Before Tim McGraw became one of country’s most bankable hitmakers, he was locked in a fight with his own label over a song they were convinced would be a disaster.
On a recent episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, McGraw looked back at “Indian Outlaw,” the track he once had to fight to record — even after executives warned him it was “too controversial” and “not country.”
The Song Nobody Wanted
McGraw said he originally tried to include “Indian Outlaw” on his 1993 self-titled debut album, but couldn’t get it past the gatekeepers.
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“The label didn’t like it,” he recalled. Only producer Byron Gallimore was in his corner.
He was told the song wouldn’t get radio play and could damage his credibility. But McGraw had already seen something his label hadn’t.
After hearing songwriters Tommy Barnes and Max D. Barnes perform it live in Nashville, he began playing it in honky-tonks and clubs across the country. Crowds loved it — sometimes so much that he had to play it multiple times a night.
Still, he didn’t have enough leverage to override the decision on his first record, and the song was left off.
A Career Gamble
When it came time to record his second album, Not a Moment Too Soon, McGraw made sure things were different.
“I felt like this is either going to work in a huge way, or it’s going to ruin my career forever,” he said. The risk paid off. “Indian Outlaw” became his first Top 10 hit and eventually went platinum.
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McGraw believes releasing it — and then following it with “Don’t Take the Girl” — created the momentum that truly launched his career.
“I’ll forever believe that the combination of those two songs is what set my career in motion,” he said.
The Controversy That Followed
McGraw has also acknowledged why the song stirred backlash. “Indian Outlaw” drew criticism for leaning into Native American stereotypes — something he says he understood.
Over the years, he has met with Native American leaders to discuss those concerns. Some embraced the song; others did not.
When he performs at Native American-owned casinos, he even offers to leave it out of the set. Most of the time, he says, they tell him that’s exactly the song they hired him to sing.
Looking back, McGraw sees “Indian Outlaw” as a swing that could have ended very differently. Instead, it became the moment he bet on himself — and won.
Top 50 Tim McGraw Songs, Ranked
Whether it’s party music or songs that stop you in your tracks, Tim McGraw’s catalog has songs for every mood and emotion. Though the Louisiana native launched in 1990 with his self-titled debut record, it wasn’t until the release of his sophomore project four years later that McGraw got the adoration of both country professionals and fans alike. These are the 50 best Tim McGraw songs, ranked.
Gallery Credit: Jeremy Chua
