This is Fresh Air. I'm Dave Davies and Frateri Gross. Our guest Tim McGraw has been one of the biggest stars in country music for years,

but lately it's an acting role that's getting a lot of attention. He starts with his wife, singer Faith Hill,

and Sam Elliott in the Western TV series on Paramount Plus called 1883. It tells the story of a large group of Eastern European immigrants

trying to make their way and covered wagons from Texas to Oregon to start new lives.

They know little about horses, wagons, or America, and they're led in the journey by experienced cowboys,

including the characters played by Elliott, McGraw, and LaMona Cogarrot, all veterans of the Civil War.

The pioneers face every conceivable hardship and plenty of tragedy, realistically depicted in the production which with the cast shot on location over five months in Texas and Montana.

The series is a prequel to the successful Paramount Plus series Yellowstone, which is about the descendants of McGraw's character in modern day Montana.

All 10 episodes of 1883 are available for streaming.

McGraw's previous acting roles include parts in the movie's Friday Night Lights, The Blind Side, and Country Strong.

Tim McGraw has been recording number one country album since 1994, and is won three Grammys and 14 Academy of Country Music Awards.

He's also a celebrated performer. His tours with Faith Hill have been some of the biggest grossing tours in country music history.

And he's also the son of the late Major League pitcher Tog McGraw, though he didn't connect with his father until late in his childhood.

Well, Tim McGraw, welcome to Fresh Air.

Thank you, sir. Thank you for having me.

This series 1883 is a story about these immigrants, as I mentioned, most of whom don't speak English, and in some cases can't speak to each other.

And those who agree to lead them on this dangerous journey, the characters of Sam Elliott and Lamanica Garrett, who's a black cowboy.

Your character, James Dutton, is a little different from those two you want to describe him? What his role is?

Yeah, James comes from Tennessee. He was planted on making this journey alone with his family.

You know, right from the beginning, when you see James, and he's trying to get the fortwork to get supplied and everything, bringing everything he they had from Tennessee, and set to go on their trip.

He's already in a gunfight, getting chased by bandits, and you know, he shoots six people right in the first couple of scenes of the show.

It's just to show the danger that he was in. He suffered. He was trying to outrun ghosts in a lot of ways, I believe.

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