Country Music’s 8 Most Shocking Splits
Published on November 20, 2015.Heartache and heartbreak are very common themes in country music and as with other artists it seems country stars pull from real life to create their biggest hits. Unlike a lot of celebrities country stars credit themselves with being more down-to-earth and less involved in the scandals and drama of Hollywood; however, that hasn’t stopped there from being shocking and dramatic splits between some of country’s biggest couples. Long marriages abruptly coming to an end, engagements called off and seemingly happy couples going their separate ways have caught fans really off guard over the years. Check out country music’s 8 most shocking splits!
8. LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet
LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet fell in love fairly young when he was a backup dancer for the singer when she hosted the 2001 Academy of Country Music Awards. They were only 19 and 21 when they decided to get married the next year in 2002, and even though some questioned the marriage because they were young, they quickly became a fan favorite couple because of how much they seemed to love each other. After seven years of gushing about each other and their marriage, the pair shockingly separated in July 2009 and announced their divorce in September 2009. The news came after a lot of media coverage suggesting Rimes was having an affair with Eddie Cibrian, who was also married at the time; however, their statement said: “This decision was amicable, and we remain committed and caring friends with great admiration for one another.” Of course fans were in for even more of a shock when it turned out the rumors were true and Rimes shamelessly flaunted her relationship with Cibrian around.
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com7. Trace and Rhonda Adkins
Trace and Rhonda Adkins were another long-running country couple who seemed to be in it for the long haul after first meeting in the mid-90s when Rhonda was working in publicity at Arista Records. The pair were married in 1997 and seemed to be happily in love for 17 years, welcoming three daughters along the way. Adkins had a rough past and fans were ecstatic to see him doing well, that is until he checked into rehab in early 2014 for alcoholism and only a few months alter Rhonda filed for divorce. By the summer of 2015, optimistic rumors began swirling that the two never went through with the divorce, but unfortunately trace’s attorney disputed the rumors saying the pair were just waiting for their case to be signed off by a judge.
Photo by Picture Perfect / Rex Features6. Garth Brooks and Sandy Mahl
Garth Brooks is one of the most well known country music stars, but before he hit it big, he fell in love with Sandy Mahl after they met when he was a bouncer at a bar that Mahl got into some trouble at. The college sweethearts were married in 1986 and had three children together, enjoying Brooks’ rise to fame as a family. After 14 seemingly happy years, the pair separated in 1999 and announced their divorce in October 2000, with Brooks stating, “Sandy and I both agree that we need to get divorced.” Brooks had taken a “retirement” from the road in order to try to save his marriage, but unfortunately, it didn’t work. Sadly, their separation shocked fans even more when Brooks and fellow country singer Trisha Yearwood went public with their relationship in 2000, shortly after he and Mahl announced their divorce, prompting rumors of an affair that Brooks and Yearwood have always denied.
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com5. Shania Twain and Mutt Lange
For a long time, Shania Twain was one of the hottest, most popular and most succesful artists in country music. Everyone either wanted her or wanted to be her, making it incredibly shocking when Twain discovered in 2008 that, after 16 years of marriage, her husband Robert “Mutt” Lange was cheating on her with one of her close friends, Marie-Anne Thiebaud. Prior to the revelation, Twain and Lunge seemed to be happy after first meeting in 1993 when he offered to produce and write songs with her, and they fell for each other quickly, marrying in December of that year. While many loved their love story, it was not surprising everyone was not only shocked by and saddened by the cheating scandal, causing the end of the marriage. Of course it got much more interesting when Twain ended up marrying her close friend’s scorned ex-husband Frederic Thiebaud.
Photo by Stephen d’Antal / Rex Features4. Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer
Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer were well on their way to being one of the most beloved couples in country music before sadly calling it quits. The two talented and attractive singers had everyone cheering for them when it was revealed they were a couple in September 2012, three months after they had met at the CMT Music Awards in June. Things got even better when it was announced they had gotten engaged on Gilbert’s 28th birthday on Jan. 20, 2013. Just as everyone was getting excited for another big country wedding, the two shockingly broke up, ending the engagement seven months later. The two cited nothing but love for each other, but their busy work schedules got in the way of their relationship. They continued to surprise fans, however, by not only finding new loves quickly, but each marrying other people only months apart.
Source: The Boot3. Jason Aldean and Jessica Ussery
Jason Aldean and his wife Jessica Ussery were high school sweethearts who married in 2001, four years before Aldean signed to his record company and launched his extremely successful career. After so many years together and riding the waves of success, Aldean always portrayed a happy husband and father, causing fans to turn on him after photos surfaced of him kissing American Idol contestant Brittany Kerr in a bar. Aldean continued to shock by admitting to the transgressions and releasing a heartfelt apology; however, seven months after in April 2013, it was announced Aldean and Jessica had separated. Unfortunately, Aldean’s reputation took a bigger hit when it was discovered he was still with Kerr, taking their relationship public at the 2014 CMT Awards and marrying the following year.
Photo by Broadimage / Rex Features2. Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock
Reba McEntire has always been one of country music’s most well known women thanks to her amazing singing abilities and naturally hilarious personality, but she really surprised fans when she and her husband, Narvel Blackstock, announced their divorce on August 3, 2015. The two began working together in 1980 while McEntire was still married to Charlie Battles. Following her divorce, however, McEntire found love with her former guitar player turned manager, Blackstock. The two were married in 1989 and welcomed their son in 1990. There was no hints of trouble in the marriage for 26 years; however, when they announced their divorce, they revealed they had been separated for months. Due to their private nature, there was no explanation as to what went wrong and the two vowed to continue to “support each other” and work together.
Photo by REX1. Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
The divorce announcement between country music’s king and queen, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, was huge in the entertainment industry. The pair announced their divorce on July 20, 2015, revealing they were not only divorcing, but it had already been finalized, meaning the split had been in the works quietly for awhile. The two met in 2005 while Shelton was married to his high school sweetheart Kaynette Gern, but after their divorce, Shelton and Lambert went public with their relationship, dating for four years before Shelton proposed in 2010. The two were married for four years before they blindsided fans with their divorce announcement. What really took everyone by surprise was the fact they two had battled endless rumors of break-ups and infidelity through their relationship, but always stood by each other, and were seemingly in a good place when they confirmed they had actually broken up.
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)