Celebrity marriages very rarely succeed long-term. In fact, many devolve into media spectacles, with both parties often ending up on the short end. With the scrutiny from the press and the constant temptations of fame, it is incredibly difficult to keep a relationship together.
It seems as though one can count the number of successful celebrity marriages on one hand. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have survived, as have David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice. The music world seems like a particularly slippery slope in terms of fidelity and commitment, and few have managed to pull it off.
However, two of the biggest names in country music have managed to make a lifetime commitment, and years later, they are sticking to it. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are approaching 27 years of marriage, and while McGraw openly admits he doesn’t know any particular “key” to success, he did shed some light on how he and Faith Hill make it work.
The “Blind Side” star said: “I don’t know if there’s a key. We always say we’re 27 years coming up, it’s like 96 in show business. It’s almost like dog years.”
McGraw relates a key promise he made to his wife at the beginning of their marriage: “We just made a commitment early on, when we first decided we were getting married and having kids, that we wouldn’t just walk out the door when problems arose.”
While that seems like an easy promise to keep, many find themselves cutting and running when times get tough. Even though the couple is wildly successful, they still encountered issues. Communication and honesty have been key in keeping the relationship together.
The couple started dating and married in 1996, and three daughters later, McGraw talks about how they raised their girls: “Faith and I were going to raise our girls to be strong, independent and fierce and have their own minds and have their own opinions. And sometimes I go, ‘Dang, do we want them to be that independent and strong?’ But yeah, we’re so proud of them.”
The “1883” co-stars have also had to deal with Tim McGraw’s ongoing struggle with sobriety. Many country artists lean too much into the Nashville lifestyle, and McGraw was no different. However, Faith Hill has been key to keeping her husband on the path to sobriety. He said: “She’s always been my rock. She’s my rock in everything that I do. I don’t think I could stand up straight without leaning on her in everything that I do.”
Most couples have a “song,” but for Tim McGraw, his song for his wife holds extra special meaning. He was introduced to their song by his Uncle Hank. McGraw explained: “Well, there’s one song, and it’s really an instrumental, but there’s one. I’m probably going to get in trouble for saying this. God, please forgive me, baby. It’s ‘Samba Pa Ti’ by Santana. It’s kind of our song.
“My uncle told me one time — my uncle Hank, old hippie who lives in Napa Valley — he played it for me one time years ago on the road. He loved that song too. ‘I’m going to tell you something.’ He says, ‘Never make love to a woman with this song on unless you intend to marry her.’ And so I didn’t until I did. And then I did.”
It’s a cheesy story but a happy one for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. McGraw is preparing to go out on the road for his “Standing Room Only” tour, and he and Hill stand as a testament to what a relationship can be with communication and support.
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