Happy 56th birthday, Tim McGraw! The singer was born on this day, May 1, in 1967, in Delhi, La.
McGraw was raised by his birth mother, Elizabeth "Betty" D'Agostino, and her husband, Horace Smith, whom McGraw believed to be his biological father. However, when the future country star was 11 years old, he found his birth certificate, which stated that his biological father was, in fact, professional baseball player Tug McGraw. It would take another seven years for the pro athlete to acknowledge that Tim McGraw was his son.
“It was a little strange. I grew up in poor circumstances,” McGraw recalls. “I remember watching the World Series games and being 13 years old and sort of lucky that we could pay the light bill to have the TV on to watch the World Series games, so it was a little strange dichotomy.”
After high school, McGraw went to both Northeast Louisiana University and Florida Community College at Jacksonville before deciding to move to Nashville to focus solely on his music career. The singer signed to Curb Records in 1990 and released his eponymous debut album three years later. The record failed to produce any hits, but his sophomore project, Not a Moment Too Soon, which was released in 1994, kicked off McGraw's superstar career.
Not a Moment Too Soon shot straight to the top of the charts and spawned two No. 1 singles, the title track and "Don't Take the Girl." Ten of McGraw's subsequent 12 albums landed at No. 1, and the other two -- 2002's Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors and 2015's Damn Country Music -- peaked at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. To date, McGraw has earned more than 30 No. 1 singles and sold more than 40 million albums.
WATCH: Unforgettable Tim McGraw Moments
McGraw has also enjoyed a successful career as an actor, appearing in blockbuster movies such as Friday Night Lights, The Blind Side and Country Strong. But while he enjoys being in front of the camera, his music career will always take first place.
“I have to find a script that’s going to be done within the window,” he says. “It’s a two- or three-month commitment to a movie when you decide to do one, not to mention the preparation before. You don’t want to shortchange anybody."
In addition to a widely successful professional career, McGraw's personal life has flourished as well. He's been married to fellow country singer Faith Hill since 1996, and the two have three daughters: Gracie, Maggie and Audrey. The four women are the ones that urged their husband and father to get sober after years of alcohol and drug use.
“I drank too much. I partied too much. And did other things too much. Chemically,” McGraw acknowledges. “When your wife tells you it’s gone too far, that’s a big wake-up call. That and realizing you’re gonna lose everything you have. Not monetarily, not career wise, but family wise … It got to the point where my kids were getting older, and it was way past the point that they noticed it. And I noticed that they noticed. That’s enough to straighten you out.”
Tragically, Tug McGraw passed away in 2004. But even in his death, his son learned a valuable lesson.
“It made me realize that I could do something with my life,” Tim McGraw says. “He gave me something that he may not have ever known he gave me: He gave me a reason to think that I could make something out of my life, because he did.”
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LOOK: Faith Hill + Tim McGraw's Relationship in Pictures
Love Birds
This photo from the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Kids charity event was taken one month before the couple married in Oct. 1996.
Ron Gaella, Getty Images
Baby On Board
Tim and Faith arrive for the 24th annual American Music Awards in 1997. Hill was pregnant with the couple's first child at the time.
K Mazur, Getty Images
One Year Together
At the 1998 Grammy Awards Hill and McGraw looked as in love as ever.
New York Daily News Archive, Via Getty Images
Spontaneous Combustion
This early '00s photo of the couple performing has been unintentionally recreated several times through the years. Even today they look as in love as ever while on stage together.
Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Friday Night Lights Premiere
The Friday Night Lights premiere in 2004 was also Faith and Tim's 8th wedding anniversary, and they (adorably) blew out the candles on their cake together to celebrate!
Michael Buckner, Getty Images
Hollywood Star Unveiling
Faith Hill always stands by her man, just like she did when his Hollywood Walk of Fame star was unveiled back in 2006. She oozed pride for her main man while they posed for photos.
Scott Gries, Getty Images
2008 CMT Awards
What could be better than a dimly lit, intimate performance by this country couple? The answer is nothing.
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
ACM Artist of the Decade Show
Tim will take any excuse to brag on his smokin' hot wife — even if it embarrasses her! The two were silly and adorable while on stage at the ACM Awards' Artist of the Decade show honoring George Strait.
Jeff Bottari, Getty Images
"Soul 2 Soul" in Vegas
Tim McGraw isn't afraid to step out of the spotlight and let Faith Hill get all of the attention. He did just that during their stint at the Venetian in Las Vegas in 2012.
Michael Loccisano, Getty Images
2013 CMA Awards
Faith Hill had to make sure her man was looking his very best on the red carpet for the 2013 CMA Awards. She fixed his maroon shirt before they posed for photos, but a lucky photog was able to snap this one.
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
2014 ACM Awards Performance
Tim McGraw is a doting husband who loves his wife — that's beyond clear! While onstage at the 2014 ACM Awards, he was caught ogling his wife and her feminine figure.
Jason Merritt, Getty Images
2014 ACM Awards
When this country couple walked the red carpet before the 2014 ACM Awards, they couldn't keep their eyes off one another. Love was definitely in the air that night!
Larry Busacca, Getty Images
2014 CMA Festival
This kiss, this kiss! Tim McGraw grabbed wife Faith Hill by the backend and planted a big smooch on her lips during the 2014 CMA Festival. The resulting photo is steamy, sweet and sexy all in one!
Jason Merritt, Getty Images
Oscars 2015
At the 2015 Oscars, Tim McGraw pretended to take a bite out of his delicious wife while they posted for photos. We can't say we blame him, however — she looked delectable!
Instagram: @thetimmcgraw
2015 Date Night