The Head-Turning Transformation Of Dr. Phil's Son, Jordan

Jordan McGraw is more than the son of famous TV psychologist Dr. Phil. He's a musician, producer, avid social media user, husband, and devoted dad. While he may have come into his own with a leg up in the entertainment industry thanks to his family connections, he has also carved his own path through his work from a young age. "I locked myself in my room and just learned every Blink-182 and Green Day and Nirvana song I could," he told iHeartRadio about his early days as an artist. "And then when I got to school, it...was the way that I made my first group of friends, and we started playing very, very bad music in a garage somewhere, and I was like, 'Cool, I could do this forever.'"

But beyond his music, McGraw has also transformed into a husband, dad, and all-around family man. Between appearances on his dad's podcast and posting on his social media with his wife and young daughter, McGraw has made a name for himself over the years across multiple avenues in entertainment.

Growing up in the shadow of a TV famous doctor dad hasn't seemed to make his son, Jordan, jaded. "He's not Dr. Phil to me, he's my dad," Jordan shared with TODAY Parents in 2021. "He likes to sit there and watch me figure stuff out on my own with a smile on his big bald head. But if I have a question, I know where to go." Along with his older brother Jay, the youngest McGraw child grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, where his father was working in psychology at the time.

Like their father, both boys pursued careers in entertainment – Jay mainly behind the scenes, and Jordan in front of the audience with his music. But while the McGraw patriarch became known for giving advice to millions both on screen and off, Jordan has asserted that he is not one to be persuaded by his dad's on-screen persona. "His tricks don't work on me," Jordan shared with PeopleTV in 2019.

Jordan McGraw's start in the entertainment industry began in a band. He played guitar in several rock bands, notably Stars In Stereo, from 2011 through 2015. With groups like Thirty Seconds To Mars and Daft Punk cited as their influences, the ensemble released their debut single, "The Broken," in 2012 and a full-length self-titled album the following year. "[The band and I] started writing music together and then we all just decided we liked playing together too much to not do it [anymore]," McGraw shared with Metalholic Magazine in 2013. "...We went into the studio the day after we [met singer Bec Hollcraft]."

The group was McGraw's first taste of working within the independent side of the music industry. "...We didn't have a label to answer to," he told Rock Revolt Magazine of their debut album. "...We put together an image in our heads as we were working on ["The Broken" and] how we wanted it to look. So, when we went to do it, it was kind of a no brainer for us." But after touring with the likes of Drowning Pool and Flyleaf for four years, the band called it quits in 2015.

Jordan McGraw continued to grind away in the music industry after the demise of his bands (including the short-lived Hundred Handed), where he was looking to make moves on his own. "It was just kind of the natural progression of...people not being around and me putting in all the work," he described his post-band pivot to TMJ4 News in 2020. "I was like... 'You know what? I'm gonna use my name,' and it worked out."

In 2019, McGraw released his debut self-titled solo EP, along with the separate single,"Flexible," which boasted a celebrity-filled music video that featured the likes of T-Pain, John Mayer, and (of course) his famous father. Other celeb cameos included McGraw's friends the Jonas Brothers, who took McGraw out on the road as an opening act for their "Happiness Begins" tour. But surprisingly, it wasn't music that initially attracted the musicians to bond with each other. "We all have a love of baseball," McGraw shared with iHeartRadio in 2021. "...I met Nick [Jonas] at a Dodger[s] game...and I bought him a shot of tequila and we kind of started hanging out... Then they called me to go out on tour and I was like '...This better not be like a new friend joke that you play on everybody, but yes, I'll go.'"

After finishing the first Jonas Brothers tour, Jordan McGraw released more of his own music. In 2021, he debuted the single "HER," which was co-written by Joe and Nick Jonas. The super-romantic song was dedicated to someone special in McGraw's life. "During the process of recording the song, I was chasing my now-wife," he explained to American Songwriter. "While I was on tour, I was trying to figure out how to woo her. It was the perfect storm of the song growing with the actual process of she and I growing into what we are now. Everything worked out naturally." He followed up with a sequel single, "She," and the music video featured his soon-to-be wife, Morgan Stewart.

While many of his songs focused on his love life, he also released more tongue-in-cheek tunes like "mcconaughey," an ode to the actor Matthew McConaughey, the same year. The actor even shared his approval of the song with the artist. "When you listen to [my music], I hope you walk away a little bit happier," McGraw told American Songwriter. "The songs have substance, but they're meant to be enjoyed...I love being the reason other people have fun...If you can laugh and have fun in any situation, you're doing it right."

Even while he was rising in the music industry, Jordan McGraw still made time for love. In December 2020, he married former reality star and TV host Morgan Stewart after dating for less than a year. But that wasn't the first time the two had gotten together – they had dated a decade before for a brief time. "He broke up [with me] because he was like, 'I'm not down with you...,'" Stewart once shared on Instagram Live (per People). "And then I was like 'Fine, whatever, I'm over you, I don't care.'...Then the past year we got back together. Isn't that cute? He was persistent, and I was like, 'Alright.' " 

Despite their history, the happy couple has gushed about finding each other again at the right time. "There was no lapse in that feeling of ... being comfortable around each other," McGraw shared on an episode of his father's podcast, "Phil In The Blanks." "There was no restart. It was just kinda like 'Hey, there you are.'"

Stewart has fit right in with her hubby's family, even when she and McGraw were not together. "During that ten years [apart], you continued to have a relationship with [our family]," Dr. Phil shared in the same podcast, which featured an in-depth interview with the couple. "And I saw you a time or two. I saw you at CBS a couple of times and stuff. It was always very friendly. We always were happy to see each other."

McGraw's talents have led him to new ventures in the entertainment industry in the 2020s. He brought his musical ear to television shows like "That Animal Rescue Show" as a music supervisor, and composed original tunes for the short-lived "House Calls with Dr. Phil." "I just enjoy making music that makes you feel good," McGraw shared with French Fries Magazine. "If you can listen to my music and escape for 2-3 minutes then I'm happy.

He's even tried acting, appearing in a guest role on the now-canceled CBS show "So Help Me Todd," which his father and brother co-executive produced. But he couldn't escape the stage for long – he eventually made his way back to touring after the global pandemic, both with other artists and solo. 

"After such a long year-plus of having to figure out a new version of ourselves locked inside, I just hope that people come ready to enjoy themselves again and have the kind of fun that we've all been talking about missing," he shared with E! News. "I just hope people let go for each of our sets and just have fun and party."

Jordan McGraw is more than just a musician – he's a dedicated dad to daughter Row, born in 2021, and son Grey, born in 2022. The babies were born exactly a year and a day apart, and after the family grew to four, McGraw's wife revealed that her hubby got a vasectomy. "No more babies," McGraw's wife, Morgan Stewart McGraw, told E!'s "Daily Pop" at the time. "I want to say this here...We didn't f*** around."

McGraw himself has also gushed about his kids in interviews and on his social media channels. "Being a father is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me," he shared with French Fries Magazine. "With both Morgan and me, the priorities are making [them] happy and we have so much fun sharing this responsibility. I know I'm blessed..."

True to form, McGraw's famous dad has shared some advice with his son and daughter-in-law about not just parenting, but also about their relationship as a whole. "When you have children, you need to recognize that they're joining your life — you're not joining theirs," he shared with TODAY Parents. "You don't ever want to stop being a spouse when you start being a parent... Remember to be friends and lovers. It's the greatest gift you can give your child, because it keeps you vibrant and alive."

Many of Jordan McGraw's fans can follow the musician on his multiple social media pages to keep up with all of his endeavors. The singer boasts tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, where he shares behind-the-scenes snippets of both his music and family life. "Having too much fun to think of a caption," he cheekily wrote on Instagram, featuring a picture alongside his wife, Morgan Stewart McGraw. It's no surprise he's becoming more active on social media, given that his wife is widely followed on her own channels. The two have often collaborated on posts, whether it's to show off their family of four or to promote their latest collaboration.

The couple's joint posting has also given their fans a sneak peek into some of the most special moments of their lives, including their daughter's gender reveal. Another thing the cute couple has in common? Their shared humor. "She may not be great at math, but at least she'll be well dressed," McGraw Stewart quipped on Instagram.

Jordan McGraw is constantly evolving his musical style. In 2023, he debuted his latest project – BORT, a pop-punk project that brought together some fellow musicians. Friends like Zach Merrick of All Time Low and Jack Lawless of DNCE and the Jonas Brothers' drummer joined McGraw on his first full-length release, which features songs like "Can You Hear Me?" The album title itself came from a quasi-pop punk place – an episode of "The Simpsons." "It ... felt like the most me way of saying that nobody's seen my name enough yet, just almost," McGraw explained to Riff Magazine. "That, and it's just a cheesy 'Simpsons' reference. I don't want to paint it too much deeper than it is."

His latest project has brought things full circle for McGraw, harkening back to his early days of learning Blink-182 songs while playing guitar in his bedroom. "I kinda lost that [punk feeling] along the way, I don't know why. I was just kinda throwing s*** at all the wall," he continued to Riff Magazine. "It felt f****** great [to rediscover it] and I decided to keep going down that road. So I kinda did what I did when I first learned guitar and locked myself in a room and figured stuff out."