Tim McGraw to Headline Four-Day Music Festival in Cuba

Tim McGraw will headline an unprecedented festival next year, when he performs at a four-day event in Cuba, Tim McGraw: One of Those Havana Nights. The event is scheduled for May 23 to 27, 2019.

“I’ve never been to Cuba but have always wanted to go,” shared McGraw. “I imagine the Cuban culture to be a little like growing up in Louisiana, where music, food and family play a big part in daily life. Their musical history is world-renowned, and of course, there are the classic old cars. I look forward to experiencing it all firsthand.”

McGraw will perform two acoustic sets during the festival, one for a smaller, more intimate crowd, and one open to the general public. Several Cuban stars will also perform, including Carlos Varela, Traditionales De Los 50, and Los Van Van.

“I feel honored that I get to share my music with the Cuban people,” McGraw said. “What an incredible opportunity. For me, music transcends language. There is a heart and soul to music that all people understand on some level. Cubans have such an intimate relationship with music, I’m happy we’ll get to share that together.”

“One of the best things we can do as humans is to expand our knowledge of other cultures and people,” he continued. “The best way to do that is through travel. As an artist, I am energized by exploring a new country and through meeting the people who call it home. Cuba will give me a new palette of sounds and colors to draw from next time I go to create.”

The 51-year-old previously released a Spanish version of one of his biggest hits, “Humble and Kind,” which he will likely perform.

“I’ve said repeatedly that ‘Humble and Kind’ has a universal message, so singing the song in Spanish, for me, is a way to really stand up to that statement,” McGraw told Billboard. “It’s one thing to say ‘I’m being universal’ and it’s another thing for me to try to reach out across a language barrier and put in the effort to deliver that same message. To make someone understand that you’re trying to love them through a song and work to make people feel it is a pretty cool thing.”

“My Spanish may not be perfect,” he added. “My accent may not be perfect, but if I can reach out and touch someone in a language that’s not my own – that’s a good enough reason enough to try.”

More information on Tim McGraw: One of Those Havana Nights, is available here.

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