Tim McGraw Launches Media Company

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photo from Robby Klein Mgmt

Country artist and actor, Tim McGraw, announced the launch of Down Home, a new entertainment, media, and marketing company headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company is a collaborative effort between McGraw, with his management company EM.Co, and social content studio Shareability. Shareability’s founder, Tim Staples, is Down Home’s co-founder and CEO, while EM.Co’s Brian Kaplan, also a co-founder, will serve as Chief Strategy Officer.

Down Home is dedicated to connecting McGraw’s country music audience with Hollywood and brands by producing film, TV, and digital media that focuses on relatable stories that capture the essence and spirit of everyday Americans.

The new McGraw venture closed an investment and an innovative first-look deal with Skydance Media, David Ellison’s leading entertainment company. As part of the deal, Skydance will develop film and TV projects with Down Home as well as channel IP and other material to Down Home.

Down Home also secured a private investment from Nashville-based TriScore Entertainment and The Laurel Group, a boutique merchant bank that continues to advise the company. Skydance founder and CEO David Ellison will serve on the Down Home board.

“Country music has always been about storytelling,” says McGraw. “Our stories are honest vignettes of life and family and community. I think there’s a longing for that. For me, that’s Down Home. That’s how I grew up, those are the stories I like to tell, and that’s what I want our company to be about.”

Ellison says, “Tim McGraw is an outstanding artist and entertainer. He is truly gifted at telling stories across mediums that deeply connect with the audience and has built an unmatched community of fans around the world. We are thrilled to partner with him, Tim Staples, Brian Kaplan, and everyone at Down Home as they have created a dedicated infrastructure to tell stories across film, TV, and music, to fulfill a massive demand for authentic, inspiring stories.”

Adds Staples: “From 1883 to Friday Night Lights, or songs like ‘Humble and Kind’, Tim McGraw knows how to connect with this audience in a way that can be really powerful for both Hollywood and brands.”

Down Home has two scripted series in development with Skydance, with plans for features and animation to follow. The slate is led by Joel Bergvall, Down Home’s Head of Film and Television, who says, “People want stories that move them, and that starts with characters they can relate to. We’re focused on underdogs, unlikely heroes, and people striving for their sense of family, community, and belonging.”

The company also plans to establish a social content studio to nurture Nashville’s emerging talent, fostering connections across music, sports, entertainment, and brands. Says Kaplan, “We’re thrilled to be a part of the next chapter in Nashville’s evolution, empowering artists and visionaries to create a new hub for storytelling that combines talent, passion, and innovation.”

McGraw was represented in the transaction by EM.Co’s Scott Siman and Kelly Clague and continues his long-time affiliation with CAA.

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