Faith Hill Steps Out at CMA Fest, Marking First Major Country Music Appearance in Two Years

Scoring a pair of chart-topping hits right out of the gate with 1994’s “Wild One” and “Piece of My Heart,” Faith Hill quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in country music. The “Mississippi Girl” transcended genre lines, finding mainstream and crossover success with hits like “This Kiss” and “Breathe.” After releasing seven studio albums, the five-time Grammy Award winner seemed to retreat from the spotlight. Before 2017’s The Rest of Our Life, a collaboration with husband Tim McGraw, Hill hadn’t released new material since 2008’s Christmas album, Joy to the World. Recently, fans got a rare public glimpse of the “Cry” singer when she attended CMA Fest 2025 with daughter Audrey and country singer Rita Wilson.

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Faith Hill Rubs Elbows With Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, and More at CMA Fest

The last country music event Faith Hill attended came nearly two years ago at the 2023 ACM Awards. But on Friday (June 6) she stepped out at Nashville’s CMA Fest. Hill joined good friend and country singer Rita Wilson (married to Tom Hanks) along with Audrey McGraw, 23, her youngest daughter with Tim.

Photos show the three-time CMA Award winner embracing Kelsea Ballerini and chatting with Shaboozey and Jelly Roll. This marked Hill’s first major public appearance since last November’s premiere of  Babe and the Beatles ’64 in New York City, according to Parade.

Last August, the ’90s country legend, 57, caused a stir when she unceremoniously disappeared from social media. Fans noted that Hill had deactivated her accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter.

Many longtime fans hoped her social media blackout heralded new music, but we’ll just have to see.

[RELATED: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Daughters Join Country Star for Heartfelt Tribute Performance of “Last Dollar (Fly Away)” at Music City Rodeo]

Audrey McGraw is Releasing New Music

While Faith Hill may not have released solo material in nearly two decades, her youngest daughter, Audrey McGraw, is currently making her own name in the music industry. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter is joining Brandi Carlile on The Lost Time Tour this summer.

Last month, Audrey McGraw shared that she had wrapped up recording her debut album in April. More recently, she shared a snippet of “Descent into Love,” an unreleased song with Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas.

Be sure to tune in to #CMAfest presented by @SoFi on Thursday, June 26 at 8/7c on ABC to relive your favorite performances!

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Featured image by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA