on , ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁seven . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁before ▁her ▁ 9 th ▁birth day , ▁she ▁attended ▁a ▁concert ▁by ▁El vis ▁Pres ley ▁at ▁the ▁State ▁Fair ▁Col ise um , ▁in ▁Jackson , ▁which ▁im pressed ▁her ▁deeply . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁Hill ▁was ▁a ▁regular ▁perform er ▁at ▁area ▁churches , ▁even ▁those ▁not ▁in ▁her ▁own ▁Bapt ist ▁den om ination . ▁At ▁ 1 7 , ▁Hill ▁formed ▁a ▁band ▁that ▁played ▁in ▁local ▁rode os . ▁She ▁graduated ▁from ▁Mc La ur in ▁Att endance ▁Center ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁and ▁briefly ▁attended ▁college ▁at ▁H inds ▁Junior ▁College ▁( now ▁H inds ▁Community ▁College ) ▁in ▁Raymond , ▁Mississippi . ▁At ▁times , ▁she ▁sang ▁for ▁prisoners ▁at ▁the ▁H inds ▁County ▁J ail , ▁her ▁song ▁of ▁choice ▁being ▁" A maz ing ▁Grace ". ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 9 ▁she ▁quit ▁school ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁Nash ville ▁and ▁purs ue ▁her ▁dream ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁country ▁singer . ▁In ▁her ▁early ▁days ▁in ▁Nash ville , ▁Hill ▁aud ition ed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁backup ▁singer ▁for ▁Reb a ▁Mc Ent ire , ▁but ▁failed ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁job . ▁After ▁a ▁st int ▁s elling ▁T - sh ir ts , ▁Hill ▁became ▁a ▁secretary ▁at ▁a ▁music ▁publishing ▁firm . ▁Hill ▁also ▁land ed ▁a ▁job ▁at ▁a ▁local ▁Mc Donald ' s