We haven’t heard from Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in a while. Unfortunately, the reason is why is sad. Faith’s father just passed from Lewy Body Dementia and it was a “long passing,” to use her words. Her mom had only just died in 2016, so it’s been a rough few years for them. But the couple, who are now officially empty nesters with all three daughters out of the house, are embarking on a new adventure together. To celebrate their 25th year of marriage, they’ve decided to work together on a TV project for the first time. They’ve obviously sung together but they have never acted together until 1883, the prequel to TV’s Yellowstone. And they aren’t just in the same show, they played the married leads. In light of this momentous year, People asked Tim and Faith the proverbial secret to 25 years together. Tim said it’s tenacity. They made a commitment to each other and despite the struggles they’ve faced, they aren’t going to give up.
Looking back on their 25 years of marriage, “We just feel fortunate and blessed and grateful for our kids and all the things we’ve gone through, the ups and downs” Tim McGraw, 54, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story of the life he and wife Faith Hill have built together.
“My dad adored Tim and Tim would visit him daily,” she says. “He was so present for the passing of both my parents. You reveal yourself when you are going through struggles and that’s just another layer of partnership.”
The strength of that partnership has helped Tim, whose own father, major league pitcher Tug McGraw, died in 2004 (his mom Betty turned 73 in March), through challenging times of his own as he’s battled to control his drinking over the years.
“It’s always a struggle. It’s never not a struggle,” says McGraw, who turned to his wife for help confronting his problem 13 years ago and has lived a healthier life since. “Those demons always come back. But you always have a partner that’s willing to fight them with you. We made a commitment to each other a long time ago that we’re not going to give up. It’s too easy to give up.”
“When you love someone, you commit to be there for them for the highs, the lows, anytime,” Hill says. “You face the struggles.”
I agree with everything Tim and Faith said about relationships and finding someone to stick by you. For the record, I think a friend that never gives up on you is vital as well. Some people chose not to have a lifelong romantic partner, but the commitment can be with any type of love. I happen to be in a romantic relationship, and we’ve faced the struggles together. They’ve dealt with our children, families, a health scare, unemployment, mental health and economic insecurity. It was hell but I was grateful to have someone to face those challenges with, like Faith and Tim said. Sometimes an intensely close relationship can feel like a squadron mate, having gone through the hell of war and relished in victory together.
I don’t know much about Faith and Tim, which I realize means there’s probably things I don’t want to know. But they’ve always struck me as a grounded couple and sensible parents. Their daughters are Gracie, 24, Maggie, 23 and Audrey, 20. From what I can tell they’re all close and no one’s writing any tell-all. I’m glad Tim and Faith enjoying working together. I guess they have some sense of what that’s like having recorded together before. But God Bless. As much as I love my husband, we could not work together. He edited a few of my stories for other publications and let’s just say, that was one struggle we needed to walk away from.
Photo credit: People and Instagram
True love will always be the greatest gift a person can receive in this life.
Meditation: “I am open to receiving true love, I attract true love into my life, true love will find me. Amen.”
❤️
As silly as I’m sure this sounds, this is the story I needed to read this morning, as MCDad is making me a little nuts right now.
Mcmmom, you will get there, just tell him he’s driving you crazy and why. If you don’t want to tell him that he is making you nuts, get a piece of paper and write down why he is making you crazy or what you would want to tell him. Then, throw the piece of paper away.
Our marriage counselor told us this trick. We have been married 24 years and together 27.
I like this, thanks for sharing.
They seem like a solid couple. Gotta say though, when I first saw that cover I thought it was a vintage cover of them from back in the 90s or something. The colors, her hair, his beard. Well, they’ve definitely both aged like fine wine!
That’s a weird picture of Faith. Either she has had too much work done or its just a weird picture, or some combination thereof.
Anyway, I have always been a Tim and Faith fan. I remember when Audrey was born, and someone asked Tim shortly after something about wanting a boy or if they were going to try for a boy or if he was disappointed (I know wtf but you know the type of question I mean) and Tim just said something like “nah, I love all four of my girls.” I think at the time it wasn’t clear or known that there were issues with audrey’s birth (I think she was early and had to go to the NICU or something) so that strikes me as both an asshole question to ask someone but also the perfect answer from Tim.
it looks like maybe they photoshopped it a bit too much (and were looking at a recent picture of Debbie Gibson when they did it)
The hair is doing her no favors.
@Becks1 — My dad said the same of his two girls when his man friends would rib him about not having a son. He said he’d have a dozen little girls if he could!
I can’t help but have love for these two – they seem like they’ve been through it and I’m honestly surprised they’re still together. Gotta bow down to the king and queen of Nashville!
She is so beautiful always but she looks different on this cover. A lot younger than I remember her looking. Has she had work done or is it airbrushing on the cover?
I could never work with my husband. That’s too much togetherness for me.
They were also supporters of The Chicks (formerly Dixie Chicks) when The Chicks first spoke out against the 2003 Iraq war. Any country artist who was willing to speak up–particularly then, with that fan base–gets nothing but respect from me.
@ Emily, I didn’t know that but now that I do, I have more respect and love for them!
What happened to the Dixie Chicks was awful and unforgivable. As a Texan, I applauded their statement. The crazies are with you unless you speak out you opinions, then they turn on you. They are the ones that are screaming right now about personal freedumbs, when people are dying every day. But they are the first to turn on you when you exert you freedom of speech, which we are all guaranteed in this country.
It seems pointless to criticize photos considering a lot of photoshopping is going on. Very often you see a cover and think a lot of plastic surgery. Then when you see a casual photo they look normal.
I don’t know how married people work together. It seems too much to spend so much time together.
I worked with my husband and it was a fabulous pairing. We are very much each other’s yin and yang. We had a very successful working relationship, plus we were together all day. Sometimes it seriously sucks to married to a physician.
She looks quite normal in her insta photos. I think the magazine just went rogue on the cover.
We are going through Lewy body dementia with my MIL right now and are moving her to a memory unit just before Christmas. The last year and a half have been the most tiring of my life. I am not surprised they stepped out of the spotlight.
@ Lentilcracker, I am so sorry to hear that. It’s so incredibly exhausting to care for an elderly parent but when they have major health issues, I have heard it’s never ending. The emotional, physical and stress is never ending, even as you try to sleep. Stay strong!!
@bothsidesnow thank you! I honestly forget what sleep used to be. I was up at 2am with worry last night. Dementia has taken away so much of our lives.
I’ve been a Faith Hill fan since I was a kid. I’ve been bummed that she hasn’t released new music in so long.
But reading this article explains why, she’s been busy taking care of her aging parents, sending her kids off into early adulthood, supporting her husband’s sobriety, & I think she had neck or spinal surgery a few years ago, too.
A lot of family stuff on her plate. And if you can afford to take a step back from your career why not? Good for her.
her (permed?) hair on that cover is tragic.
That’s her natural hair texture!
I’m kinda digging it, but I also have naturally curly hair.
I wondered about that.
I have naturally curly hair as well, which I LOVE…but hers looks terrible in that picture.
I saw a comment years ago that he cheated on her with Gwyneth Paltrow. Anyone else remember that?
“It’s never not a struggle” is such a simple answer but there’s a lot going on there. I feel for him and glad he feels so supported
When I was a young baseball fan, I had a huge crush on his biological father, Tug McGraw. During my crush, Tug was married and had two children with his then-wife. I was disappointed when I read that at first, he denied that Tim was his son, until he had a face-to-face meeting and Tug saw the resemblance. Even today when I see Tim on television or in a movie, every time he smiles, all I see is the man whose picture was on my wall. The irony of all this was when Tug was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, it was Tim who paid his medical bills and was there at his bedside when he passed.
Some heavy-handed photoshopping on the cover. It’s a shame – they are a good-looking couple and don’t need it.