Although competing on shows like The Voice and American Idol comes with a great deal of pressure, imagine trying to grow up with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw as parents. That’s exactly where Audrey McGraw found herself. Raised around two country music stars, Audrey quickly fell in love with music. And when wanting to explore her talents with songwriting, it took her time and confidence before showing what she produced to her famous parents.
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Sitting down on Three Generations of Songwriters, Audrey got the chance to discuss her life and career with Maren Morris and Sheryl Crow. Once again surrounded by country music stars, the women talked about the current state of the genre and the rise of women in the music industry.
But when it came to Audrey, the topic of her career took center stage. Having Hill and McGraw as parents, the rising singer revealed how the pressure got to her when presenting the first song she wrote to the pair. “I don’t know, I think the first solid song I wrote, I was maybe 17. I’m pretty sure I called it ‘Mental Breakdown’ because I was having a mental breakdown when I wrote it. And I showed it to my parents, and I was so scared to show it to them because everything I made, I hid. Not because they were harsh or unsupportive, it was just a lot of pressure.”
[RELATED: Tim McGraw Is a Proud Dad as Daughter Audrey Closes Out First International Tour]
Where To Listen To The First Song Audrey McGraw Wrote
Not knowing how they would react, Audrey eventually asked her father his thoughts on the theme and lyrics. “I showed them this one song, and my dad was like, ‘Why are you going to drama school? Why do you want to be an actor?’ He goes, ‘Are you sure?’ I go, ‘Why is it good?’ He’s like, ‘It’s pretty good.’”
With McGraw seeing the potential Audrey had with songwriting, it was more than enough for her to start a career. As for the song she wrote, “That song hasn’t seen the light of day. But I think he gave me the confidence after I showed him this song.”
While Audrey was able to push through the pressure, she wasn’t alone as Crow promised, “Because I’m fans of them… so I was always nervous to show them what I wrote.” With the support of her parents, Audrey seems ready to step out from her family’s shadow and make her own mark in music.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM)
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