Country’s Greatest Love Stories

#1 Joey & Rory Feek

Joey and Rory Feek of Joey + Rory are one of country music's most inspirational couples. Their deep Christian faith and award-winning talent are a huge part of their draw, but, most of all, it's their love that fills up fans' hearts. Theirs is a love that truly is "'til death do us part" and stays steady, even through toughest battles. Rory Lee Feek, a native of Kansas, moved to Nashville as a single dad with his two daughters in 1995. He served in the Marines for eight years and even played in a country band while serving in Japan. Meanwhile, Joey Martin grew up in Indiana. As a young girl, she traveled around with her parents, performing at different venues and functions.

Music was in their blood, but their paths hadn't yet crossed. Martin first saw Feek during a songwriters night, and although she was captivated by his music, they didn't meet until two years later. But the bond they shared was immediate, and the couple married on June 15, 2002, just months after they met. Their careers continued, separately: Rory Feek wrote hits for Blake Shelton, Easton Corbin and others, and Joey Feek signed with Sony around 2001. By 2007, Joey Feek had opened a restaurant with her husband's sister, and Rory Feek had founded Giantslayer Records. Rory Feek's friend John Bohlinger came to the restaurant one day, heard Joey Feek singing and, a couple months later, suggested that the couple audition for CMT's Can You Duet. They took third place and released their first album as a duo in 2008. As a duo, Joey + Rory quickly developed a fan base and burst onto the national country scene. They released several albums, but on their third record, His and Hers, one particular song affected Joey Feek to the core. The tune, "When I'm Gone," is a wife telling her husband that he'll be okay when she's gone. Little did the Feeks know that the song would become the soundtrack of their own lives down the road.

Throughout their relationship, Joey and Rory Feek have been through a mix of joys baby Indiana was born in 2014, bringing light and joy into their lives in the only way a child can and sorrows: Also in 2014, Joey Feek began receiving treatment for cervical cancer. Country fans know that story well: Joey Feek's cancer returned in 2015, and after treatment and prayers, and hope and devastation, Rory Feek announced that his wife's cancer was terminal. The couple's faith is unshakable, even in the midst of unimaginable grief. Their hope and joy is palpable, even while experiencing utter disappointment. And their love for one another is too deep to comprehend. Joey and Rory Feek's love story is one of great heartbreak and great love one for the books. Country fans will remember Joey + Rory as a couple whose love surpasses fairytales and stands 'til the end of time.

#2 Dolly Parton & Carl Dean

Dolly Parton is larger than life. She's a superstar through and through, with a radiant personality, flashy style and penchant for always looking camera ready and her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, is the exact opposite. In fact, Dean "doesn't like to be seen," Parton told Ellen DeGeneres in 2011. Knowing that, Dean and Parton sound like an absolute mismatch, but their love story is as unique as the singer herself. On May 30, 1966, Parton and Dean walked down the aisle in Ringgold, Ga., just two years after they met at the Wishy Washy Laundromat. Parton had moved to Nashville that day and was doing her laundry when Dean drove by in his white Chevy pickup truck and then drove by again for a second look.

The couple was young when they married: She was 20, and he was 23. And nearly half a century later, they are still together. Though she's a self-proclaimed flirt, Parton attests to her deep commitment to marriage. Parton has talked openly about her love for travel and excitement, while Dean prefers staying out of the limelight and settling in at home. Parton and Dean are both very independent people, and they're also, quite simply, best friends, which Parton believes "is the key to most all relationships that last a long time. You've gotta be great friends." Dean has only seen his wife in concert a time or two, and after attending an event with her early on in their marriage, he decided he never wanted to repeat that experience.

Parton and Dean are certainly opposites in many ways, but their nearly 50 years together prove that something's working. It's unconventional, but then again, so is Parton. The couple plans to renew their vows for their 50th wedding anniversary next year. The event will most likely take place on their beloved plantation.

#3 Waylon Jennings & Jessie Cloter

There's nothing like the love of a good woman to help an outlaw tame his demons. With wife Jessi Colter at his side, Waylon Jennings was able to overcome his addictions and lead a loving, fulfilled life until his death on Feb. 13, 2002.

Kris Kristofferson once described their marriage as a "beautiful love affair."

A Phoenix, Ariz., native, Colter was first married to rockabilly guitar legend Duane Eddy. After she and Eddy divorced, she met Jennings, and they married on Oct. 26, 1969, in the Phoenix church where her mother served as the minister. The iconic couple became key figures in country music's outlaw movement. In 1976, 'Wanted! The Outlaws,' featuring Jennings, Colter, Willie Nelson and Tompall Glaser, became the first Nashville album to sell a million copies, but the couple's greatest collaboration was their son, Shooter, born May 19, 1979. Jennings had several failed marriages before Colter, and once he found his soulmate, he stood by her through thick and thin -- and she by him.

Rock diva Stevie Nicks wrote her her song "Leather And Lace" for the couple to record after she fell in love with them both at a television awards show. However, Colter died just days before the recording session, and Nicks ended up releasing it on her own. Everyone in the music business said their love was truly inspirational.

#4 Alan & Denise Jackson

Alan Jackson and his wife Denise have come a long way from their high school courtship in Newnan, Ga. Three daughters, one astounding country career, a battle with cancer and numerous ups and downs have been part of their love story since their marriage in 1979.

Their passionate love is an inspiration to many, especially since the couple went through a difficult time, separating in 1997 after the singer's infidelity. After intense therapy sessions, the Jacksons are now stronger than ever, and Denise Jackson attests that the difficult and trying emotional struggle led them to the kind of marriage they've always wanted.

"The greatest blessings in my life have come out of my worst shattering. His betrayal and our separation were what led to this new, passionate love relationship with God and also led to us being able to have the kind of marriage that we both always wanted but just didn't know how to have."

Today, they focus on keeping their marriage rock solid, and Alan Jackson says that in order to stay connected as a couple, "We try to get out and go to dinner or hang out and go to the movies or something. We build a fire and have some wine and a nice evening. "We spend a lot of time together. We get up in the morning and drink coffee together and talk, and I can't go to bed at night if she's downstairs watching television. We go to bed together, unless I'm out of town," he adds. "It's just little things I think that have helped us more than anything. If you can last until you're 40 years old, hopefully you'll be mature enough to figure out the rest of the years."

The Jacksons are truly a role model in marriages today, staying together even during extremely tough circumstances and coming out on the other side, happy and in love.

#5 Brad Paisley & Kimberly Williams Paisley

As a teenager in Glen Dale, W. Va., Brad Paisley took a date to see the film ‘Father of the Bride' and couldn't help but notice actress Kimberly Williams, who played the role of daughter Annie Banks. Back then, the possibility of marrying the young starlet seemed about as likely as going to the moon, but as the country singer has found out in the past decade, dreams do indeed come true.

Paisley cast Williams in his music video for ‘I'm Gonna Miss Her,' and although it wasn't love at first sight for the actress, Paisley was smitten. In fact, his now-wife admits that he stalked her, but eventually, after a couple months, she fell in love too. They became husband and wife on March 15, 2003, at Stauffer Chapel on the campus of Pepperdine University.

So, how has the couple weathered over 10 years of marriage and two kids?

"We both have very healthy senses of humor. Anything I take myself too seriously on, she will gladly cut me down to size on and destroy all pre-conceived notions that I'm cool in any way. You've got to have similar outlooks and really healthy senses of humor. Pretension should be completely gone in a marriage. Actually, it should be gone before you get married!"

"You should know somebody really well and know that they know how to take a joke and they know how to take you," he adds. "That's the key a sense of humor."

#6 Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash

No other country couple has inspired more reverent admiration than Johnny Cash and his beloved wife, June Carter Cash. Theirs is a love story of persistence. The two met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in 1956. At the time, Carter Cash was singing backup for Elvis Presley, who had turned her on to the Man in Black's music ... but it took her a bit longer to warm up to Cash himself, despite their undeniable attraction (as immortalized in the song 'Ring of Fire').

Cash proposed several times before she finally said yes, to a proposal made in front of 7,000 fans at a live show in 1968. Carter Cash worked to help her husband overcome the drug and alcohol addictions that had a visceral grip on him. She passed away on May 15, 2003, with her husband holding her hand. The 'Walk the Line' hitmaker passed away less than four months later. The couple was married for 35 years and had one son together, John Carter Cash.

Both were married previously, June to Carl Perkins, whom she had daughter Carlene Carter with, and Johnny managed to father hitmaker Rosanne Cash before the couple merged families.

#7 Clint Black & Lisa Hartman

The Music City-meets-Tinseltown story of Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black started in 1990, when the actress went backstage to meet the country singer after his New Year's Eve concert in Houston, Texas.

"I didn't know who she was," Clint admits, "but when I saw her standing there with those beautiful blue eyes, I knew I wanted to see her again."

After a top-secret courtship, the couple wed in Katy, Texas, in 1991. They welcomed daughter Lily Pearl in 2001.

Now, the couple is coming up on a quarter of a century as husband and wife, and they've even recorded an award-winning duet, ‘When I Said I Do,' that will be played at weddings for ages to come.

The secret to a long and happy marriage? "We continue to laugh," Hartman Black tells Good Housekeeping. "We've gone through our struggles, like all couples, but we've continued to keep our sense of humor." Laughter helps keep a marriage strong, as does one other thing: Black received some helpful tips from the late Roy Rogers.

#8 Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks first met in 1987, before Brooks became a household name in country music.

They recorded a demo together, and the ‘Friends in Low Places' hit maker promised her that if he made it big, she'd be able to open for him. Turns out, he did make it big really big and was good on his word to Miss Yearwood, a nickname he still affectionately calls her.

Although they were both married when they met, Yearwood and Brooks' marriages fell apart, leaving the country stars single and they began dating.

"We'd known each other music-wise, but we got to see each other as people," and Brooks explains. "She's the real deal."

The couple has been hitched since 2005, showing that even a marriage between two highly famous country music singers can work. "I've got to tell you, I never knew it could be like this. I never knew that every day you could wake up and feel like this," Brooks adds. "And I have God and I have Miss Yearwood to thank for this."

Yearwood gives her own take on their relationship: "Every day is pretty great, I have to say. I don't want to sound like one of those sappy couples, but I'm that person. We've got great memories already, we'll just make some more."

#9 Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill first met at a Nashville radio station event, but things didn't start heating up until the blond beauty, a budding star at the time, was an opening act on McGraw's 1996 tour.

Although Hill was engaged at the time, she "wasn't about to let Tim slip through my hands," knowing he was the one for her, forever.

They quickly fell in love and married that same year, in October.

Three daughters and almost two decades later, the sexy twosome have recorded such sultry tunes as ‘It's Your Love,' ‘Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me' and ‘Let's Make Love.'

"Faith saved my life in a lot of ways from myself more than anything," McGraw says. "I can go down a dark road sometimes, when you're not feeling good about yourself, and she pulls me out. My wife makes me a better man.

#10 Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman

They seem like a mismatched couple, but it was their roots that first brought country singer Keith Urban and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman together.

The couple met in January 2005 at G'Day L.A., a Hollywood event honoring Australians. They began dating a few months later and were married in Sydney on June 25, 2006, approximately one month after their first date.

"I don't even know if she's changed my life; she's given me a life. There's seemingly no relevance to my previous life before meeting her. I have such deep love and gratitude for everything she's done for me."

Even though they barely knew one another after dating for only one month, Kidman wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm spontaneous. I jump in. I kind of like getting married and then getting to know each other. I know that it sounds incredibly strange, but to me, it's a more natural process."

Kidman calls Urban her "great love" and admits they agree that they're lucky they met late in life.

Urban is certainly a romantic when it comes to his wife. On their eighth anniversary, he dedicated ‘Once in a Lifetime' to Kidman while playing a concert in Melbourne. He also added his own statement of endearment: "Eight years, baby girl. This is for you tonight, my love; I love you so much."

#11 George & Norma Strait

In his personal life and in his music, George Strait is a man who knows a thing or two about consistency and commitment. Not only has the Texas native amassed an incredible 60 No. 1 hits, he's also enjoyed one of the music industry's longest and most successful marriages.

Strait married his high school sweetheart, Norma, in 1971. Initially, the lovebirds eloped to Mexico, but a few weeks later, they repeated their vows in a Texas church. Over 40 years have passed since the couple said "I do," and they've covered a lot of ground, including the births of two children, the tragedy of losing their daughter Jennifer, lots of No. 1 records, Strait's induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and their very first grandchild, George Harvey Strait III. The 'I Cross My Heart' singer explains their relationship's longevity: "We love each other, and we still like each other. We're so blessed that we were able to experience this life together, to support each other through everything, good times and bad."

#12 Marty Stuart & Connie Smith

An unlikely pair..

Marty Stuart and Grand Ole Opry Star Connie Smith have a rather unorthodox love story, but it's one with a very happy ending. Stuart is 17 years Smith's junior, and he was just 12 years old when he first met her. His mom introduced them -- she took Stuart to see Smith live in concert in Mississippi -- but it was unbeknownst to her what would happen in the next few decades.

The couple married in 1997, after dating three years, and they've learned a lot about love and marriage in their almost two decades as husband and wife. Stuart says his wife has taught him some important lessons: "With Connie, I have learned about balancing love and music. She puts a whole lot more emphasis on family life than I ever did, and she's been a great sense of balance to me."

The tow performers are both members of the Opry and continue to perform regularly on the great stage.

#13 George & Nancy Jones

For most of his early life, George Jones was a gifted artist with a drinking problem and self-destructive bent, but there's nothing like the love of a good woman to turn a guy around. His well publicized on again-off again marriage to duet partner Tammy Wynette was eventually torn apart by his alcoholism as she filed for divorce and moved on.

Enter his long time wife Nancy..

Nancy Jones helped the country legend quit drinking and put his career back on track, and they were able to celebrate 30 years of marriage before his passing. Jones passed away at the age of 81 on April 26, 2013, but his devoted wife is ensuring that his memory is not forgotten.

A special monument was erected in Jones' honor at his grave site, and Nancy Jones planned an event celebrating his life one year after Jones' death. She keeps his music in the limelight and strives to never let country fans forget the legend she was in love with.

#14 Vince Gill & Amy Grant

Vince Gill and Amy Grant‘s love story involves the end of two marriages, the beginning of one and a whole lot of heartache and joy along the way. Their story is incredibly inspiring, to say the least. The two met at the end of 1993. Gill was married to Janis Oliver (who performed with her sister as Sweetheart's Of The Rodeo), and Grant was hitched to Christian singer Gary Chapman (the father of three of her children).

Although Grant and Chapman had been married for years, she reveals that her marriage "had been rocky from the get-go. I'd been holding steady for 15 years in something that was not easy to hold steady." When Grant and Gill met, they were going to record a video for "House of Love," their duet from and the title track of Grant's 1994 record. It was, essentially, love at first sight. Gill was so inspired when he set eyes on Grant's face that he wrote his touching song "Whenever You Come Around." Although strong feelings were ignited from the start, both individuals wanted to stay true to their marriages but that's not to say they didn't think of one another.

Gill, married to Oliver since 1980, kept Grant in his mind "pretty much always." In fact, he didn't let go of hope of a future with Grant, telling himself that perhaps they were destined for one another and would unite at an old age. The unraveling of both marriages happened quickly: Gill's wife filed for divorce in 1997, and Grant did the same two years later, but it was not because of infidelity on either of their parts. Once their divorces became final, Gill and Grant began dating and were married on March 10, 2000, on a rainy hillside outside Nashville, with Grant barefoot and bagpipes in the background but it took quite some time for Grant's children to accept the new family, which also included Gill's then-17-year-old daughter Jenny.

It wasn't until the birth of Gill and Grant's daughter Corrina that their families really blended. Now, Grant and Gill come off the tongue just as easily as any famous couple. And it's clear they were meant for each other, balancing one another out in a way only they can do. And now, Gill's song inspired by Grant has come true.

#15 Toby Keith & Tricia Covel

When Toby Keith (whose real last name is Covel) met his future wife Tricia Lucus, one thing stood out to her: his confidence. That trait has taken Keith to some of the biggest stages in the world, but none of his accolades compare to something far more valuable: their 31 years of marriage.

Keith and Lucus were only 20 and 19, respectively, when they met at an Oklahoma nightclub in 1981. Although they were young, the country singer knew that he wanted a lifetime of happiness with Lucus. The couple married on March 24, 1984, when Keith was 22 years old. After they wed, Keith adopted Shelley, Lucus' daughter, who was born in 1980. They grew their family to include a daughter, Krystal Keith (who inherited her father's singing chops) and son, Stelen Keith Covel.

Keith provided for his family by working the Oklahoma oil fields with his dad, but when the work dried up, he turned to music, playing with the Easy Money Band in bars for $35 a night (plus free beer), which is certainly not the ideal income to support a small family. Still, Keith's blushing bride was in full support of his ambitious music career. With the unwavering support of his wife and undeniable talent, Keith's work paid off big time; his total career earnings are estimated at $500 million.

He's definitely scored big in the entertainment industry, but Keith now a grandfather of two holds the truly valuable close to his heart.

#16 Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White

Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White are successful musicians in their own right Skaggs has been a huge name in the country world for many years, while White is the lead singer of the country music band the Whites but when they make music together, it's clear that their love was destined to happen.

The couple married on Aug. 4, 1981, and, true to their love of music, they didn't have a unity candle; instead, they had a unity song: Townes Van Zandt's 'If I Needed You.' In 1986, Skaggs and White teamed up for the first time on a record, releasing 'Love Can't Ever Get Better Than This'. Fans fell head over heels for the song, and it even won the couple a CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year. The exceptionally positive response got the idea of a duets album percolating, but the plan never panned out until 2014, that is, when the husband and wife released a duets album, 'Hearts Like Ours'.

So, how does a couple stay together so long in a culture where divorce is almost commonplace? The best advice Skaggs and White have for other couples is to never go to bed angry, according to Christianity Today. They cite dinner and a movie as well as mini-vacations to the mountains or the beach as their favorite kind of date, and they always make sure to talk with one another. And that's how a love story ends happily ever after.

The couple, and The Withes are all members of The Grand Ole Opry.