Faith Hill
Country Music legend Faith Hill has won five Grammys, three Country Music Association Awards, and 12 Academy of Country Music Awards. She is the only female artist to have three consecutive albums debut atop both Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart and Country Chart. These are just a few accomplishments from a long list of triumphs. With all this success, Hill remains a faithful wife to Country Music singer Tim McGraw and dedicated mother to their three daughters.
Keeping the Faith
Hill was adopted as an infant and raised by a family in Star, Mississippi. She grew up singing in area churches and eventually formed a band that played in local rodeos. When she was nineteen, Hill moved to Nashville to pursue a Country Music career.
Hill began working as a secretary at a music publishing firm. A co-worker heard Hill singing to herself, and soon the head of the music company hired her as demo singer. Hill was eventually discovered by an executive from Warner Bros. Records while singing backup vocals at Nashville’s Bluebird Café.
Hill’s 1993 debut album Take Me as I Am featured the hit single “Wild One.” She became the first female country singer in 30 years to have a No. 1 single for four consecutive weeks because of this song.
She released her second album It Matters to Me in 1995. It was another success and sold more than 3 million copies. The album produced 10 top singles, including the title track that became her fourth No. 1 Country single.
A Powerhouse Duo: Tim & Faith
Hill started the Spontaneous Combustion Tour with husband Tim McGraw in 1996. She had recently become engaged to her former producer, Scott Hendricks, and McGraw had just ended his engagement. Hill and McGraw had instant chemistry, and soon Hill broke up with Scott to pursue a relationship with McGraw. They became engaged on tour and married on October 6, 1996.
The couple went on to record several hit duets including “It’s Your Love” and “Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me.” They embarked on their first Soul2Soul tour in 2000. The 2006 Soul2Soul II Tour, a reprise of their first tour, remains the highest grossing Country tour ever. Pollstar Magazine named it the “Major Tour of 2006.”
From Country Music to Pop
Hill’s 1998 album Faith showcased a more mainstream sound. “This Kiss” rose to No. 1 on the Country charts and her first single to place on the pop charts. The release of Breathe immediately followed and debuted atop the Billboard Country and all genre charts. The album won three Grammy Awards, including Best Country Album, Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for “Let’s Make Love” featuring McGraw, and Best Country Female Vocal Performance. In 2002, Hill released Cry, a very pop-oriented album. It debuted at No.1 on Billboard magazine’s pop and Country album charts.
Faith Hill Giving Back
Hill is involved in several charities. She promoted a national children’s book drive during her 1999 tour. Fans who donated books at her concerts were entered in a drawing to meet Hill. She helped collect 35,000 books, which were given to hospitals, schools, libraries, and daycares.
She and her husband helped the Hurricane Katrina efforts by delivering supplies to Gulfport, Mississippi. The couple also hosted charity concerts to raise money for the victims. They established the Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation to provide funding for charities that provide basic humanitarian services.
Recent Recording Projects
Hill returned to her Country roots with the 2005 release of Fireflies. It debuted atop the Billboard Country and all genre album charts. The song “Mississippi Girl” became her highest-debuting single.
In 2007, Hill released The Hits, a compilation of her most popular songs and two new songs “Lost” and “Red Umbrella.” The album has sold about 255,000 copies in the U.S. Her next album won’t be released before 2009.
