Faith’s Country

CBS is going a little bit country Thanksgiving night with “Grand Ole Opry 75th--a Celebration” and “Faith!,” an hourlong music special starring the award-winning country-pop singer, Faith Hill.

Taped at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan during two sold-out shows, the Hill special features songs from all of her albums including her five-time platinum, “Faith,” in 1998; and her four-time platinum, “Breathe,” in 1999. She also performs a duet with husband, best-selling country artist Tim McGraw, with whom she’s been on tour since July in their “Soul 2 Soul Tour 2000.”

It was the 33-year-old Hill’s third album, “Faith,” that produced her first crossover hit, “This Kiss,” while “Breathe” debuted at both No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album chart and the Country Album Chart.

Besides headlining her own special, Hill has appeared on several shows and specials this year including the Grammys, the Academy Awards and “VH1’s Divas 2000.”

Mother of 3-year-old Gracie and 2-year-old Maggie, Hill also is a spokesperson for Cover Girl cosmetics and appears in two Pepsi commercials with Hallie Kate Eisenberg. During a tour break, Hill spoke about her special.

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Question: When did you film “Faith!”?

Answer: It was filmed a couple of weeks ago in Detroit. We had our tour stop there for two days. I wanted the special to be the concert, so basically that’s what it is. It’s mostly my show and some behind-the-scenes little segments.

I wanted for [the producers] to capture my live show as best as we could without doing it live at that moment on Thanksgiving night. Hopefully, it will make the audience feel like they are with me at that moment.

Q: How do you pick a song for an album? What does a song have to say to you?

A: It can say many things, but when I am listening for songs, for me it has to get me in some way. I listen to hundreds and hundreds of songs for an album. It’s a tedious process, but the great ones really stand out.

Q: Do you find the creative process of selecting songs and recording or performing in concert more exciting?

A: It’s more exciting to perform in a front of an audience because you get an immediate response and reaction, but the most creative process, I believe, is in the studio. When I start to put my live show together I have to go to another creative place and try and do something that is a little bit different than what the studio was.

Q: Are you planning to record another album soon?

A: I never really stop listening for songs--I am going to start working on another album next year.

Q: Do you also write songs for your albums?

A: I used to when my career first started but because of my family, with children and the pace of my career right now, there is no time.

Q: Are you and your husband still on tour as we speak?

A: We are on a five-week hiatus that actually ends in a couple of weeks. We pick up the third leg of our tour--we’ll start Nov. 24th and it ends Dec. 12th.

Q: It must make it easier for both of you and your children to tour together.

A: I have always toured with the children and Tim would tour separately. We kept the air miles very high because of flying in from place to place to be together. It certainly makes it a lot easier for all of us to be in the same place.

Q: How do you juggle your career, marriage, touring, recording and motherhood?

A: It’s hard, but this is a choice we have made. [The children] come first and it works. I don’t know really if there is any kind of secret. There really isn’t. There are priorities you make and you make it work.

Q: So many singers have crossed over into acting. Are you planning to doing a feature or TV movie?

A: You know, I never have had the time to do that so hopefully I will have a little time next year. I have been reading scripts and if the right script comes along and the right director, then I’d like to give it a shot. It would have to be something I really felt I could sink my teeth into to.

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“Faith!” airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on CBS. The network has rated it TV-G (suitable for all ages).

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