“Well, it’s a long way from Star, Mississippi,” for some. However, the small town is home to some notable people, and the town’s history is rich with stories of resilience and community. Star continues to be a place of significance in Mississippi’s cultural landscape.
Star, Mississippi, was established as a train stop in July 1900 when the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, which later became Illinois Central and is now the Canadian National Railroad, went through the area. In its early days, the town had a bank, hotel, car dealership, various stores, and a school. However, as people began moving to cities, the town lost some of its prosperity.
The school in Star was supposed to open for the 1921–22 school year but didn’t open until after Christmas. Before that, elementary students attended Wesleyanna Methodist Church, while high school students attended Star Baptist Church. Star, a town with a strong sense of community, had several sports teams, including basketball, baseball, and football. The football team played from 1937 to 1941 but did not play in 1942 due to World War II. Despite this, the team had some success, notably beating Mendenhall, Magee, and rival Florence four out of five times. The 1937 football team defeated Camden in the Middle Mississippi Class B Championship.
Star is mentioned in Faith Hill’s song “Mississippi Girl” as she grew up in the town. It is a small place people often overlook while driving on Highway 49, marked by a little green sign in Rankin County. Although small, Star is home to a few notable individuals. One is Niels Diffrient, an industrial designer born there in 1928, known for creating ergonomic office chairs, including the Freedom and Liberty chairs for Humanscale. Another notable person from Star is Silas Edward “Si” Corley, who served as Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce from 1940 to 1968, promoting Mississippi to its residents.
Faith Hill is the person who truly brought attention to Star, Mississippi. In September 1967, Edna and Ted Perry adopted a baby girl named Audrey Faith Perry, born in Ridgeland. The family lived in Star, where Faith was raised alongside the couple’s two biological sons. Her talent for singing was noticed early, and she began singing at Star Baptist Church. This small town played a significant role in shaping Faith’s early years and influencing her musical journey. She made her first public appearance at a 4-H luncheon when she was seven. 1976, she attended an Elvis Presley concert that inspired her even more.
As a teenager, Faith joined the Steele Family Gospel Quartet, which performed at local churches. At age 17, she formed her own band that played at rodeos. After graduating from McLaurin Attendance Center in 1986, she attended Hinds Junior College, where she occasionally sang for prisoners. Determined to pursue a music career, Faith dropped out of college at 19 and moved to Nashville. She auditioned as a backup singer for Reba McEntire but was not selected. The singer who got the position tragically died in a plane crash in 1991, but Faith’s determination only grew stronger.
Faith worked various jobs in Nashville, including selling t-shirts and working at a McDonald’s, before becoming a secretary at a music publishing company. There, she caught the attention of a co-worker while singing and was encouraged to become a demo singer. Her big break came when Martha Sharp from Warner Brothers Records heard her sing and signed her to a record deal. Faith’s first album, “Take Me as I Am,” was released in 1993, followed by “It Matters to Me” in 1995, achieving commercial success and solidifying her status as a leading figure in country music.
Faith Hill was honored with a star on Nashville’s Walk of Fame in 2016 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019.
As a proud Mississippian, Faith Hill has succeeded in her music career and contributed significantly to various causes, including literacy projects and disaster relief efforts. After Hurricane Katrina, she and Tim McGraw provided aid and held charity concerts. They later established the Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation to support community charities during disasters. Her commitment to her home state and its people is a testament to her character and her values.
In Star, a Mississippi Country Music Trail marker at Main and Mangum Streets commemorates Faith Hill as a successful singer and advocate for Mississippi’s culture and people on a national level.
