NASHVILLE, TN (January 22, 2016) – Continuing the success of his critically-acclaimed albumDAMN COUNTRY MUSIC (Big Machine Records), three-time Grammy®-winning singer, songwriter and actor Tim McGraw has released a thought-provoking music video for “Humble And Kind.” Penned soley by Lori McKenna, who is also a co-writer on the current GRAMMY-nominated hit “Girl Crush,” McGraw’s latest single has made an impact all over the world in just 24 hours since its release on Facebook. Oprah Winfrey tweeted this morning in response to the video: “Tim, I love this song. Every word feels true. #HumbleAndKind.” As of 2 PM Eastern today, the video has already amassed over five million views and a social movement is in full force.
“I felt like it was going to be a special song when we finished it. Then when we mixed it, it just really came alive,” McGraw said of the song. “It’s not about being ‘my’ song or ‘my’ album or ‘my’ piece of music or any of those things. I think it’s just the message that the world needs. The song is so special, we wanted the video to really have a meaning to it and the video to be really universal and worldly and encompass everyone and what the emotion of the song is.”
The “Humble And Kind” music video, directed by Wes Edwards, features scenes from Oprah Winfrey’s groundbreaking documentary “Belief,” which depicts how people with a wide range of beliefs search for deeper meaning and connection with the world around them. The song’s music video marries these universal scenes of faith and life with a dramatic McGraw performance, captured by a one-of-a-kind 360 degree turntable lighting rig which provides a big looping light highlighting the passage of time. The lyrics serve as a poignantly complementary soundtrack to the vivid, emotional storytelling and cinematic visual imagery of the series, which aired on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network last fall.
Coupling the lyrics and universal theme of “Humble And Kind,” McGraw has launched stayhumbleandkind.com. The site aggregates stories shared with the hashtag #stayhumbleandkind as well as encourages random acts of kindness through a simple tracking program. “We want to celebrate positive stories that embody the lyric and message of the song – from the most simple to the extraordinary,” shared McGraw.
The song became an immediate standout on DAMN COUNTRY MUSIC for fans and critics alike, with TIME Magazine noting that “McGraw shines most brightly when he’s foregrounding his warm, supple voice and keeping the music that surrounds him uncluttered. Perhaps that’s why the album closes with ‘Humble and Kind,’ in which the ‘good life’ means one governed by manners and grace.”
Newsday agreed, citing that “McGraw is at his best with a big, emotional ballad and he has a masterpiece to work with here… [the song] is a gorgeous bit of advice — in this case, from a father to his children, but it’s really pretty universal… McGraw delivers this advice with just the right amount of emotion, the right balance between preaching and suggestion.”
Nash Country Weekly further hailed the song “the album’s most powerful and pensive reminder of Tim’s aforementioned passion is the last verse in the last song… where he sings ‘When you get where you’re goin’, don’t forget turn back around / And help the next one in line / Always stay humble and kind.’”
