Skyrocketing to fame at the tender age of thirteen, LeAnn Rimes is one of the few teen stars who’s managed to maintain and grow her success as a country singer and musician. Ever since her teens, she’s been active on the country circuit. In 2001, she met her first husband, back-up dancer Dean Sheremet, at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The pair tied the knot soon after and were married for 7 years before divorce proceedings finalized the end of their marriage in 2010.
The marriage, however, did not breakdown due to the couple not working out – Rimes actually had an affair! And the man she cheated with? Eddie Cibrian. Now we’re not naming and shaming and all that – but we do feel pretty sorry for Sheremet! Allegedly Rimes and Cibrian fell for one another whilst filming together, and were quickly married on April 2011, in California.
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood
Okay, we’re going to need to roll out the red carpet for this next artist. Troyal Garth Brooks is basically, well, royalty in the country music business, and is in fact the second-highest-certified music artist in the U.S., with 148 million album certifications. He’s beaten by… The Beatles. Yeah. He’s a pretty huge deal. Regarding his private life, well that’s slightly more complex.
In 1986 he wed his college sweetheart, Sandy Mahl. The pair had three daughters, but after fourteen years, they decided to call it quits, splitting up in 2000. Fast forward a few years and Brooks began dating fellow country music songstress, Trisha Yearwood. They married in December 2005 and are still going strong!
Gary LeVox and Tara LeVox
Best known as the lead singer of country music group Rascal Flatts, next up on our list is Gary LeVox. The American singer-songwriter, born Gary Wayne Vernon, Jr., changed his name early on – did you know the stage name was taken from the studio-console label for his lead-vocal track? He first performed at the age of eight, stepping on the stage in a play at his church. In 1997, LeVox moved to Nashville Tennessee, playing in Chely Wright’s band.
One day, when the usual guitarist was not in session, Joe Don Rooney stepped in, and from that moment on, the three felt great chemistry – thus, Rascal Flatts was born. Two years after making the move from Columbus, Ohio, LeVox saw Tara backstage at a gospel festival concert. Clearly, it was love at first sight – something just clicked: “I knew at that moment that I was looking at my future wife. It was the weirdest thing ever.”
Jennifer Nettles and Justin Miller
If you’re unfamiliar with Jennifer Nettles – she’s half of the popular country music duo, Sugarland. Also a successful solo artist, she met her current husband, Justin Miller, while filming Sugarland’s video for “Want To.” In the music clip, the pair film a love scene – clearly there was chemistry from early on. But in fact, they waited a couple of years before they started dating – also, there was the small reason that Nettles was married at the time.
In 2007, Nettles divorced her husband of nearly 10 years, Todd Van Sickle, before moving on with Miller. The two dated for a couple of years before getting married in November 2011. By June of the following year, the newlywed couple announced that they were expecting their first son – and Magnus Hamilton Miller was born in December 2012!
Martina McBride and John McBride
Recording since the early 90s, next up is the successful country babe, Martina McBride. Experimenting with a crossover style into pop, many have likened her transition to that of Shania Twain. This decision to be a little more poppy with her songs aided her in gaining fame nationwide. In the late 90s, McBride met her sound engineer husband, who told online media outlet The Boot “I’m not a religious guy, but I always felt God put us together.” Cute!
Meeting in 1998, the two have been together ever since, and these happily married lovebirds have three daughters together: Delaney Katharine, Emma Justine, and Ava Rose Kathleen. What we love most about their love story is their commitment to one another, and wanting to be the best parents they can be to their girls!