Las Vegas Weekly

February 18, 2013 · 3:39 PM

A return to Tim & Faith reminds of a question never asked

By John Katsilometes

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's "Soul2Soul" at the Venetian on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012.

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage/DeniseTruscello.net

Usually when I’m asked if I have any regrets, the answer is “not yet.”

But now it’ll be, “Yes. I should have asked Tim McGraw about Rush.”

This moment came and went, inexplicably, last month when McGraw and wife Faith Hill met a group of journalists at a round-table interview session in a suite at the Venetian.

During the couple’s opening weekend at the old Phantom Theater in December, as they sat to chat informally during the show, McGraw listed his musical influences. He ticked off many of the names favored by fellow superstar Garth Brooks -- George Jones and Merle Haggard, those types -- then said his tastes evolved to include the Eagles, Led Zeppelin and … Rush! I heard that comment and went, “Holy Red Barchetta!”

I had this question about Rush in my pocket coming into that interview in January and somehow didn’t think to ask McGraw of his favorite song off “Permanent Waves.” I choked. During last weekend’s shows, he mentioned Rush again and even noted the album “Moving Pictures” as a favorite. I nearly shouted, “Play YYZ!”

During that interview, I did ask the characteristically well-presented superstar couple which of their favorite songs were cloven to meet the show’s 90-minute duration. “I think ‘Angry All the Time,’ for me,” McGraw said. “It just didn’t fit. … It’s such a downer.”

But “Roll the Bones,” that’s a fun song. And it ties into Las Vegas. Let’s find room for that before this run ends in April.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.

Share This