Faith And Tim Mcgraw: A Marriage Made To Last

Country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are still married, celebrating 27 years together in October 2023. The couple, who have three daughters, first met in 1994 and wed in 1996. They have collaborated on several projects and tours, including the TV show '1883', in which they play a married couple. McGraw has credited Hill with helping him overcome his battle with alcoholism, and the couple has been open about facing challenges in their marriage but remain committed to each other.

Tim and Faith's first meeting in 1994

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill first met in 1994 at a Country Radio Seminar showcase for new talent in Nashville. At the time, McGraw was in a relationship with Kristine Donahue, and Hill was engaged to Scott Hendricks.

The couple took their first picture ever together that day backstage of the "New Faces" show. McGraw shared this photo on Instagram in October 2023 to celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary. He captioned the post:

> "This is the very first picture ever taken of us, the very first time we ever met back in spring of 1994. I fell for you in an instant! Today is our 27th wedding anniversary and I fall for you every day, every time you walk into the room, every time I see you in our three beautiful daughters' smiles. I just keep falling and always will. Happy anniversary, my love!"

McGraw also shared on the Bobby Bones Show that his then-girlfriend, Donahue, could see that he and Hill had a spark. She "didn't know" if she wanted him "to say hi" to Hill anymore, as she saw "immediately" that the two had a connection.

Their engagement and marriage in 1996

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's engagement and marriage in 1996 was a whirlwind romance. The couple first met in 1994, but it wasn't until two years later that they started dating. In 1996, Hill joined McGraw on his Spontaneous Combustion tour, and the two fell in love. They got engaged on June 26, 1996, and married on October 6, 1996, in Rayville, Louisiana, just four months after getting engaged.

The couple pulled off a surprise wedding, inviting their family and friends to what they thought was a softball game and concert in McGraw's hometown. They said their "I do's" under a locust tree in his aunt's backyard. McGraw shared that they decided to surprise their family with the wedding because they had tried to plan it a few times, but everyone kept finding out about it.

McGraw recalled the moment he proposed to Hill during a video in October 2015:

> "We were in the dressing room, here, June 26, 1996, and it was raining and stuff, and we’d been on tour for a while together, and I joked around with her about getting married. And so I looked at her, grabbed her by the hand, and dropped forward [on my knees] onstage… She said, 'We're at a country music festival in a trailer house, and you're asking me to marry you?' And I said, 'Yeah.' So I went onstage… When I came back offstage, [I saw] a Sharpie with lipstick kisses all over it, saying, 'Yes! I'm gonna be your wife.'"

Hill had written her acceptance with lipstick on a mirror in the dressing room, and the couple still have that mirror in their home.

McGraw and Hill's engagement and marriage in 1996 were the beginning of a strong relationship that has lasted over 25 years. They have welcomed three daughters and have collaborated on numerous singles, tours, and an album. They have also appeared together on screen, playing a married couple in the TV show '1883'.

The birth of their first child, Gracie, in 1997

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's first child, Gracie Katherine McGraw, was born on May 5, 1997, in Louisiana, less than a year after her parents tied the knot. The couple had first met in 1994 and began their relationship in 1996 when they were touring together.

Gracie has clearly inherited her parents' musical talents. She has shared videos on social media showcasing her impressive vocal skills, and she even joined her father onstage for a duet at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena in 2015. In 2019, Tim shared a video of him and Gracie singing Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb's song "What Kind of Fool" in the car, captioning the clip, "Dang, this girl can sing!" Gracie has also acted, with a recurring role as Tanya on Tyler Perry's TV series "If Loving You Is Wrong."

In 2020, Tim spoke proudly of his oldest daughter: "Gracie, our oldest daughter, is an actress in L.A., and she makes me proud every day because she's such a strong, independent young lady who speaks her mind. And she makes me proud every day of the way she lives her life." For her 26th birthday in 2023, he shared a series of throwback photos of Gracie over the years, writing, "Happy 26th to our oldest girl Gracie!!! You have brought so much sunshine and laughter into our lives... Your Mom and I thought we knew love, then when you came along we realized what love really is."

Gracie has also been open about her health struggles. In 2022, she revealed that she had been prescribed Ozempic, a controversial Type 2 diabetes medication, for her polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosis. She has also shared her experiences with the side effects of the drug, which can cause weight loss.

Tim's sobriety and Faith's influence

Tim McGraw has been open about his struggles with alcoholism and has credited his wife, Faith Hill, for helping him get sober and turn his life around. McGraw has been sober since 2008, and in interviews, he has acknowledged the role Hill played in his recovery.

In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe in August 2023, McGraw revealed that he believed he would have died if he hadn't married Hill at 29. He credited her with helping him recover from his battle with alcoholism and acknowledged that she put up with his drinking for a while before giving him an ultimatum.

In a 2014 interview with Men's Health, McGraw spoke about his road to sobriety, saying, "When your wife tells you it's gone too far, that's a big wake-up call. That, and realizing you're gonna lose everything you have."

McGraw recalled a pivotal moment during his struggle with alcoholism when he turned to Hill for help. He shared that he woke up one morning and took a shot from the liquor cabinet, realizing he had to wake his kids up. He went straight to Hill and confessed his problem, and she embraced him and supported him on his journey to sobriety.

In an Esquire essay in 2021, McGraw wrote a touching tribute to Hill, expressing his gratitude for her unwavering support. He wrote, "My oxygen only exists if you're by my side. Forever and always living and loving our way through anything @faithhill."

In an interview with TODAY's Hoda Kotb in 2019, McGraw acknowledged that Hill helped him end his partying ways. He said, "You're married and you have kids, and all of a sudden, your wife looks at you and says, 'You know, you're getting a little overboard, and you need to make some decisions.' It makes a big impact on you."

McGraw and Hill have been married since 1996 and have three daughters together. They have collaborated on numerous projects and tours and recently acted together in the TV show '1883'. Despite facing some challenges in their marriage, they remain committed and dedicated to each other and continue to be one of country music's favourite couples.

Their acting debut in 1883

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are indeed still married, and their acting debut in the 2021 TV show '1883' brought the couple together as actors for the first time. The show, a prequel to 'Yellowstone', saw the couple play a married couple, James and Margaret Dutton, the great-grandparents of Yellowstone's John Dutton.

The couple marked their 25th wedding anniversary while filming the show, with Hill stating: "I was hauling ass in a carriage through a river. That was our big celebration!". McGraw added: "It's been incredible to do scenes together and to watch her work".

In preparation for their roles, McGraw and Hill attended "cowboy camp" to learn the basics of riding horses and driving wagons. They also decided not to rehearse their lines together, to ensure they reacted to one another naturally as characters, not as husband and wife.

One scene in particular stands out for McGraw, in which Hill, as Margaret Dutton, has to slap her husband, James Dutton. He jokes: "I was expecting a finger slap, but it was a paw to the jaw. There was 25 years of pent-up aggression going on!".

The couple said that working on the project together had been a joy, with McGraw stating: "I've never had so much fun in my life", and Hill adding: "I don't want to stop".

Frequently asked questions