Sean Patrick McGraw Stands Tall With Toby and Trace

Sean Patrick McGraw may have a familiar last name, but he's no relation to Tim. He is, however, hanging with another of country's big dogs -- Toby Keith. Sean is the opening act on Toby's tour with Trace Adkins, a journey that will end on Sept. 19 in Illinois, but for the Fredonia N.Y. native, it's been a great ride. But how have two of country's most notorious tough guys treated him?

"They've been absolutely wonderful and so gracious," Sean tells The Boot. "They've got to be nice to me. They're both about three feet taller than I am. [laughs] They could crush me if they wanted to."

Sean, who was a 'Nashville Star' semi-finalist in 2005, adds that no one has helped him more in his career at the moment than Toby, and taking him along on the America's Toughest tour has been a "huge boost."

While he's not exactly a newcomer to Music City ("My expiration date passed up a long time ago in Nashville," he jokes), Sean's inclusion on the tour has introduced him to a much wider audience. It's also taught him that great advice can come from everywhere, not just fellow artists.

"Toby's stage manager has taught me about everything he could possibly teach me," he says. "I didn't think I was very green when I came out here, but he pretty much let me know how green I was when we started this. The best advice was: 'You'll never be a star if you don't present yourself as a star. You must use a balance of humility and just own it.' Sometimes I think it's kind of hard to figure out how you do that. I'm humble but I have to be confident and walk out on stage like I belong here."

Sean will follow up his single, 'Dollar Ain't Worth a Dime' with a full album, which he expects to release by the end of the year.