A member of MuzikMafia, next up on our who’s who list is country artist, James Otto. If you’re unfamiliar with MuzikMafia, they’re a group of country musicians who create “country music without prejudice.” Also, a part of this group are musicians including the likes of Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich. Beginning his career with Mercury Nashville Records in 2002, he released one album, titled Days of Our Lives, before being unceremoniously dropped from the label in 2004.
He then proceeded to sign on with Warner Bros. Records, with a subsequent hit, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”, becoming his very first Number One hit, as well as being the Number One country single of 2008, according to Billboard. As to his love life, Otto married Amy Alderson back in ’05, before welcoming their baby girl Ava Katherine into the world, in August 2010.
Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black
After almost 25 years, Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black have been inseparable. Both Texas natives, the pair met at one of Clint’s concerts. At the time, Lisa was super famous for her role on the Dallas spin-off titled 'Knots Landing'. Less than a year after their first meeting, the pair were married. Clint is a huge deal on the country music circuit, having had thirty singles reach the top ten on the U.S. Billboard country charts, and twenty-two of those singles have reached the number one spot.
The couple is great together, even musically, recording the hit duet “When I Said I Do” in 1999 – it reached the top of both the country and pop charts! The couple resides in Nashville, Tennessee, and have a daughter together, Lily Pearl Black, who was born in 2001.
Darius Rucker and Beth Rucker
When Rucker first laid eyes upon his future wife, Beth Leonard, something just clicked for him: “it was everything about her.” At the time, Rucker was still partying and enjoying the success of 'Hootie & the Blowfish', and Beth was working at VH1. Despite her initial rebuffing of Rucker, it seems that his persistence paid off, with the pair marrying in 2000. Since then, the couple has been happily together, but not without a few fun stories on the way.
Rucker remembers one night in NYC “She was walking up the stairs [to her apartment], and I said, 'Well, you know that I'm going to marry you, right?' She just laughed," he remembers. "Her roommate or her boyfriend was up there in their apartment, and I yelled, 'To whoever's up there in Beth Leonard's apartment, you can just leave because I just want you to know that I'm going to marry her!"
Keifer Thompson and Shawna Thompson
American country music husband and wife team, Thompson Square, are just a gorgeous duo. With complimentary vocals, the pair are signed to Stoney Creek Records. Often, it’s advised to not work with your partner, but when it works so beautifully, it's not surprising they decided to pursue a joint career. Together they’ve released three albums, garnering ten chart singles on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.
Together for over fifteen years, this dynamic duo shows no signs of slowing down! In January 2016, the pair announced that they were welcoming their first child into the world – son, Rigney Cooper Thompson. Interesting name – apparently, it’s of Irish origin. The couple continues to record and perform together, and we’re sure their marriage and bond will only get stronger as the years go by.
Phillip Sweet and Rebecca Sweet
Member of the country-defining group, Little Big Town, Phillip Sweet is the rhythm guitarist and a vocalist in the band. If you’re a fan of the group, you’ll know that they don’t just have one lead singer – they share the load, rotating vocals. Clearly, vocals are a strong suit for the band, being named Vocal Group of the Year at the 2014 Country Music Association Awards.
A family man, Sweet wed his gorgeous wife Rebecca in March 2007. Going on 13 years of marriage, the pair are now happily raising their daughter, Penelopi Jane Sweet, who was born in December 2007, in Nashville.