These seven country stars have experienced loss on the deepest level. Hank Williams Jr. leads a list of country men whose wives died too soon.
In each case, the hitmaker recovered and found love once again. Actually, it didn’t take too long in a few cases.
Related: Country Artists Who Died Too Soon
As you’d guess, a devastating diagnosis led to the deaths of most of these women. Cancer is the leading cause, but there were also two fatal accidents, including a motorcycle wreck that took the wife of a rock ‘n’ roller with a country pedigree.
Most of Roy Orbison’s married life centered on wife Barbara, but in 1966, his wife Claudette died in his arms. She’s often remembered by fans or on the icon’s social media pages.
Occasionally, great music comes from great tragedy. Gary Allan has a song called “No Regrets” that he says pays tribute to his late wife, but it was never released to radio, and shortly after releasing it on an album, he admitted he may never play it live.
The other artists on this list have kept a similar emotional distance between their private pain and public recovery.
Keep reading to learn the stories of all seven country men we could find who lost a wife too soon. Of course, the reality is that the death of any loved one qualifies as “too soon,” so we focused on short marriages that ended in tragedy or women who died before age 60.
Whenever possible we included portions of the story, as told by the artist himself.
Country Men Whose Wives Died Too Soon
It’s a fraternity you never want to be a part of. Learn the stories of country men whose wives died too soon. Two country music and one rock hall of famer are featured, along with several lesser-known, but important country hitmakers.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Country Women Whose Husbands Died Too Soon
It’s a sorority you never want to be a part of. Learn the stories of country women whose husbands died too soon. Also included are singers who lost a very longterm boyfriend, ex-husband and more.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
