Faith Hill was just a young newcomer with big dreams when she made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. The country superstar gave her first-ever performance on the hallowed stage on Dec. 18, 1993.
What Were Faith Hill’s Early Days in Nashville Like?
Hill took a pretty circuitous route to stardom.
The aspiring singer left her hometown of Star, Miss., at 19 and moved to Nashville, where she landed a job working for country singer Gary Morris as a receptionist at the office of his publishing company.
She also sold T-shirts for Reba McEntire during her early years in Nashville, but it would be six years before Hill got her chance at a recording contract of her own.
READ MORE: Did Faith Hill Quietly Retire? Here’s Why I Say Yes
What Was Faith Hill’s Debut Single?
Hill released her debut single, “Wild One,” in September of 1993, and by December, the single was doing well enough to land her a debut slot on the Opry.
When Did Faith Hill Make Her Grand Ole Opry Debut?
She made her big debut on Dec. 18, just a few weeks before “Wild One” would ascend to the top of Billboard‘s Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart.
The song spent the first four weeks of 1994 in that position, and Hill’s next single, a cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” also reached No. 1.
The fourth single and title song from Hill’s debut album, “Take Me as I Am,” reached No. 2, and the album went on to sell three million copies, establishing Hill as one of the hottest artists in country music.
Interestingly, despite the fact that Hill has gone on to a massive career that has seen her become one of the most iconic women in country music, she has never become a full-fledged member of the Grand Ole Opry.
31 Country Stars You Won’t Believe Aren’t Grand Ole Opry Members
That answer is often difficult to determine, but this list of stars you won’t believe aren’t members suggests reasons where appropriate.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
6 Stars Banned by the Grand Ole Opry (and Why They Got the Boot)
Just because the Grand Ole Opry invites you to perform on their stage once doesn’t mean it’s necessarily an open invitation. These six performers were all asked to leave at one point or another — and some never got invited back!
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
