out and he agreed to come."