Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

 
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw—country music's hottest couple—are steaming up Oprah's stage for the first time! The last time Faith was on the show, she told such sweet stories about her superstar husband that Oprah just had to meet him.

Tim is the reigning "king of country" with 20 number one hits, 30 million albums sold and two Grammy awards. Faith has also sold 30 million records and won four Grammys. As a couple, they've soared to the top of the country charts with romantic duets such as "Let's Make Love" and "It's Your Love." Their ballads are inspired by their real-life love story, which reads like a fairy tale.
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

 
Before Tim and Faith met, they both received some grandmotherly advice that really came in handy. Tim says his grandmother saw Faith do a television interview about 14 years ago and told him she was the girl he needed to marry.

Faith's granny thought the same about Tim! She liked the way Tim looked, Faith says, and told Faith that he was the guy for her. Years later, Tim and Faith met for the first time at a Nashville radio station. But things didn't heat up until Faith joined Tim's tour as the opening act in 1996.

Sparks flew, and within a year, they were married. Even after nine years of marriage, they're still making beautiful music together!

Around Nashville, Oprah says Faith and Tim are known as "the real deal." What's their secret to staying centered?

"Well, we have three kids," Tim says. "And we want them to know what's real, you know? It's so easy to be in this world that we're in and kind of lose sight of your compass. We don't want that to happen to our children."

Faith says their families and strong upbringings also keep them grounded. "I think [it's] the way that we were both raised," she says. "It really is all about God, it's about family and it's about hard work."

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

 
Nine years of marriage have taught Faith and Tim one thing—patience.

Faith says it took a few years to figure out how stubborn they both could be. "He's very head strong, and I'm really head strong," she says. "As a woman in any business, I've learned to be that way. So I had to learn to stop talking and listen. It's kind of like with the kids—sometimes you have to know when to pick your fights."

Even superstar couples argue occasionally about household chores. Tim admits he has a few things to learn about cleaning. "I grew up with my mom and my two sisters," he says. "I was the only boy in the house and still am...I never did a lot of cleaning growing up."

Faith says Tim's messy habits have gotten better over the years. He has even promised to start soaking his dirty pots and pans after making late-night snacks!

Tim makes up for his lack of cleaning by being "America's hottest husband," according to the June 2005 issue of Redbook magazine. Faith—and plenty of Tim's female fans—agree!

Faith says she loves the fact that ladies admire her handsome husband, but sometimes things can get a little out of hand. Most of the fans are respectful, she says, but occasionally there's a "flasher" or two!

Tim McGraw

 
Working in the music industry, Tim says he spent a lot of time on his own, focused on his career. Now that he's a dad, sharing his life with Faith and their daughters, Gracie, Maggie and Audrey, he says he looks at life in a whole new light.

"You go through all those motions of being successful," Tim says. "Then you meet somebody to fall in love [with] and then you have children. The way you relate to everything—the way that your country's going, the way that your world's going, how your kids are being educated, what your kids are thinking, what influences they have on them, what you think about your God—all that stuff changes."

Like most parents, Tim says he can't help but have some concerns for his children's future. But he says his girls have the best role model in the world—their mother. "No matter which direction the world's going, I know they're going to get their focus at home," Tim says. "And that's the best focus they can have."

Faith Hill

 
It's been six years since Faith and Tim toured together, but they hit the road in April 2006 for their Soul2Soul II tour.

Faith says she took time off from touring so she could spend more time with Gracie, Maggie and Audrey. Now that the girls are old enough, they can join Mom and Dad on the road. Faith even designed a kid-friendly bus for the whole family.

Tim says his oldest daughters can get in on the action...after their homework is done, of course. "Gracie and Maggie love to work in the office," he says. "We put them to work stamping passes."

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

 
Tim and Faith took us on a special tour of their down-home Tennessee farm, just outside of Nashville. Built in the early 1800s, this $20 million country getaway was once owned by country music legend Hank Williams. Today, this picture-perfect farm, with 800 acres of rolling hills and a pond, is one of the prettiest places in the county.

When they're not hanging out at the farm, Tim and Faith love to spend time at one of their favorite places—Davis General Merchandise. The couple says this general store, which opened back in 1928, is a great spot to grab some grub. What does country music's hottest couple eat for lunch? Bologna sandwiches with mayonnaise and mustard—no cheese, no lettuce—washed down with Coca-Cola from a glass bottle. Country life couldn't be any sweeter!

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

 
The last time Faith was on the show, she told Oprah that Tim can cook up a mean country meal. In fact, Faith revealed that her husband's cooking played a big part during their courtship. When they were dating, Faith says Tim wooed her with his irresistible chicken and dumplings. "He calls me and goes, 'I just made chicken and dumplings, and I need to know if you eat them with a spoon or a fork,'" Faith says. "So I'm thinking, 'This is crazy!' because no one makes dumplings but my mom—and [Tim's] taste just like [the dumplings] we grew up eating!"

All the fellas out there better listen up, because Tim's sharing his secret recipe for chicken and dumplings! They go perfectly with Faith's country cornbread!

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw perform

 
Tim and Faith take the stage singing their hit "Like We Never Loved at All" and a new duet, "I Need You."