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Tim McGraw On ‘Special People’ This Memorial Day

Tim McGraw has a lot of connections to the military in his family. As we commemorate Memorial Day (5/29) and remember those we lost, Tim talks about the importance of…

Tim McGraw On 'Special People' This Memorial Day
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Tim McGraw has a lot of connections to the military in his family. As we commemorate Memorial Day (5/29) and remember those we lost, Tim talks about the importance of those who serve our great country.

In an interview a few years back, McGraw told us, "My sister was in the Army in the first Iraq War. She was in Army Intelligence. And my uncle was in Vietnam. My grandfather was in the Navy in World War II. My grandpop was in the Navy during World War II. Faith's got an uncle who was in the Navy. I've got my cousin, Johnny, who is in the Army now."

He continued, "There are so many people. One of our best friends, Danny Knight – Lieutenant Colonel Special Forces, has been in the middle of some of the worst things that you can think of – is one of our best friends."

Tim concluded, "It's just a heart of service, I think. It's the willingness to go out and do things and sacrifice your life – not only your life but your family, all the things that they have to suffer. You're willing to go do that so we can all be safe, so we can all live the life that we lead, and that we can do the things that we do and have the freedoms that we have. They're just special people."

McGraw has long been a part of Operation Homefront, whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive — not simply struggle to get by — in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Their website says their vision is "To be the provider of choice for short-term and Critical Financial Assistance, long-term stability, and recurring support programs to military families."

Through his work, Tim has helped the charity give away more than 100 mortgage-free homes to families in need. In 2015, Mcgraw said of the work, "Launching our Homefront program made last summer so much more special than I could have imagined. I can honestly say that I got as much or more out of the experience than the veterans who received the new homes and assistance."

McGraw added of the veterans who have moved into the homes in 30 states, "These are people who have given us security for a lot of years, and we're able to do that back for them in a small way."

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.