Tim McGraw Spotlights Fans and Their Moms in Music Video for ‘I Called Mama’

Tim McGraw released his new single, “I Called Mama,” earlier this month, and the country superstar has followed the release with the official music video for the song, which premiered on Tuesday. McGraw previously put out a call for fans to share footage and photos of their moms, and they delivered, allowing McGraw’s team to put together a touching video highlighting the special relationship between a mom and her kids. The video includes footage of moms being visited during the coronavirus, at their kids’ weddings, being surprised by their children in the military, reuniting with their families at the airport, hanging out on the beach and just spending time with their loved ones.

There are also clips from those who have lost their moms, lighting candles in memory, and holding up photos of themselves with their mothers. McGraw also makes a brief appearance in pictures with his mom, Betty Trimble, and his wife, Faith Hill. “It’s a great reminder that hearing someone’s voice who knows you and loves you can help you get through anything,” McGraw said in a statement. “I think it’s at these very difficult times that music can help and the power of a song can give someone a moment of clarity or comfort, or just a smile. Especially now, when we seem to need it more than ever.”

The music video began with a short clip of McGraw surprising a mom and daughter on a video call for Mother’s Day, and he shared a full version of the call on Instagram over the weekend. The woman receiving the surprise thought she was on a chat with her two daughters, one beside her and one on video, but she noticed a third video window on the screen just before McGraw filled it. “What’s that at the bottom?” she asked. “For Mother’s Day, we wanted to surprise you,” one of her daughters said before McGraw appeared, saying, “Hey, guys!”

“Oh my God. Is that freaking Tim McGraw?” she asked, to which he confirms. “How are you?” he asks, though she is stunned, replying, “pretty freaking shocked.” McGraw goes on to share how he heard from her daughters how incredible she was, admitting they just “wanted you to know how much these girls love you, you know that already.” With the mother evidently taken aback, she exclaims through tears, “That means so much to me from my daughters. I have amazing girls.” The moment also overwhelmed McGraw, who replied, “You’re gonna make me cry. It takes a good mom to have good girls.”