When Tim McDonald looks back on his year as a business administration major at Montreat-Anderson College in the early 1990s, he cuts straight to the truth.
“I was a failure, honestly. My grades just weren’t good, so I lost my soccer scholarship,” admitted McDonald, who went by the name Brian during his lone year in college. “It’s not the best success story as far as being a student, but Montreat was a very important part of my growth and my success. I’m not too proud to admit that I failed there.”
Over 30 years later, McDonald credits his one year at Montreat as a springboard into a music career that has taken him around the world, including touring with Olivia Newton-John, playing with Blake Shelton, acting on the hit TV show Nashville, and recording his own top-50 single.
McDonald grew up in Forest, Va., where he excelled at soccer at Jefferson Forest High School. Despite having an opportunity to play at the University of Virginia, a Division I dynasty that won five national titles in six years from 1989-1994, he was convinced to visit Montreat when his high school’s JV coach, Steve Schutt, took a coaching position at Montreat and invited him for a visit.
“I was very impressed by the campus, including a beautiful soccer field right near the mountains, and everybody was super kind,” McDonald recalled. “I liked that the school was small, and they gave me a scholarship, so I tried it out.”
In addition to playing soccer at Montreat, McDonald always managed to find his way to the piano, an instrument he had religiously practiced since before his feet could reach the pedals. When the college recognized his talent, they awarded him a leadership scholarship to perform at special events. He also formed a student band, which won a regional Battle of the Bands at nearby Brevard College. Between soccer practices, McDonald began to sense where his true calling was, even if it wasn’t where he was supposed to be at the moment.
“I loved soccer, I loved music, and I hated class,” he shared from his home studio. “I used to play on the piano there in Gaither Hall. I would skip class, and I would practice piano there. The teachers would come down and say, ‘The music is amazing, but you’re disrupting my class.’”
While he’s grateful to Montreat College for helping him find his calling and for the professors and coaches who invested in him, he doesn’t hesitate to say what he would change.
“If I could go to 1993, I’d tell myself: go to class, go to convocation, don’t stay up so late, and study as much as you can,” he said. “The main point of going to college is graduating and passing classes. You have to apply yourself. Everything else is icing.”
Still, McDonald isn’t ashamed of the way things turned out, knowing it’s a crucial part of his story. After Montreat, McDonald enrolled in the military with the goal of becoming a combat medic. However, after he posted a high score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, the recruiter handed him a book of jobs he felt were better suited to McDonald’s skills. After opening the book to the letter “P” and seeing there were job opportunities because he played the piano, McDonald knew he didn’t need to look any further. After passing an audition at Fort Lee near Petersburg, Va., he was sent to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Norfolk, Va., where he graduated with honors.
“I was the number one kid in my class,” McDonald said. “I learned a lot of those strategies from Montreat.”
From there, he launched a decade-long career in the U.S. military band system, serving as both performer and educator. During his final years of service, he taught at the Armed Forces School of Music, becoming the only piano instructor for the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. In addition to classical piano, he also taught digital music using MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), a then-emerging field. His career took him abroad to Germany for several years, where he performed in Army bands. He was even selected for a prestigious post with the SHAPE International Band, a NATO band headquartered in Mons, Belgium.
Stateside, McDonald’s role with the School of Music, part of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), opened further doors. While stationed in Virginia, he performed with the Virginia Symphony and took part in Broadway musicals touring from New York, working as a union musician. One highlight was playing in Aida, a show based on the Italian opera of the same name featuring music by Elton John. Along the way, he connected with well-known musicians, including fiddle legend Byron Berline, who became a mentor and frequently featured McDonald on his bluegrass programs.
After leaving the military, Tim moved to Nashville, where doors quickly opened in the music industry. He worked with Mark Chestnutt (14 number one hits) and Blake Shelton (17 consecutive number one hits). He also toured with country icon Hank Williams, Jr., and rock legend Rick Derringer. However, his favorite gig in his career was touring with Olivia Newton-John, the highest-selling female Australian recording artist of all time.
“She was an amazing person, an amazing mentor, and very talented. She could sing a four octave range,” McDonald said. “I did three world tours with her, including three nights at the Sydney Opera House, which was absolutely amazing. We had moments where it was just piano and her. She treated us well, she appreciated us, and she kept calling back. She was definitely my favorite artist to play with.”
McDonald’s career took another turn when he was cast as a musician on ABC’s Nashville, which ran six seasons from 2012 to 2018. At first, he had to decline the invitation because of touring commitments, but when a second opportunity came a few months later, the timing was right. What he thought would be a brief appearance turned into a recurring role alongside the show’s leading country artist character, Luke Wheeler, who was played by Will Chase. McDonald appeared in more than 55 episodes.
“I thought Wheeler would be a character for a couple of episodes, but he ended up staying throughout the whole show and being the Kenny Chesney or the Tim McGraw of the show,” McDonald said. “He ends up dating and marrying Rayna Jaymes, so I was on every episode that he was on.”
The role required more than simply standing behind a keyboard. Producers demanded accuracy, with cameras, including GoPros, fixed on McDonald’s hands to ensure his playing matched the recordings precisely. He also sang background vocals and often had to learn new material overnight, adding to the high-pressure environment. Despite the intensity, McDonald embraced the challenge, playing in studio recreated venues like the iconic Bluebird Café throughout the series.
“It’s pretty cool that I had the opportunity to be on that show,” McDonald said. “That opened up a lot of doors, too, trying to connect with different producers like Mario Van Peebles.”
Today, McDonald is a sought-after studio musician and a Yamaha-endorsed pianist. Throughout his career, he’s written and recorded songs that climbed the charts, including a top-50 single called “Dad.” His influence continues to grow, as he recently played on Tori Martin’s “Abilene,” a number one hit in Texas.
Despite all the accolades, McDonald’s goals are as ambitious as ever, with a dream for his music to be remembered long after he is gone. That drive comes from a belief in setting goals that feel out of reach and then trusting God to shape the journey, yet another lesson he learned from his successful failure at Montreat College.
“I want people to say that Tim McDonald had a God-given talent. My goal is to give praise to God because he ultimately gets the credit,” McDonald said. “I wish I had gotten my degree, but I really thank Montreat for being a big part of my life. The biggest thing is learning through your failures. It’s now a big success story, and I’m happy with that because that’s what God wanted me to do.”