Today is Their Birthday-Musicians: September 21: Country singer Faith Hill is 46-years-old today.

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Born Audrey Faith Perry in Star, Mississippi, Faith has sold more than 40 million records world-wide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S. Country charts.

Faith had her first public performance, a 4-H luncheon, when she was seven years old. In 1976, a few days before her 9th birthday, she attended a concert by Elvis Presley at the State Fair Coliseum, in Jackson, MS which strongly influenced what she wanted to do for a career.

At 17, Hill formed a band that played in local rodeos. She briefly attended college at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi, but at 19 quit school to move to Nashville and pursue her dream of being a country singer. In her early days in Nashville, Hill auditioned to be a backup singer for Reba McEntire, but wasn't chosen. Instead, she became a secretary at a music publishing firm.

A co-worker heard Hill singing to herself one day, and soon the head of the music publishing company encouraged her to become a demo singer. She did, and also began singing backup vocals for songwriter Gary Burr at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe. During one of those performances, an executive from Warner Bros. Records was in the audience, and, impressed with Hill's voice, signed her to a recording contract.

Hill's debut album was Take Me as I Am (1993)- which sold 3 million copies - included the hit record "Wild One." Hill became the first female country singer in 30 years to hold Billboard's number one position for four consecutive weeks when "Wild One" managed the feat in 1994. Her rendition of "Piece of My Heart", also went to the top of the country charts in 1994.

Her next album, It Matters to Me, appeared in 1995 also was a success, with the title track becoming her fourth number-one country single.

In Spring 1996, Hill began the Spontaneous Combustion Tour with country singer Tim McGraw. At that time, Hill had recently become engaged to her former producer, Scott Hendricks, and McGraw had recently broken an engagement. McGraw and Hill were quickly attracted to each other and Hill broke her engagement so that she and McGraw could begin dating. The pair became engaged on the tour and married on October 6, 1996.

Hill has been honored by the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, the Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards and the People's Choice Awards. Her Soul2Soul II Tour 2006 with husband Tim McGraw became the highest-grossing country tour of all time.

In 2001, she was named one of the "30 Most Powerful Women in America" by Ladies Home Journal. In 2008, Faith Hill released her first Christmas album, titled Joy to the World. In 2009 Billboard named her as the #1 Adult Contemporary artist of the decade 2000-2009.