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‘Yellowstone’ And Country Music Star Tim McGraw Teams With Skydance To Launch Nashville-Based Down Home, A Media Company For “Everyday Americans”

April 13, 2023

Tim McGraw, the country music star whose acting career has hit a new gear lately with roles in Yellowstone  and prequel 1883, is launching his own media company with backing from Skydance Media.

Down Home, as the new venture is known, will be based in Nashville. Its activities across entertainment, media and marketing will involve McGraw, with his management company EM.Co, and social content studio Shareability. The founder of Shareability, Tim Staples, is co-founder and CEO of Down Home. EM.Co’s Brian Kaplan, is co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer.

The aim of Down Home, according to an official announcement, will be to connect McGraw’s country music audience with Hollywood and consumer brands. The company will produce film, TV and digital projects focused on “relatable stories that capture the essence and spirit of everyday Americans.” Also in the works is a social content studio aimed at nurturing Nashville’s pipeline of emerging talent, fostering connections across music, sports, entertainment and brands.

McGraw starred in 1883 alongside his wife and frequent musical collaborator, Faith Hill, as well as Sam Elliott. He has also had roles in Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side.

The company closed an investment from David Ellison’s Skydance Media as well as an innovative first-look deal. Under the agreement, Skydance will develop film and TV projects with Down Home as well as channel IP and other material to Down Home. The new outfit also has secured a private investment from Nashville-based TriScore Entertainment and The Laurel Group, a boutique merchant bank that continues to advise the company. Ellison will serve on the Down Home board.

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, Head of Film and Television.

“Country music has always been about storytelling,” McGraw said. “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 called McGraw “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.” The new company, he added, has the ability to “fulfill a massive demand for authentic, inspiring stories.”

Staples said both onscreen and in his music, McGraw “knows how to connect with this audience in a way that can be really powerful for both Hollywood and brands.”

Bergvall agreed. “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.”

Kaplan said Down Home is 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 repped in the transaction by EM.Co’s Scott Siman and Kelly Clague and continues his long-time affiliation with CAA.

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