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Country Music s Royal Couples
Country coupledom goes beyond Vince Gill and Amy Grant Here are 5 more famous pairings
Ring of Fire: Elvis Presley played matchmaker for Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The couple won a 1968 Grammy for their duet "Jackson." Gene Beley/AP Photo Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. While Johnny Cash won numerous accolades during his lifetime, June is probably most famous for co-authoring (with Merle Kilgore) "Ring of Fire," the atypical and dark love song about her unrequited love for Johnny during their early friendship. The Cashes remained together until her death in 2003. He died a little less than 4 months later. They are buried beside each other in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Tempestuous twosome: George Jones and Tammy Wynette's stormy marriage lasted six years. Christopher Berkey/AP Photo George Jones and Tammy Wynette Known to many as the tragic country queen, Tammy Wynette was the first country music artist to go platinum and counts more than 20 number-one hits on her resume. Talented but headstrong and prone to drama, she was a disaster when it came to relationships. Her gift lay in the endearing and sad delivery of her songs. In tunes such as the famed "Stand by Your Man," fans and critics alike felt the devastation residing beneath. This dark undercurrent may have drawn her to George Jones, a superstar in his own right, Jones charted more than 160 songs on the Billboard charts during his career, more than any other country artist. During their six-year marriage, Jones made headlines for more than his music. Notorious for his off-stage bad habits, which included a cocaine addiction and an uncanny ability to locate the nearest bar, he became notorious for skipping out on shows. His many concert cancellations (more than 50) over his career earned him the nickname “No Show” Jones. Although their marriage crumbled beneath the limelight, Wynette and Jones continued to collaborate in the studio. Together, they recorded three songs that reached the top 10 country music charts. Two decades later, in 1995, they paired up again for their reunion album, One — the last album Wynette recorded before her death in 1998. Jones, happily married to his fourth wife, manager Nancy Sepulvado, continues to perform today. He credits Sepulvado with saving him from his hard-living ways. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > They met in the 1960s and their initial connection, according to Colter, was intense. They married in 1969. Along with his friends Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, Jennings was part of a movement in country music that broke from previously established norms. Collaboration wasn't encouraged within the industry, but Jennings didn’t care: In 1976 he cut the album Wanted: The Outlaws with Colter, Willie Nelson, and Tompall Glaser. It became the first platinum album ever recorded in Nashville. Teaming up in the ‘80s with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash, Jennings formed the country supergroup The Highwaymen. As his career soared, Jennings struggled with drug addiction, which Colter tried to help him overcome. Jennings died of complications from diabetes in 2002. Colter still plays music today. An Enduring Friendship: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were close for years before they wed in 2005. Mathew Imaging/WireImage/Getty Images Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Trisha Yearwood knew there was chemistry the very first time she ever sang with future husband Garth Brooks. "It felt like we'd sung together forever, she has said about the first duet. Though married to his first wife at the time, Brooks helped Yearwood land her first record deal. In 1991 she hit it big with the hit song "She's in Love with the Boy" and was the first female country music singer to sell 1 million copies of her debut album. Yearwood's success is impressive — she's a two-time winner of CMA's female vocalist award and has won three Grammy Awards. But Brooks’ achievements are historic. He is the second highest-selling solo recording artist in U.S. history — Elvis Presley is in the first spot — with sales topping 128 million. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the Beatles have sold the most albums. Brooks has always mixed both rock, pop and country influences in his music. In the 1990s he was one of the first country artists to crossover to the pop album charts when No Fences reached the #3 spot. A year later, Ropin’ The Wind topped the Billboard 200 albums charts, the first of 7 number one albums during the decade. As the 1990s closed out, Brooks took a huge gamble, creating alter ego Chris Gaines, a fictional Australian alternative rocker. The album In…the life of Chris Gaines was a blend of new wave and R&B music. Though panned by critics, the move showed Brooks' willingness to reach for new heights and break out of familiar territory. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe More on entertainment AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS