Country music fans are excited for an upcoming tour featuring two of the genre’s biggest stars, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The married couple first toured together in 2000 on the Soul2Soul Tour, which became one of the highest grossing tours in country music history. After over a decade of touring separately, McGraw and Hill announced in 2017 that they would once again hit the road together for the Soul2Soul The World Tour.
When does the Soul2Soul The World Tour start?
The Soul2Soul The World Tour kicks off in New Orleans on April 7, 2017. McGraw and Hill will then play over 30 additional dates across North America through July. Some of the major stops on the tour include Denver, Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta, Toronto, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Nashville. The tour currently concludes with two shows in Brooklyn, NY on July 15th and 16th.
How did Tim McGraw and Faith Hill first team up?
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill first met in 1994 at a Country Radio Seminar event, when Hill opened for McGraw on his Spontaneous Combustion Tour. They started dating soon after and got married in October 1996. Their chemistry was undeniable both on and off stage. In 2000, they decided to capitalize on this and announced plans for their first co-headlining tour together, the Soul2Soul Tour.
The Soul2Soul Tour kicked off in April 2000 and played to packed arenas across the U.S. and Canada through the end of the year. It was an unprecedented success in country music, grossing over $50 million. The tour helped solidify McGraw and Hill as country’s leading power couple.
Why are Tim McGraw and Faith Hill touring together again?
After years of touring separately, McGraw and Hill recognized an opportunity to give fans what they’ve been asking for – the chance to see country’s ultimate couple together again live in concert. As McGraw told Billboard, “It’s been awhile since we’ve done a tour together. Fans have asked us when we’re going tour together again, so it’s exciting to announce the Soul2Soul tour. Being on tour with Faith is something I look forward to.”
The chance to tour together also offers McGraw and Hill a welcome change of pace from the grind of individual touring. “It’s less about being ‘on the road’ and more about experiencing this journey together,” explained Hill. She added, “It is going to be so much fun sharing the stage with Tim after all these years. It’s always great when we get to work together.”
What will the Soul2Soul The World Tour setlist include?
Fans can expect to hear the hits and fan favorites from both McGraw and Hill. In a video announcing the tour, the two revealed that the setlist will include over 30 songs combined from their extensive catalogs. Some McGraw standouts expected to be played are “Don’t Take The Girl”, “Live Like You Were Dying”, “Angry All The Time”, and “Humble And Kind”. Hill’s set is sure to feature classics like “Breathe”, “This Kiss”, “Wild One”, and “The Way You Love Me.”
The two will also likely perform several heartfelt duets. Based on recent shows, romantic ballads like “It’s Your Love” and “I Need You” are safe bets for the setlist. There are sure to be plenty of surprises as well over the course of the tour.
How have critics responded to the tour announcement?
The tour has generated an enthusiastic response from music critics. Rolling Stone called it an “overdue reunion of two of country’s biggest stars” and praised the couple’s enduring popularity. Billboard touted it as “one of the biggest tours of 2017” and a “monumental musical pairing.”
Reviewing one of their initial tour dates, the Chicago Tribune raved that the two “remain as compelling as ever… McGraw and Hill remain titans among contemporary country stars when they join forces.” Critics agree that the opportunity to see these two stars together on stage is not to be missed.
How have McGraw and Hill evolved as artists since their last tour?
McGraw and Hill have each released multiple albums and continued evolving as artists since their 2000 tour. McGraw has put out several #1 country albums including Set This Circus Down, Live Like You Were Dying, and Let It Go and been honored with numerous accolades. He has also acted in several films such as Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side.
Hill has cemented her status as one of country’s leading ladies with award-winning albums like Fireflies and Joy to the World as well as headlining tours. She has also expanded her repertoire, releasing a gospel album and a Christmas record. Her soulful vocal talent has remained a constant through the changing tides of country music.
How do Tim McGraw and Faith Hill balance family life with touring?
Balancing the demands of family life and touring is a challenge for any musician. McGraw and Hill are parents to three grown daughters – Gracie, Maggie, and Audrey. Now that their girls are older, the timing made sense for the couple to team up for a major tour.
The couple have developed strategies over the years to make touring work for their family. They coordinate schedules to ensure they are not both on the road simultaneously and divide time between touring and breaks at home. Hill and McGraw also own a home together in Nashville to provide a basecamp. Having their family together on tour when possible also helps McGraw and Hill balance their two passions of music and family.
How have McGraw and Hill influenced each other musically?
As one of music’s top power couples for over two decades, McGraw and Hill have inevitably influenced each other’s musical evolutions. Early in their relationship, Hill collaborated with McGraw’s longtime producer Byron Gallimore and discovered a more rootsy, country sound. Meanwhile, McGraw found even wider popularity after working with Hill’s producer Dann Huff.
The two have also frequently collaborated on duets, blending their distinctive voices. Hill’s husky soulfulness has complemented McGraw’s twangy intensity superbly on joint hits like “It’s Your Love” and “I Need You.” Their mutual artistic growth is sure to be on display throughout their latest tour.
How do Tim McGraw and Faith Hill complement each other on stage?
Part of what makes McGraw and Hill work so well touring together is their skill in complementing each other on stage. Though both are high-energy performers, their styles differ. Hill brings heartfelt emotionality and powerful vocals while McGraw offers rousing guitar skills and rugged charisma.
Their setlists are crafted to allow both to shine equally. The two take turns playing mini-sets of their own hits, then join forces for duets. Hill and McGraw also trade off interacting with and hyping up the crowd between songs. Their contrasting but compatible stage chemistry delivers something for all fans.
How have McGraw’s and Hill’s voices changed over time?
Over their long careers, both McGraw and Hill have experienced some natural evolution in their vocal abilities. Early on, McGraw was known for his twangy, coarse and lively delivery. As he has matured, his voice has taken on a deeper, richer quality and greater versatility.
Likewise, Hill’s big voice has remained impressive but has gained more depth, soulfulness and control. Her power hits seem effortless. While their voices have aged like fine wine, their youthful energy and charisma on stage persists.
Conclusion
After over 15 years apart musically, the first couple of country is back together and poised to take the touring world by storm once again. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s musical chemistry has only improved with time, and their upcoming Soul2Soul tour is set to be an epic once in a lifetime event for country fans. With an anticipated epic setlist of duets, solo hits, and surprises, the Soul2Soul tour looks to be McGraw and Hill’s biggest and most ambitious outing yet. Country music’s ultimate power duo is ready to remind fans why they are so unforgettable together.