Country Strong: Nashville's Longest-Married Couples

Mar. 15, 2025

01of 16Hillary Scott & Chris Tyrrell: 10 YearsRick Diamond/Getty"Everything is brighter. Everything has a deeper meaning," Lady A’sHillary Scott told PEOPLEof meeting Chris Tyrrell, now a drummer for her band. “I’ve found a guy who truly embraces me for who I am and appreciates the things that I don’t necessarily love about myself.”

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Hillary Scott & Chris Tyrrell: 10 Years

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“Everything is brighter. Everything has a deeper meaning,” Lady A’sHillary Scott told PEOPLEof meeting Chris Tyrrell, now a drummer for her band. “I’ve found a guy who truly embraces me for who I am and appreciates the things that I don’t necessarily love about myself.”

02of 16Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher: 12 YearsKevin Mazur/WireImageThough their schedules are crazy —Carrie Underwoodjets around the world for concerts and awards shows while until recently, Mike Fisher played for the Nashville Predators hockey team — the parents of two make their marriage their No. 1 priority. “I feel like Mike and I treat it like a partnership, which is a really good thing for both of us,” she told PEOPLE. “I’m not the maid and I’m not the cook, you know what I mean? I do those things when I do them because I like to and I want to. You just figure out your roles and the things that each of you do better, and you give and take.”

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Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher: 12 Years

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Though their schedules are crazy —Carrie Underwoodjets around the world for concerts and awards shows while until recently, Mike Fisher played for the Nashville Predators hockey team — the parents of two make their marriage their No. 1 priority. “I feel like Mike and I treat it like a partnership, which is a really good thing for both of us,” she told PEOPLE. “I’m not the maid and I’m not the cook, you know what I mean? I do those things when I do them because I like to and I want to. You just figure out your roles and the things that each of you do better, and you give and take.”

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Charles Kelley & Cassie McConnell: 13 Years

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Eric Church & Katherine Blasingame: 14 Years

05of 16Luke Bryan & Caroline Boyer: 15 YearsKevin Mazur/Fox/WireImage"We talk a lot, and as long as we stay on the same page and change together, I don’t have trouble sleeping," Caroline Boyertold PEOPLE. Plus, “we’re aware of the importance of being affectionate,“Luke Bryanadded. “We want [our kids] to know Mom and Dad are happy, and that’s what a marriage should be.”

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Luke Bryan & Caroline Boyer: 15 Years

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“We talk a lot, and as long as we stay on the same page and change together, I don’t have trouble sleeping,” Caroline Boyertold PEOPLE. Plus, “we’re aware of the importance of being affectionate,“Luke Bryanadded. “We want [our kids] to know Mom and Dad are happy, and that’s what a marriage should be.”

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Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman: 16 Years

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07of 16Jimi Westbrook & Karen Fairchild: 16 YearsFrazer Harrison/ACMA2013/Getty"I think there was always something underlying there that we were trying to ignore,“Jimi Westbrook told Great American Countryof falling forLittle Big Townbandmate, Karen Fairchild. “Then when the opportunity came, when all of us ended up single at the same time, those feelings, you were able to come out with them finally. It was like, ‘We’re single. Let’s get together.’ She has a beautiful heart and she’s absolutely gorgeous and I just love her dearly.”

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Jimi Westbrook & Karen Fairchild: 16 Years

Frazer Harrison/ACMA2013/Getty

“I think there was always something underlying there that we were trying to ignore,“Jimi Westbrook told Great American Countryof falling forLittle Big Townbandmate, Karen Fairchild. “Then when the opportunity came, when all of us ended up single at the same time, those feelings, you were able to come out with them finally. It was like, ‘We’re single. Let’s get together.’ She has a beautiful heart and she’s absolutely gorgeous and I just love her dearly.”

08of 16Dierks Bentley & Cassidy Black: 16 YearsKevin Winter/ACMA2014/Getty"My wife, I always felt, has been very wise and has dragged me along, getting me to this spot of manhood,” Dierks Bentley told Esquire in 2014. Though it was welcoming three children together that definitely woke the pair up to adulthood: “I thought I was a man until I had kids, and then I realized that my real life had just begun. It tears away the person you were before, builds you up to become the person you have to become.”

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Dierks Bentley & Cassidy Black: 16 Years

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“My wife, I always felt, has been very wise and has dragged me along, getting me to this spot of manhood,” Dierks Bentley told Esquire in 2014. Though it was welcoming three children together that definitely woke the pair up to adulthood: “I thought I was a man until I had kids, and then I realized that my real life had just begun. It tears away the person you were before, builds you up to become the person you have to become.”

09of 16Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood: 16 YearsKevin Parry/Buck Owens Crystal Palace/LandovThoughGarth Brooksproposed to Yearwoodbefore 7,000 fans, the stars live a relatively private life in small-town Oklahoma near his three daughters from his first marriage. Of their 2005 wedding, “we married the girls,” explained Yearwood, which is why the five of them celebrate the wedding anniversaryas a familyevery year.

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Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood: 16 Years

Kevin Parry/Buck Owens Crystal Palace/Landov

ThoughGarth Brooksproposed to Yearwoodbefore 7,000 fans, the stars live a relatively private life in small-town Oklahoma near his three daughters from his first marriage. Of their 2005 wedding, “we married the girls,” explained Yearwood, which is why the five of them celebrate the wedding anniversaryas a familyevery year.

10of 16Brad Paisley & Kimberly Williams: 19 YearsAlex Berliner/BEImagesHumor has keptBrad Paisleyand Kimberly Williams' marriage on solid ground from the very beginning of their surprise 2003 wedding (guests thought theywere attending the rehearsal). “Making each other laugh creates a bond,“said Paisley, who has sons Huck and Jasper with Williams.

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Brad Paisley & Kimberly Williams: 19 Years

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Humor has keptBrad Paisleyand Kimberly Williams' marriage on solid ground from the very beginning of their surprise 2003 wedding (guests thought theywere attending the rehearsal). “Making each other laugh creates a bond,“said Paisley, who has sons Huck and Jasper with Williams.

11of 16Vince Gill & Amy Grant: 22 YearsCourtesy Jim McGuireWhen they met,Vince GillandAmy Grantwere married to other people. Six years and two divorces later, they swapped vows and created a blended family (they’ve got five kids between them)in 2000. Their compatibility “is really pretty amazing,“said Gill, “just the way we balance each other.”

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Vince Gill & Amy Grant: 22 Years

Courtesy Jim McGuire

When they met,Vince GillandAmy Grantwere married to other people. Six years and two divorces later, they swapped vows and created a blended family (they’ve got five kids between them)in 2000. Their compatibility “is really pretty amazing,“said Gill, “just the way we balance each other.”

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Keifer & Shawna Thompson: 23 Years

13of 16Tim McGraw & Faith Hill: 26 YearsEvan Agostini/APSince saying “I do” in 1996,Tim McGrawandFaith Hillhave not been apart for more than three consecutive days. Hill, who has three daughters with McGraw, toldRedbook, “Our marriage is the most important thing to us. We respect what we have and understand how we need to feed it.”

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Tim McGraw & Faith Hill: 26 Years

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Since saying “I do” in 1996,Tim McGrawandFaith Hillhave not been apart for more than three consecutive days. Hill, who has three daughters with McGraw, toldRedbook, “Our marriage is the most important thing to us. We respect what we have and understand how we need to feed it.”

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Clint & Lisa Black: 31 Years

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15of 16John & Martina McBride: 34 YearsRon Wolfson/WireImageRemembering her 1988 wedding,Martina McBrideconfessed, “I had bows all over my dress. I still don’t know what I was thinking.” Her fashion sense has changed, but not her feelings for her spouse. “He is thoughtful, kind, considerate, romantic, handsome and really funny,“she bloggedforToday.

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John & Martina McBride: 34 Years

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Remembering her 1988 wedding,Martina McBrideconfessed, “I had bows all over my dress. I still don’t know what I was thinking.” Her fashion sense has changed, but not her feelings for her spouse. “He is thoughtful, kind, considerate, romantic, handsome and really funny,“she bloggedforToday.

16of 16Dolly Parton & Carl Dean: 56 YearsDolly Parton and Carl Dean.Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean is rarely seen, but perhaps that is the secret to the couple’s long marriage.“When I met my husband, he wanted to take me out to dinner. He pulled up to the drive-in window and got our food at McDonald’s,” shetold PEOPLE in 2018. “We know a few little places we can go without being bothered. He only likes to go places where he can be comfortable!“And he’s comfortable supporting his superstar wife, too. “Find you a partner who will support you like my Carl Dean does!“Parton captioneda throwback shot of the couple on Instagram in November 2021.

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Dolly Parton & Carl Dean: 56 Years

Dolly Parton and Carl Dean.

Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean is rarely seen, but perhaps that is the secret to the couple’s long marriage.

“When I met my husband, he wanted to take me out to dinner. He pulled up to the drive-in window and got our food at McDonald’s,” shetold PEOPLE in 2018. “We know a few little places we can go without being bothered. He only likes to go places where he can be comfortable!”

And he’s comfortable supporting his superstar wife, too. “Find you a partner who will support you like my Carl Dean does!“Parton captioneda throwback shot of the couple on Instagram in November 2021.

source: people.com