Josh and Abby would end up getting married only two years after he separated from his wife.
Speaking of their wedding, Isabella played a special part in the ceremony.
She was one of Abby’s bridesmaids and walked in carrying a sign that read, ‘Daddy, here comes your bride.’
This likely wasn’t the first time fans had seen Isabella, either.
Abby Shared Photos of Her and Josh on Social Media Before They Married
Before they got married, Abby had shared photos on Instagram and Facebook of her time spent with Josh.
In some of those photos, Isabella was there, too.
After getting married, there are several photos of the four of them together.
They’re seen hiking and doing other activities together as a family.
The photos suggest that Isabella lives primarily with them.
The lawsuit, itself, requested Josh to take a paternity test to determine if he was genetically the father of Isabella.
This is a typical step taken when one of the parents wants to increase child support payments or change the custody agreement.
Despite the drama, Abby and Josh seem to be enjoying their newly married lives.
Josh works in a hospice, but before then, he served in the army and also worked as a nurse.
Abby and Brittany are fifth-grade teachers and work in the same area where they grew up.
When the news broke that Abby had gotten married, they were met with both love and hate.
Some fans congratulated them, while others made mean jokes.
Abby and Brittany Addressed Hate Messages
Abby and Brittany addressed the hate messages in a post of their own.
They shared a video on TikTok that was meant directly for the haters.
In the video, they said that those who watched everything they did even though they don’t like them or what they’re doing, they’re still technically fans.
However, the sisters are ignoring the hate and looking to the future.
With one of them married, their next big goal is to have children of their own.
It’s something they’ve wanted since they were young, themselves.
The good news is that since they share all the same organs from the waist down, it’s possible for them to carry a baby traditionally.
The biggest question they’re still grappling with is how to go about it and who would legally be the mother.
That might end up becoming another paternity lawsuit in itself for Josh if his marriage with Abby doesn’t quite work out.
Paris Hilton has always been active on social media, but when fans started noticing that she never posted pictures of her youngest baby, London, rumors started spreading.
The questions started coming after Paris posted a TikTok video of her older son, Phoenix.
In the video, Phoenix is babbling and playing with a toy while Paris is laughing in the background.
The Reason Why Paris Hilton Is Hesitant to Share Photos of Daughter, London
In the comments, fans started to ask why she hadn’t posted any pictures of London yet.
Many fans were eager to meet the newest addition to the Hilton family.
Some fans were also aware of why Paris may be choosing to wait to share London with the rest of the world.
One commented that they couldn’t wait until Paris felt safe enough to share London with the rest of them.
Paris replied to that comment by sharing her love and promising that she’d be sharing London soon.
The answer suggests that Paris is waiting to show everyone London because she wants to protect her.
Paris is likely taking London’s safety more seriously since she experienced some surprising bullying with Phoenix.
Paris Surprised That People Could Bully an Innocent Baby
While she was speaking with People Magazine, Paris talked about how surprised she was that people could be mean enough to bully an innocent baby.
In particular, people were making fun of how large Phoenix’s head appeared in his photos.
She felt the need to protect him and was amazed that she had to do that in the first place.
Because of that experience, Paris likely wanted to spare London from any bullying, too.
Paris’ husband, Carter Reum, also commented on why they haven’t shown London in their social media posts yet.
Jeff Gordon is one of the most legendary athletes in NASCAR. But there’s one element of Jeff’s personal life that is nowhere near as glamorous or successful as his career on the track: his first marriage. From cheating scandals to crazy demands in court, Jeff’s divorce from his first wife, Brooke Sealey, was unbelievably messy.
While his 25-year career hardly has any blemishes, Jeff’s seven-year marriage crashed and burned into a fiery mess. Brooke wasn’t just some random nobody when she linked up with Jeff. She was Miss Winston, a model who represented NASCAR’s series sponsor at the time.
How Jeff Gordon Met His First Wife Brooke
The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company leased NASCAR from 1997 to 2003 and named their Winston series after their popular cigarette brand. They hand-picked the models to represent the company on the massive stage that NASCAR provided as it exploded in popularity, always looking for the most beautiful women.
Brooke was one of them — and she caught Jeff’s eye on the track. In 1993, when Jeff was beginning to make a real name for himself in the sport, he won Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year driving his iconic number 24 car.
He went on to win two qualifying races for the Daytona 500, which seriously raised his profile in the sport and everyone started to take notice, including Brooke.
Before too long, the two of them got together. They kept their romance under wraps at first. They realized that there could be a lot of media scrutiny on them. But more significantly, there was a rule forbidding NASCAR drivers from dating Winston models.
Jeff and Brooke Kept their Relationship a Secret at First
They couldn’t be seen together as a couple and were constantly sneaking around so that neither of them would get in trouble. Even though, realistically, Brooke would be the only person to face serious consequences, since she was significantly more replaceable than Jeff.
In a Sports Illustrated interview in 1995, Jeff even bragged that he had become a master at sneaking in and out of hotels thanks to his secret relationship. But he and Brooke couldn’t keep things a secret for long. In 1994, they finally got married.
After Brooke’s time as a Winston girl came to a close, and they no longer had to sneak around, Jeff and Brooke revealed themselves to be the hottest couple in NASCAR. It seemed like things were going great for the newlyweds. According to Brooke, they had the cutest proposal.
She said that Jeff approached her at Daytona and asked her to get lunch, but she could tell something was up by how nervous he was. His voice was apparently quivering. Jeff said that he went to the bathroom five times during that lunch, just to make sure that he could get the ring right for when he popped the question.
A Shocking Divorce Announcement
But if Jeff knew how bad their marriage was going to end, he probably would’ve kept that ring in his pocket…Everything seemed like it was going great for Jeff and Brooke — until Brooke filed for divorce seemingly out of nowhere in 2002. The reason for divorce was stated as “irretrievably broken as a result of husband’s marital misconduct.”
That’s pretty messy…Usually, couples just list something like irreconcilable differences. But clearly, Brooke wanted the whole world to know what happened. It’s even worse because Jeff famously protected his squeaky clean image. Without that, he wouldn’t have all his lucrative brand endorsements.
Jeff even rejected a big payday to work with an adult beverage sponsor on a commercial. But all of that came crashing down around him with this news. People couldn’t believe that Jeff would ever cheat on his wife.
As the divorce continued to get messier in the public eye, that would turn out to be the least shocking part of the whole ordeal.
Brooke’s demands during the divorce settlement blew people’s minds when they became public. She asked to have an airplane, use of the couple’s boats, two cars, and an alimony payment on top of that. Brooke’s requests seemed so excessive that the media even labeled her Crook Gordon.
Even though it seemed like the divorce was Jeff’s fault due to infidelity, the outrageous asks made by Brooke’s divorce attorneys had people supporting Jeff…
Brooke Brought the Drama to the NASCAR Track
In February 2003, Brooke’s attorney Terry Young actually brought the divorce drama to the track. He went to the Daytona 500 specifically to serve legal papers at the track to Jeff’s closest colleagues, all in an effort to find out how much he was really worth.
That bottom line was going to be important in finding out how much Brooke could ask for. But Jeff and the rest of the NASCAR community just accused Brooke of turning one of the year’s biggest events into a circus instead of focusing on the sport.
There are definitely quieter ways to serve someone with a subpoena than in the middle of an event like the Daytona 500. At the time, Jeff’s lawyers had already filed paperwork saying he was worth $48.8 million, which Brooke would be entitled to half of under Florida law.
But she thought he was hiding money from her and wanted even more. The dramatic divorce dragged on for over 16 months before it was finalized on June 13th, 2003. Almost 10 years after they met on the track, Brooke and Jeff finally went their separate ways.
By the time all was said and done, Brooke received a whopping $15.3 million. The division of the couple’s assets wasn’t publicly disclosed, but you can make an educated guess that she probably got a good chunk of what she was after.
What Happened to Brooke Sealey?
And if you’re wondering who the mystery woman is that broke up this happy home, her name is Deanna Merryman. She was an actress and fitness model who was even on the cover of Iron Man magazine.
The year before their divorce got announced, tabloids linked Jeff and Deanna. But even if the rumors were true, the romance didn’t last. The month before Brooke’s attorney was gearing up to head to Daytona, Jeff was with a model named Amanda Church in St. Barts.
Clearly, he wasn’t too broken up about the divorce. Although, for such a self-proclaimed master of sneaking in and out of hotel rooms, he apparently lost his ability to be subtle and blend in. In the end, there’s no such thing as a good divorce, but Jeff and Brooke’s was pretty bitter.
For a couple who spent so much of their early relationship staying out of the spotlight, they really went out with a bang toward the end. Brooke seems to have gotten what she wanted, and both she and Jeff moved on.
Jeff married Belgian model and actress Ingrid Vandebosch in 2006. Brooke married twice: first to James Dixon, and then to Mullins McLeod.
When her marriage to James didn’t work out, James was the one looking for alimony payments. He got them from Brooke to the tune of $10,000 a month, a $1.5 million house, and an expensive Mercedes Benz…
In Touchreported that Janelle called it a “beautiful moment” in a social media update. She also shared photos from Garrison’s memorial service and revealed how the loss of her son is affecting her mentally.
“It’s been hard to get my brain to work properly again,” Janelle wrote. She added that she was grateful for the love and support she’s received in the past three weeks.
Janelle added that the support “has been overwhelming.” She was “honored” that so many fans and followers reached out to her and shared stories of their loved ones.
She also thanked everyone from the bottom of her heart for keeping her in their thoughts and praying for her. Janelle said that Garrison would have “loved” receiving a tribute from his unit in the National Guard at his celebration of life ceremony.
Janelle and Kody Released a Joint Statement
She also defended herself for sharing photos from Garrison’s memorial service. She understood that many fans and followers would have “already seen a lot” of the photos online, and she’d seen many “snarky comments” that accompanied the photos. But Janelle shut down the negativity by confessing, “This was a beautiful moment for us.”
According to In Touch, Janelle was sitting in the front row at Garrison’s memorial service while Kody Brown and his remaining wife, Robyn Brown, sat “a few seats away.” Several Brown family members “looked to be in tears as they honored” Garrison at the celebration of life, per InTouch. Garrison was only 25 years old when he passed away on March 4th due to a “self-inflicted” injury.
Kody and Janelle’s “spiritual marriage” officially ended in December 2022. But on March 5th, following the news of Garrison’s passing, Janelle and Kody released a joint statement that revealed their shared pain.
They expressed their sadness in having to announce “the loss of their beautiful boy, Robert Garrison Brown.” They added that Garrison was a “bright spot in the lives of all who knew him.”
Janelle and Kody wrote that Garrison’s loss would leave “a big hole in their lives,” so much so that it took their breath away. They also pleaded for privacy while inviting people to “join them” in honoring their late son’s memory.
March 8th was another emotional day for Janelle, as she explained on social media. She reflected on Christmas 2023 and revealed it was the last holiday where she had all her kids together. Janelle and Kody had six kids.
Kody and Garrison Were Estranged
While the memory had to have been painful for Janelle, she also admitted, “It was amazing as it’s hard with everybody’s busy lives to coordinate time like this.” She even wrote how “extremely grateful” she was that she’d gotten group photos with her entire family. Unfortunately, sources have revealed to media outlets, including In Touch, that Kody and Garrison were “estranged” before Garrison passed away.
Several years ago, they had a falling out that many Sister Wives fans and followers were aware of. This happened during pandemic shutdowns when Kody demanded that all his wives and families follow “strict rules” to decrease the possibility of spreading the virus.
Garrison did not want to follow Kody’s rules. Janelle was forced to navigate the anger and resentment between her son and husband.
Later, Today reported that “tension” had been brewing between Kody and Janelle throughout seasons 17 and 18 of Sister Wives. Kody had been the “family patriarch” for decades. But following his estrangement with Garrison and Kody admitting on-air that his relationship with Janelle was “pretty strained,” he began to devote his time and energy to the wife who remained by his side, Robyn.
Kody’s other “spiritual wife,” Christine, left him just over a year before Janelle split up with him. Although Kody was legally married to Meri Brown in 1990, People reported in December 2022 that they had split up. Meri and Kody jointly announced their divorce in January 2023.
In Touch alleged that “cameras were reportedly rolling” on a new season of Sister Wives after Garrison’s passing, but a premiere date has yet to be confirmed.
Diddy’s son has broken his silence. Ever since Diddy’s homes were raided on March 25th, Diddy, and his family have remained pretty quiet about what happened.
US Weekly reported that on Friday, Diddy’s 25-year-old son King addressed being detained by Homeland Security on social media. On Snapchat, he wrote, “Stop With The Cap.” According to US Weekly, “cap” is slang for lying.
King’s cryptic message did not specify what exactly he was referring to. But the website pointed out that it came just days after the house raids.
FOX 11 LA reported that Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by Homeland Security Investigations in connection with a federal trafficking case. Diddy was not present at either of his houses at the time. A TMZ report revealed that two of his sons were at his $40 million home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles.
It claimed that King and Justin Combs were seen in handcuffs outside Diddy’s mansion at the time of the raid. The two sons came back separately to the house later on to collect some of their belongings before leaving again.
According to US Weekly, neither Diddy nor his sons have been charged or arrested in connection to the ongoing investigation. Diddy’s attorney, Aaron Dryer, told the media news outlet that there was no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities, or the way that his children and employees were treated.
Justin is a Defendant in the Latest Complaint Against Diddy
King and Justin have different moms. King’s mother was the late Kim Porter, while Justin’s is Misa Hylton.
On March 26th, US Weekly shared documents they’d obtained and reported that along with his father, Justin was also one of the defendants in the latest complaint against Diddy. The amended complaint was made by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones.
While it’s unclear what the music producer has accused Justin of doing, he claimed that his father was inappropriate with him as well as harmful while they traveled and lived together for a year between 2022-2023. Diddy denied the allegations against him. In a statement to US Weekly, his lawyer Shawn Holley called Lil Rod a “liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit, shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday.”
In the summer of 2023, Justin also faced legal troubles when he was reportedly arrested for a DUI. According to Atlanta Black Star, he was arrested around 8 am on June 4th after he ran a red light.
The police officers who stopped him could allegedly smell that he’d been drinking. Authorities informed ET that he was put through a sobriety test that he failed. He ended up being booked on a misdemeanor DUI charge and his bond was set at $5000.
Atlanta Black Star reported that the day after Justin’s arrest, his mother seemingly slammed Diddy in a series of now-deleted Instagram stories. In one of her posts, she wrote that the statement “a fish rots from the head down.”
In June 2022, CNN reported that “disgraced R&B singer” R. Kelly had been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for crimes that included racketeering and the trafficking and physical harm of women and underage victims. Now, R. Kelly is speaking out about Sean “Diddy” Combs from behind bars.
On March 27th, Wack 100 talked to R. Kelly from prison, and their over 15-minute conversation appeared on YouTube. Vibe reported details and alleged that “R. Kelly doesn’t believe” any of the charges or trafficking allegations against Diddy.
R. Kelly quoted the late great superstar Biggie, who once rapped on a Diddy-produced track that federal agents were just “mad because he’s flagrant.” R. Kelly quoted that because he seems to believe that celebrities like him and Diddy are being “hunted,” whether or not the allegations against them are true or “false.”
But R. Kelly said that Diddy—and the general public—should take his investigation very seriously. Since he’s serving decades behind bars, R. Kelly certainly has the lived experience to believe that, and he issued a big warning to anyone “out there laughing and making comedian jokes.”
R. Kelly Believes That It All Started With Cassie
R. Kelly thinks other celebrities are “so stupid,” and they don’t realize “the moves” that are going on. Even though he claimed that he doesn’t believe any of this [expletive], R. Kelly said, “I’m in it now, and I know what they did.” R. Kelly also talked about how it “first started with Cassie,” referring to Diddy’s ex, R&B singer Cassandra Ventura-Fine, who filed a lawsuit against Diddy in November 2023, claiming to a Manhattan judge that he’d harmed her repeatedly and trafficked her for over a decade.
Additionally, R. Kelly insinuated to Wack 100 that Diddy should have made his “preferences” clear years ago. He seems to be referring to the journalist Touré, who claimed in an explosive MSNBC interview that Diddy had fired his young male relative after he refused to spend the night with Diddy. R. Kelly alleges that unknown sources might have tried to “extort” Diddy because he’s in the music industry, and people are “using that against him.”
R. Kelly also has a theory about why federal agents talked with Diddy at a Florida airport. TMZ captured photos and video of Diddy speaking with authorities on the tarmac in front of his private plane last week.
R. Kelly talked about how agents “grounded” Diddy’s plane and wanted to ensure he couldn’t leave the country, even though R. Kelly alleged that agents probably hadn’t “restricted” Diddy’s passport yet. R. Kelly even said, “I do know this: if they do put him in cuffs, they only put him in cuffs because they got a definite.” Photos and videos don’t show Diddy getting restrained by the police, and sources have alleged that an arrest has yet to be made.
R. Kelly’s Victims Seek Financial Reimbursement
R. Kelly continues to fight the system during his incarceration. He recently claimed that $28,000 was stolen from what’s called his “prison commissary account,” which authorities claim should be going towards the restitution of R. Kelly’s numerous victims.
The source, HipHopDX,obtained legal documents about the case and confirmed a court date on March 18th to hear arguments over this dispute. R. Kelly allegedly owes around $5 million to victims and other parties seeking financial reimbursement.
In March 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court granted Heather Williams, one of R. Kelly’s named victims, access to his “label fund.” Billboard reported that this fund is valued at $1.5 million. In a separate ruling, a property manager named Midwest Commercial Funding won $3.5 million in compensation from R. Kelly due to “unpaid rent for a Chicago studio.”
A U.S. District Court judge, Ann Donnelly, also ordered R. Kelly and his label, Universal Music Group, to “surrender more than $500,000 in royalties.” This was seen as a significant move to “ensure Kelly’s victims receive restitution,” and allegedly, the $28,000 from R. Kelly’s “prison canteen account” was seized at the same time.
No, this isn’t an April Fool’s Day joke! TMZ reported super-early on April 1st that “Golden Bachelor” Gerry Turner and his brand-new wife, Theresa Nist, aren’t living together after their TV wedding on January 4th.
The TMZ exclusive claims that Gerry and Theresa are “still head over heels!!!” But shockingly, TMZ also confirmed that the two are “living in separate states.”
According to TMZ sources, Gerry and Theresa are doing the “long-distance thing.” That means Gerry is currently living in his lake house in Northern Indiana, and Theresa hasn’t moved out of New Jersey. Even though Gerry and Theresa both took a risky chance later in life to go on reality TV and find each other, TMZ sources gave a “few reasons” why the couple hasn’t “taken the leap to live together just yet.”
Reason number one is allegedly the hassle of moving. Gerry and Theresa have both lived in “their own established homes in their respective states” for decades. TMZ’s source claims that moving would be “time-consuming,” and it seems like Gerry and Theresa aren’t in a rush to do that.
Reason number two is apparently Theresa’s job in Jersey. She’s currently a “compliance officer” in the Garden State, and allegedly, Theresa hasn’t decided yet “what she’s going to do about her job.”
The Couple Haven’t Decided Where to Move to
There’s also the touchy issue of family. According to TMZ sources, Theresa and Gerry are both “super close” to their kids and grandkids, which seems to be another factor that is complicating their final decision about who moves where.
Then TMZ mentioned the “key factor” in Gerry and Theresa’s final decision about where to move, which is that they’re still “mulling over where to plant their love nest.” A source told TMZ that Gerry and Theresa are “eyeing Charleston, South Carolina,” because it’s a “good middle ground,” and Theresa’s son lives there with his family. Still, TMZ claims that Gerry and Theresa remain “undecided.”
TMZ did throw a wrench into the source’s claim that Gerry and Theresa are still head over heels when they suggested, “It might not sound like [Gerry and Theresa] are on the same page here.” But the source insisted to TMZ that Gerry and Theresa are “still madly in love,” and they “want to make the marriage work.” Allegedly, their long-distance “arrangement” is currently working well, and the couple makes visits a “priority.”
According to the source, Gerry and Theresa have seen each other “several times” following their wedding. The official count is that Gerry visited Theresa “a few times” in New Jersey, and she’s “planning” to see him at the lake house in Indiana “next month.” The source also told TMZ that “at some point,” Gerry and Theresa are “going to get this figured out.”
Gerry and His Dog Drove 10 Hours to See Theresa
Interestingly, other media outlets claimed Gerry was “sharing updates of his new life with Theresa” just a couple of weeks after their wedding. Gerry posted photos to Instagram, and he and Theresa looked like they were in the honeymoon phase as they enjoyed a meal at an “old-fashioned diner.”
Bachelor fans know that Gerry and Theresa enjoyed a “diner date” on the reality show. Gerry captioned his Instagram photo saying that Theresa took him to “one of the best” diners in New Jersey, and he’d be “busy thru June of 2025” because there are “529 more” diners around the state for them to check out.
A few days before they hit the diner, Gerry revealed on social media that he’d taken a “ten-hour drive” to visit Theresa in Jersey. Gerry had a traveling companion, his dog, Cody, and Theresa posted a picture with the caption, “Welcoming Gerry and Cody to the Jersey Shore!”
Gerry and Theresa also visited a classic New Jersey Italian restaurant called Trama’s Trattoria. He posted a photo of their dinner and wrote, in part, “This place is Golden.”
Theresa also took to Instagram and talked about their Italian meal in Long Branch, New Jersey. She claimed that she and Gerry are enjoying eating out “a lot” because they are making up for the time that they weren’t able to be seen “together in public.”
Theresa said it was “such a wonderful date night with my husband!” Interestingly, Theresa said, “Trama’s may be the reason Gerry stays in New Jersey. Thank you, Trama’s!!”
Whiskey Riff reported that Marcus brought his dad on stage during a performance in Raleigh, North Carolina, back in February 2022. They wrote, “When it is Marvin’s turn, he leaves it all on the stage… it is unreal.” They claimed that Marcus “learned from a master.”
When you hear that, it sounds like Marvin’s fame helped pave the way for Marcus. Did Marvin do much more for his son’s career than just teach Marcus to play guitar?
Marvin is a local celebrity around Greenville, South Carolina, and he’s toured around the country playing guitar. The Greenville Journal even wrote a glowing article titled “Long Live the King…” and they meant Marvin, the “father of blues phenom Marcus King.”
Marcus Played the Guitar Solos on “Huge in Europe”
But Marvin set the record straight with the Greenville Journal. He made it clear that Marcus is “quite surreal” on guitar, and when Marvin started teaching Marcus, something unbelievable happened.
When Marcus was younger, Marvin said he would show his son one song, for example, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” Marvin said he played the recording and showed Marcus how to play the song. Then Marvin went to work.
Later, when he got home, Marvin said that Marcus had told him, “I’ve got that record down, Dad.” Marvin said he corrected Marcus and told him, “You mean… I’ve got that song” down.
But as Marcus showed his dad, he meant the entire Lynyrd Skynyrd album. Marvin told the Greenville Journal, “Oh my God, he learned all the songs on that record in one day!”
Marvin has recorded original material on two albums: “The Calling” and “Huge in Europe.” He said he plays “mini-tribute sets” to Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the Rolling Stones when he performs live.
Marvin has made a crazy confession about how talented Marcus is on guitar. When recording his album “Huge in Europe,” Marvin brought Marcus into the studio to record guitar solos. Marvin called it “a humbling experience” for a reason you might not believe!
Because Marcus was only 11 years old when he played guitar solos on “Huge in Europe,” and Marcus was so shockingly good that Marvin had to indicate Marcus’s guitar solos on the album, so fans knew it was actually Marcus playing—not his dad. It’s also crazy how Marvin admitted that “Huge in Europe” began selling more copies after people found out that a pre-teen Marcus had done guitar solos on it, and Marvin confessed, “I was so proud.”
Marcus Started Singing After a Devastating Loss
While Marcus started playing guitar around eight years old, he told American Songwriter that he didn’t find his voice until “around the time I was 13… that’s when I started singing.” Marcus found his voice at that age for a sad reason. American Songwriter wrote that he was “dealt a particularly difficult loss” at 13.
He told American Songwriter, “This girl I went to school with, she passed away in a car accident.” Marcus confessed, “I really liked this girl. She was a dear friend of mine.”
As Marcus explained, he never got to tell the young girl how he felt about her, and he confessed, “That was a crushing moment for me.” The only way he could express himself was through music, but this time, Marcus realized that he needed to do more than play his guitar.
Marcus told American Songwriter that his guitar would always help him deal with anything, and playing guitar used to help him deal with pain when he was a kid. But after his young friend passed away, Marcus discovered that his guitar “wasn’t cutting it” anymore.
He said, “I figured I’d start singing and writing. And it helped.”
But music couldn’t even help Marvin or Marcus during COVID. Marvin confessed that he got depressed during the shutdowns, and Marvin said that Marcus “was selling out 5,000-set rooms, then everything came to a screeching halt.”
Marvin was 68 years old then and needed “to be playing all the time to keep my chops up.” After the gigs started to pick up again, Marvin said, “That makes me happy. It helps me get my groove back.”
Marcus Was Playing in Bars By Age 13
Several years ago, when Marcus started making it big in Music City, Marvin was interviewed by Pat Foley, the artist relations representative for Orange Amps in Nashville. Pat and Marvin had a revealing discussion about Marcus’s “phenomenal success,” but Marvin thought that Marcus should be even more successful than he already was.
Marvin told Pat, “I think if this were the 70s or 80s,” Marcus would “already be all over the radio.” Later in the interview, Marvin talked about Marcus playing in a South Carolina bar when “he was only about 13.”
Marvin confessed that Marcus had to have Xs drawn on both of his hands because he was playing guitar in South Carolina bars when he was underage. Marvin admitted, “He wasn’t supposed to be in there, that’s for sure. In South Carolina, you have to be 21” to get in bars.
Pat also asked Marvin about his dad, Marcus’s grandfather, who was in the Air Force in the 1950s. Marvin said his dad met his mom in Germany, and they got married.
When Marvin’s dad and mom moved back to the States, his dad started a country band, where he played the fiddle, and Marvin’s dad also played Chuck Berry songs on guitar. Marvin also revealed, “My dad’s father and my grandfather’s father were all fiddlers and my grandmother played acoustic guitar.”
Marvin added, “Dad had it in his blood. Now I have it in my blood and Marcus in his blood. We can’t even help it… we come out of the womb looking for something to play.”
Marcus Always Knew That Music Was the Path for Him
Marcus was interviewed by The Washington Post when he was just 20 years old. He admitted, “When I was really young, I didn’t have any friends around the neighborhood.”
But don’t feel sad for Marcus! After school, he sat and played his guitar. Marcus said, “It never really felt like practice — I just wanted to do it.”
He never felt alone on the afternoons he gathered with his extended family to “jam on string instruments and sing gospel songs” on his great-grandfather’s front porch. Marcus called that “just such a joy.”
He also knew that he’d be doing music as his career. Marcus dropped out of high school in his junior year, but he did get his GED.
He told the Post, “I never really had a doubt in my mind. I always knew music was going to be the sole purpose in life for me.”
It only took six days for Marcus and his studio band to record his second album, and the track “Hard Working Man” is like a dedication to his family of musicians. Marcus told American Songwriter, “Whenever I’m playing, I think of my grandfather. I think that track would make him proud to know that I see the importance of being a hard-working citizen.”
Photo Credits: Sam Hunt/Instagram and Joe Don Rooney/Instagram
Country music has always had its share of rebels, outlaws, and bad boys (or girls!). But you might be surprised to learn about country music stars who got arrested after they hit the big time.
We’re beginning with something that’s no joke — a DUI charge (driving under the influence). The number of country music stars who’ve been caught driving under the influence is pretty shocking. Thankfully, they’ve all seemed to learn from this ‘bad judgment’ experience.
Joe Don Rooney Crashed His Car in 2021
On September 9, 2021, former Rascal Flatts guitarist Joe Don Rooney was on the road near Franklin, Tennessee. His vehicle crashed into a tree around 4 a.m.
He was taken into custody by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Joe Don was charged with DUI and later released on a $2,500 bail.
In June 2022, WKRN Nashville reported that Joe Don entered a “guilty plea” in a Nashville court for the charge. People.com wrote that Joe Don spent two days in jail and got the remainder of his year-long sentence suspended.
Joe Don’s driver’s license was also taken away. However, he was later allowed to have a “restricted driver’s license” and drive a vehicle with a “built-in breathalyzer device.”
Wynonna Judd Sang in the Open Booking Area of a Jail
On March 22, 2024, a People.com article discussed Sam Hunt’s new single and video for “Locked Up.” It was a very personal song he’d written about his 2019 DUI arrest.
The lyrics for “Locked Up” show how badly Sam regrets his past behaviors. He also gives a big shout-out to his wife, Hannah Lee Fowler, for standing by him during a rough patch in their marriage.
Listening to the song, you can imagine Sam, after being arrested, reaching out desperately to Hannah with his “only call” from the police station, even though he thinks she might walk away. Sam sings to her, “When you picked up my pieces and my only call, I knew you were in, baby, in for the long haul.”
Country 102.5 recalled Wynonna Judd’s shocking DUI arrest in November 2003. Nashville police caught up with Wynonna, who was driving her Land Rover at an exceptional rate of speed. Officers smelled adult beverages on Wynonna and noticed her pupils were dilated.
When they asked her, Wynonna had no recollection of how many drinks she’d consumed. A Breathalyzer test showed her blood levels were more than double the legal limit. In a crazy twist, Country 102.5 claimed that Wynonna “is believed to be the only country music star ever arrested” who entertained everyone by singing in the “open booking area” at the Nashville jail she was taken to.
Gretchen Wilson is allegedly making a comeback in 2024. Maybe the OG “Redneck Woman” can forget about her August 2018 arrest for “breaching the peace” on a domestic flight to Connecticut. State Police alleged that Gretchen was “belligerent” and “caused a disturbance” before she disembarked at Bradley International Airport.
Randy Travis Was Found Naked Outside of His Car
CNN.com reported in August 2012 that Randy Travis had been arrested for a “DWI” (driving while intoxicated). Randy’s encounter with state troopers who found him “lying on a remote stretch of roadway in northern Texas” is twisted.
Troopers from the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office alleged that Randy “smelled of alcohol” and his 1998 Pontiac Trans Am had been involved in a “one-vehicle crash.” But the craziest detail was that Randy was found totally naked around midnight outside of his car. Allegedly, Randy threatened to fatally harm the troopers who “were working the case.”
Randy’s mugshot tells a startling story. He had a badly bruised right eye and several cuts on his face, although sources weren’t clear about how he sustained those injuries. He was released on a $21,500 bail at 10:40 a.m. on the morning after his arrest.
In March 2024, Today.com said that Randy recently “delighted his fans” with a surprise appearance on The Price Is Right. Randy has faced serious health setbacks in the last decade, including a stroke, a heart condition, and a disorder called aphasia, affecting his ability to communicate. Sources on The Price Is Right said that Randy was “in good spirits,” but he required his wife Mary’s help to get around in his wheelchair.
Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney’s Horse Incident
Country 103.7 described a crazy incident from 24 years ago when Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney were arrested in Buffalo, New York. This shocking story made international headlines, although it was more comical than criminal, and became known as “the horse incident.”
According to Syracuse.com, Tim and Kenny had performed “earlier in the day” on June 3, 2000, at the George Strait Country Music Festival. Allegedly, Kenny, Tim, and Tim’s manager, Mark Russo, were just “goofing around.” Then Kenny decided it would be fun to jump on a horse that belonged to the Erie County Sheriff’s Department.
As Kenny rode off, Tim and Mark allegedly “attacked” deputies who tried to halt Kenny’s breakaway on the horse. Syracuse.com reported that Kenny, Tim, and Mark were “arrested, arraigned, and released on bail.”
The three men were back in a Buffalo courtroom the following year. Kenny was found “not guilty” of disorderly conduct. Tim was found “not guilty” of a felony of assaulting a police officer.
Syracuse.com mentioned that Tim’s wife, Faith Hill, was sitting in the front row of the courtroom. She “wiped away [happy] tears” when the verdict was read.
The record for a celebrity musician with the most arrests probably goes to Kid Rock. The Boot reported that Kid’s fourth arrest in 20 years happened outside a Waffle House in Georgia.
He allegedly got into a “scuffle” and was charged with “simple battery.” Kid paid a $1,000 fine and allegedly performed “80 hours of community service” as a punishment.
Zach Bryan Interfered With a Traffic Stop
Returning to more recent incidents, controversial country star Zach Bryan was behind the wheel in September 2023 when he got arrested in Vinita, Oklahoma. Country 102.5 reported that Zach wasn’t charged with a DUI like other stars on our list.
In Zach’s case, Oklahoma police alleged that he did not obey orders after they pulled him over in his Ram TRX pickup truck. It gets more twisted because Zach’s “security guard” was pulled over before him.
Oklahoma police caught Zach’s security guard doing 78 MPH in a 55 zone. While processing that situation, the police allege that Zach stopped his truck, got out, and “began questioning the officer about what was taking so long.”
The officer told Zach to return to his truck and allegedly told him he would be “taken to jail if he didn’t do so.” That’s when things got crazy.
TMZ obtained Zach’s arrest video, and the officer alleged that Zach told him, “I’ll go to jail, let’s do it.” The officer explained how Zach’s actions “had interfered with the initial traffic stop.” Shockingly, Zach said this is “why people do not like police officers.”
The situation escalated, and Zach ended up in handcuffs. He asks the officers to remove the handcuffs, and Zach is heard telling the officers that “it is going to be a mistake” if they don’t uncuff him.
Shockingly, Zach claimed, “This is the second time this has happened in three days,” and then he complained that the [expletive] cops are out of control.” But Zach later changed his tune, admitting to fans, “I was an idiot.”
Colt Johnson was recently spotted on a dating app, which sparked rumors that he was cheating on his wife, Vanessa Guerra. Just a couple of weeks ago, a Reddit user shared a very interesting post in the 90 Day Fiancé subreddit. TVShowsAce published screenshots of the since-deleted post, in which the original author revealed they had stumbled across Colt’s Tinder profile.
They also shared screenshots of Colt’s profile on the app, including his photos and dating criteria. At the top of his profile, it stated that he wasn’t sure what he was looking for in a relationship. It definitely seemed like he and Vanessa were either broken up or were about to be soon.
Not surprisingly, speculations immediately started going around about Colt allegedly cheating on Vanessa. After all, their relationship had started when he was still dating his girlfriend at the time, Jess Caroline. But was Colt and Vanessa’s marriage actually over because of his infidelity?
According to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup, Vanessa recently set the record straight during a Q&A session on her Instagram Story. When one of her followers asked if the rumors about Colt cheating on her were true, she explained what had really happened.
Vanessa responded by denying the cheating rumors, before adding that she had left him over a month earlier. If she broke up with him in February, that means he was technically single when he was spotted on Tinder.
Vanessa Is Not Interested in Getting Back Together
Vanessa was also questioned about why her marriage to Colt had ended. She revealed that she just wasn’t in love with him anymore. In another response, she claimed that her choice to leave him had nothing to do with his trampoline accident, the surgeries on his leg, or the amount of debt he was in from the medical bills.
Vanessa was asked if she and Colt had managed to stay friends despite their breakup. She replied, “Depends on the day.” However, she made it clear how she really felt about potentially rekindling a romance with him anytime soon, if ever.
One of Vanessa’s followers wanted to know if there was any hope that she and Colt could work things out. But she didn’t even entertain the possibility. She simply responded that Colt “needs to work on himself before being with anybody.”
In another of Vanessa’s answers, she admitted that she feels at peace right now. She explained that she’s been coping with the split by staying busy, going to concerts, visiting friends, traveling, and talking to a therapist.
Vanessa recently deleted all of her Instagram posts, aside from one. In the latest photo she shared, she was with two of her friends at a Bad Bunny concert.
The Ex-Couple Still Follow Each Other on Instagram
Interestingly, just two days after Vanessa shared her post about the concert, Colt posted to his profile for the first time since October 2021. He had shared two photos, one of himself and one of his dog, Loki.
In the caption, Colt mentioned how fortunate he was to be able to bring Loki to dog daycare, and that it felt like he was dropping his son off at school. He also wrote: “Life is full of little wonders, joys and excitement. I hope everyone feels blessed today.”
Even though Colt and Vanessa are both trying to move on from their marriage, they’re still following each other on Instagram. But based on Vanessa’s response about how unpredictable their friendship has been lately, it sounds like that could change at any time.
