Faith Hill is one of country music’s greatest female artists, and rivals her mega-star husband, Tim McGraw with record sales around 30 million. She was born Audrey Faith Perry on September 21, 1967 in Jackson, Mississippi, but was raised in the small town of Star, Mississippi. Faith gives tribute to her southern state on her 2005 “Fireflies” album with her #one song titled, “Mississippi Girl”. Just as Faith says in the song, “They may know me all around the world, but yall, I’m still a Mississippi girl!” Faith Hill has poured more of her true self into this latest album and feels this one is closest to her heart.
Faith Hill had her first country music success in 1993 with her debut album titled, “Take Me As I Am” with the #one hits “Wild One” and a remake of the Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart. Faith had made a name for herself with this first album’s success but it would be another two years before her second album due to surgery on her vocal chords. The album titled “It Matters To Me” released in 1995 produced another #one hit from the title cut. There were several other chart topping songs from that album as well. The success of this album landed her a spot as the opening act for Tim McGraw on his Spontaneous Combustion Tour. Sparks indeed ignited between the two performers on that tour and they began a romantic relationship with Tim proposing marriage to Faith on that tour. They were married on October 6, 1996. Their first daughter Gracie Katherine was born in 1997 and the very next year their second daughter, Maggie Elizabeth was born. Faith gave birth to their third daughter, Audrey Caroline in 2001.
Faith appeared on Tim’s album titled “Everywhere” in their sultry, heartfelt duet, “It’s Your Love” in 1997. She then released her next album, “Faith”, in 1998 that became a crossover success into pop as well as country. Her fun and upbeat tune titled, “This Kiss” became a #one hit on the country charts and made it to #3 on the pop charts. “Let Me Let Go” also became #one on the country charts from the same album with success on the pop charts as well.
The next album released in 1999 titled, “Breathe” had Faith’s career soaring to even new heights.
The sizzling title cut from that album not only reached #one on the country charts, but Faith now had her first #one hit on the pop charts. Faith Hill’s happy marriage to Tim McGraw was evident in her music choices. The next #one hit titled “The Way You Love Me” continued the romantic theme. This album landed Faith three Grammy Awards including Best Country Album.
Faith Hill’s next #one hit came as a soundtrack from the movie “Pearl Harbor”. This incredibly beautiful song, “There You’ll Be” showed Faith again as a favorite on the pop charts. Faith’s next album release in 2002 titled “Cry” again brought her a #one pop hit from the title track, but she wasn’t getting that response from the country charts anymore. Country radio believed these songs were too “pop” and were not giving them as much air time. Nevertheless, the album still landed Faith a Grammy Award and sold almost 3 million copies!
After much success in the music industry, Faith Hill and family made their move to Hollywood to give acting a try. In the summer of 2004, Faith co-starred with Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick in a remake of “The Stepford Wives.” After spreading her wings a bit, it seems Faith has returned full-circle back to her southern roots with “Firefly.” Not bad for a Mississippi girl!
