I didn't want to play a rancher. I didn't want to have a cowboy hat on; I wanted to get away from that in the things I do. But I read the script and fell in love with it. As hard as I tried to say no, I couldn't.

McGraw was set to debut a new song on the 2009 ACM Awards but then cancelled his performance; he was replaced by Blake Shelton who sang "She Wouldn't Be Gone".  1 on Billboard (10 weeks on Radio & Records) and went on to become the biggest hit single of the year. In November 2011 a judge granted McGraw permission to record music for another label ending his relationship with Curb Records that began in 1990.

McGraw has ventured into acting with supporting roles in The Blind Side (with Sandra Bullock) Friday Night Lights The Kingdom and Four Christmases (with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon) and lead roles in Flicka (2006) and Country Strong (2010). He is married to country singer Faith Hill and is the son of the late baseball player Tug McGraw.  1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.