Not a moment too soon

"Indian Outlaw," with its controversy and its resemblance to the Raiders' "Indian Reservation," made Tim McGraw a star and earned him the nickname "Outlaw McGraw." The ballad "Don't Take the Girl" reinforced the image. Not a Moment Too Soon contained better hooks than its predecessor, but it also belabored the obvious with songs like "It Don't Get Any Countrier Than This" and "Give It to Me Strait." that said, McGraw's identity as a singer and as a bandleader was being forged bit by bit. Taken as an album, Not a Moment Too Soon is actually a solid listen, containing the first real hints of the influence of Southern rock on his sound, one that would endure. While producer Byron Gallimore seems to get credit for this, it was actually inherent in McGraw's sound from the beginning and Nashville tried to take it out -- until they figured out how to sell it. And while it's true that Hank Williams, Jr. had used the authentic members of that rock subgenre many years before on his Hank Williams, Jr. & Friends album, the mantle hadn't really been picked up since. McGraw not only began to use it, but because of his success beginning with this album -- proving the adage that no publicity is bad publicity -- he spawned countless imitators, making rock & roll a steady part of contemporary country music. ~ Brian Mansfield & Thom Jurek