It’s no secret that Brad Paisley is a country music legend. He has been praised on many occasions, and he has many trophies that prove his musical talent. His accolades include the Academy of Country Music Awards, American Music Awards, and even a few Grammys. It is clear that the man is an expert in his craft, but what else do you really know about him?
You may not be aware that the singer is a happily married man – to his wife Kimberly Williams for almost two decades! Although she’s not a singer, Williams is no stranger to showbiz. She has an impressive acting resume under her belt. If you want to scoop on a lasting marriage, let’s dig into their super sweet relationship; we’ve got it all!
Check out the truth about Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams.
Kimberly Williams Might Look Familiar
All the way back in 2003, Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams said, “I do.” Although Paisley is a huge country star, you may recognize his wife, too. That’s because she’s an actress who appeared in popular movies like the Father of the Bride film series and television shows like According to Jim, Two and a Half Men, and Nashville.
As you might have guessed, Kimberly is also musically inclined. She worked in theater and made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-Winning play, The Last Night of Ballyhoo. She also performed on London’s West End in David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow.
A Starlet in Her Own Right
According to her personal website, Kimberly has been working in entertainment for 25 years. She even dabbled in behind-the-scenes work like directing and producing. While she was acting on According to Jim, the actress got the opportunity to direct three episodes of the show.
When the actress starred in ABC’s Lucky Seven and the Lifetime Movie Identity Theft, Kimberly also got co-producer credits. She’s certainly keeping busy. If she’s not in front of the cameras, she’s probably behind them. She was already a star before she met her country husband.
How Did They Meet?
Their love story is definitely a unique one, but also incredibly sweet. Kimberly revealed on an episode of The Meredith Vieira Show that Brad “stalked” her. Apparently, he first noticed her when he went to the movies with his ex-girlfriend to watch Father of the Bride.
Paisley “swears” that seven years later, he felt compelled to call her. So, he was very smooth about it. He cast her in the music video for his song, I’m Gonna Miss Her, in order to spend more time with her.
Putting a Ring on It
Spoiler Alert: It worked! If you ever need to work up the courage to call someone, just remember, you may end up marrying them. Well, at least that’s what happened in the case of Brad and Kimberly. They began dating right away.
Shortly after they started going out, the couple got engaged. Their short engagement lasted for just eight months before they walked down the aisle. You know what they say: when you know, you know. The couple tied the knot at the Stauffer Chapel at Pepperdine University in Malibu. And the rest is history.
A Growing Family
The musician and actress have two children together: William Huckleberry and Jasper Warren. William was welcomed into the world on February 22, 2007, and Jasper was born on April 17, 2009. But working in Hollywood and raising children is no easy feat.
Like any other working mom, Kimberly sometimes finds it difficult to balance being an actress and being a mother. She explained: “Either I’m going 100 percent in one direction or another. We try to have calm, quiet Sundays where we’re all hanging out in our pajamas, and I guess that’s the balance we need.”
Renewing Their Vows
The love birds certainly know how to keep their marriage new and exciting. In 2015, Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley decided to renew their wedding vows in what Kimberly called “a really, really campy wedding vow renewal ceremony.”
The actress explained that the ceremony took place at a family friend’s house. “We had a traditional wedding march… Our processional walk,” she revealed to US Weekly. “It was very casual and very campy and silly. It was perfect.” That is so sweet and romantic. I’m glad they had a good time!
They Got Hoaxed!
The internet has changed the world in many great ways – but also in some bad ways. Brad Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley are well aware of the dark side of the web. Back in 2013, the county couple fell victim to an online hoax that started with a single email (via Yahoo).
The couple, who share two children together, received an email from somebody claiming to be a parent too: a mother with a daughter dying of neuroblastoma (a type of cancer). It would be easy to fall for such a trick. A classic manipulation tactic is playing on someone’s emotions. Brad told ABC News, “There’s no way that’s not real. How can that not be real?
As you might have guessed, this was an elaborate scam. This is what really went down.
Building a Relationship
Most people would react with kindness and compassion when someone reaches out and tells them their child is dying from a disease. The original email was from Carrie, the “mother.” She said that her daughter asked her to contact Kimberly Williams-Paisley, but with everything else going on, she forgot.
“So, it sounded real,” the actress told ABC News. “But she wasn’t dying to get a hold of me. You know, that was kind of the beginning of the manipulation.” She stayed in touch with the “mother” for days, exchanging emails, texts, and even speaking to Carrie on the phone.
Red Flags
If that wasn’t enough, Kimberly was sent photographs of journal entries and song recordings that were sung by Claire, Carrie’s sick daughter. At one point, Brad even ended up on the phone singing “Amazing Grace.” But things started getting weird when the famous couple was told that Claire had passed away.
Carrie wouldn’t provide an address when they wanted to send flowers for the funeral. She even sent them an email saying, “I don’t need you to pray for me. Doesn’t seem like God hears much of anything these days.”
She Was a Catfish
As it turned out, the photographs were fake. Well, they were real, but they weren’t of Claire. They’d been taken from the blog of a real child with neuroblastoma, and Brad Paisley described that as the “sickest part” of the hoax.
“That is that part when I start to talk about that, that’s when I get really mad,” the country singer told ABC News. “That there were real kids, that there were real photos involved.” I mean, it’s literally a cancer patient catfish – which is really unsettling.
They Weren’t The Only Victims
The craziest part is that Brad and Kimberly weren’t the only celebs to be targeted with such a cruel trick. ABC’s Nightline conducted an investigation in which they found that famous faces like Jon & Kate Plus 8-star Kate Gosselin, singer-songwriter Natalie Grant, and the country band Little Big Town were contacted with similar stories.
But don’t worry, this story has a happy ending. Well… sort of. Nightline was eventually able to track down the person responsible for these fraudulent crimes: Hope Jackson, from Wyoming.
The Sad Truth
As it turned out, this wasn’t her first rodeo. Jackson actually spent the night in jail after Brad sang “Amazing Grace” to her over the phone – with a felony charge of theft of service. Oddly, the hoax didn’t seem to be about money like most catfish. She just wanted attention and an emotional connection – which is actually really sad. Imagine how lonely someone must feel to take it this far.
Jackson told some celebs that she had a sick child, but to others, she pretended that she was the one sick. Jackson really managed to fool many kind-hearted people. And get this: an episode of “Jon & Kate Plus 8” was dedicated to a woman named Hope, who had died of cancer.
Kimberly Williams and Brad Paisley Are Stepping Up During the Pandemic
The city of Nashville has a new charity venture that is helping people affected by the pandemic and natural disasters. But this story actually began in Santa Barbara, California, at a charity store called Unity Shoppe. Brad Paisley recalled the visit he made with his wife and kids.
“We took our boys to Unity Shoppe to teach them about serving others and giving back to people in need,” he explained. “And we came away surprised by what the organization had taught us. Most people don’t want handouts. They want dignity and respect. Most people want to become self-sufficient.”
The Store
That trip inspired the idea of opening a modern-day food pantry called The Store. The establishment was created in collaboration with a food bank and Brad Paisley’s alma mater, Belmond University, to provide groceries to families with a referral from both nonprofit and government agencies. The singer serves as the president of The Store’s board of trustees.
“This is a grocery store with dignity for people who have fallen on hard times,” Brad told The Tennessean. “All of us are one unforeseen disaster away from rock bottom. It’s nice to think about a place where when that happens to someone, they can use it to get back on their feet.”
A Sense of Purpose
This wasn’t an easy organization to start; in fact, it took the Paisleys and their team three years to get The Store up and running. They had just started stocking up before a tornado hit, and then boom: tornado COVID-19 swept through the nation. Kimberly explained how the store really brings a sense of purpose to her and Brad.
“So many of us feel helpless right now,” the actress admitted. “There’s so many people, who aren’t on the front lines, who want to know what they can do to help. This feels like one of those things for us. We’re pouring a lot into this.”
Giving Back
Currently, The Store delivers 330 bags of free groceries a week in Nashville by a bunch of part-time employees. In addition, the group serves food from Wednesday to Saturday. They served an impressive 15,000 free meals in just two months.
This new charity is crucial to the state, whose unemployment rate hit 500,000 during the pandemic. Unfortunately, many of the people who go to The Store are either waiting for unemployment checks or jobs that aren’t coming. When Belmont University reopens, The Store is hoping to attract student volunteers to get involved in a very important cause.
Dying Her Hair
Along with supporting each other’s careers, raising their children, and running The Store (their nonprofit grocery store), Brad and Kimberly somehow find the time to spend together and make each other (and their fans) laugh. The two randomly make appearances on Instagram together, and it’s hilarious every time – including a recent one where Brad dyed his wife’s hair during quarantine.
“We both have a very good sense of humor,” the singer told The Boot. “Anything I take myself too seriously on, she will gladly cut me down to size on and destroy all the preconceived notions that I’m cool in any way. That’s the key – a sense of humor.”
Kimberly Williams Is Involved in the Alzheimer’s Association
Kimberly’s mother was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, a degenerative brain disease that was eventually discovered to be caused by Alzheimer’s. Tragically, the actress lost her 76-year-old mother after she died of her illness.
As someone who watched my mother deal with my grandmother’s Alzheimer’s, it’s not easy. Watching your loved ones forget who you are is completely heartbreaking. Kimberly wanted to turn her situation a little more positive by working to educate people about Alzheimer’s and raising money in order to research the disease.
An Important Cause
“It’s important to me because I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what I went through or what my dad went through. I wanted this to be a distant memory; I want Alzheimer’s to be forgettable,” Kimberly admitted to Sounds Like Nashville.
Kimberly can also add an author to her resume. She wrote a book called Light Gets when she discusses her relationship with her mom while she was suffering from Alzheimer’s. The book was a success like everything else she’s done, becoming a New York Times best-seller.
The Messy Couple
In a 2004 column for Redbook, Kimberly Williams Paisley admitted that she and her husband argue about who should make the bed. Paisley admitted in 2011 that he won that fight: “neither one of us makes the bed anymore,” he explained.
While he is a perfectionist on stage, the singer confessed that he often walks through the house in muddy boots or just flops on the couch to watch a NASCAR race. “Deep down, I’m just a West Virginia Hillbilly,” he jokingly confessed.
Brad Was Best Friends With Little Jimmy Dickens
After running into each other in the halls of the Grand Ole Opry, Brad Paisley and Jimmy Dickens became fast friends. And by that, we mean, Brad who made his Opry debut in 1999, invited Dickens on a fishing trip and they became good buddies. Dickens was featured in several of Brad’s music videos before he died in 2015. But they met way before that:
After becoming a member of the Jamboree USA radio program in Wheeling W.V., in his early teens, Brad Paisley opened up for country icons like the Judds, Roy Clark, and… you guessed it, Jimmy Dickens.
His Publishing Company
Brad Paisley also runs a very successful publishing company. Early on in his career, Brad Paisley founded Sea Gayle Music, a publishing company. The writers there have since gone on to pen dozens of the most popular songs of the last decade for artists like Garth Brooks, Darius Rucker, and Josh Turner, just to name a few.
In fact, Jerrod Niemann and Wade Bowen owe their early success to this venture. In recent years, Sea Gayle artists have been funneled into Arista Record, Brad Paisley’s label.
His Road Band Is His Studio Band
During an interview with Premier Guitar, Brad expressed that the band you see on stage is the band you hear on his albums. It may not sound particularly remarkable, but it’s pretty much unheard of in Nashville.
More often, record labels insist on trained studio musicians. They want people who are skilled at playing the same lick or riff over and over again with proficiency. Brad actually begged to get his road band to perform on an early album, and after the produced four hits, the label finally gave in.
He’ll Have a Shirley Temple
Brad Paisley is one of those celebrities out there who chooses not to drink. Yes, the man who wrote and recorded one of the best drinking songs of all time doesn’t even drink! It’s definitely the smart choice to avoid alcohol, so it’s cool and inspiring to see Brad’s healthy mindset.
The song “Alchohol” is all about getting drunk and making a fool of yourself. But Brad prefers to watch the action and stay out of trouble. You may find him holding a Yoo-Hoo instead – Brad’s drink of choice.
His Favorite Brad Paisley Song Was Alcohol
Ironically, during a 2008 interview with radio station WQDR, Brad said “Alcohol” was his favorite song that he had written. But then, in 2009, he did an interview with The Boot, where the singer shared his new favorite song.
The new favorite is “Welcome to the Future,” from his American Saturday Night project. He got help from songwriter Chris DuBois with that one. Still, that song seems more his speed… since the singer − you know – doesn’t even drink alcohol.
Football Buddies With William Shatner
Whenever Brad Paisley is in Los Angeles during football season, he calls up his old friend, William Shatner, to watch the big game. It actually happens to be a star-studded affair: “He has great parties, and everybody’s there, from Ben Stiller to Patrick Stewart, you name it. It’s a blast,” Brad told ESPN.
“It’s really amazing to watch the enthusiasm that this Canadian guy has for the game. Watching it with a guy like him, it’s really hilarious. I love those parties.” The singer also admitted that he had had dreams to play for the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, his athletic career ended after junior high.
He Keeps His Awards at His Parents’ House
People reported that Brad Paisley gives all his trophies to his parents: “I don’t like reminders of the past all that much,” the singer said. “Nor do I have time to dust or polish the statuettes, so my parents take care and display most of them at their house.”
He has plenty of guitars at home, though. In fact, he and his wife Kimberly have an agreement that they have to ask each other before buying something that costs over $5,000. Luckily, you can get a few sexy-six-stringed instruments under that budget.
Country Friendship
As country music superstars, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have crossed paths. However, the country singers are more than just acquaintances in the industry; they are actually great friends and amazing collaborators.
Back in 2011, the singers released their duet “Remind Me,” and the song was nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year. The song was great, and both of them sounded incredible. Everyone is still waiting for Brad and Carrie to make more music together.
He Brushes His Teeth Before Going on Stage
Everyone has their weird habits. Sometimes we’re embarrassed to talk about our OCD tendencies, but we all have them. Country superstars are no exception. Brad Paisley’s weird habit is actually a very healthy and hygienic one: brushing his teeth.
He revealed to People Magazine that “the last thing I do before I get on stage is brush my teeth. There’s been a time or two where I went to the stage and didn’t, and I’m thinking about it the whole time. I’m up there worrying about a piece of broccoli!” No wonder he has such a handsome smile.
Brad’s Tour Bus Is Corvette Themed
One of the best parts of being a singer is commanding the stage and entertaining thousands of fans. When musicians go on tour, they like to add their own personalities into their tour bus in order to feel a sense of identity in such a cut-throat industry. Paisley definitely likes to tour in style.
He told People Magazine, “The coolest thing about my tour bus is it is a 1960 Corvette theme. The inside of it is done like a high-end garage with a checkerboard theme. We have red utility cabinets, the Corvette logo and 1960 Pennzoil gas pump mounted behind the slide-out.”
His TV Time
Watching TV is a fun pastime for most people. I mean, “Netflix and chill” has become a very popular activity in recent years. And whether you “chill” or actually watch Netflix, everyone has shows to catch up on. However, it’s really hard for Brad Paisley to find the time to sit down and binge a show. He told People Magazine:
“I never get to watch TV that much at home, so I catch up on the road. There’s nothing else to do once that bus rolls out, so me and the guys will sit and binge-watch House of Cards or Battlestar Galactica.”
Cereal and 2% Milk
No matter who you are, famous or not, everyone loves food. I think it’s one of the main things humans have in common. However, our taste in food varies. Brad Paisley revealed his go-to tour bus snack to People Magazine:
“The most interesting thing on my tour rider is really simple and boring. We usually ask for 2 percent milk and cereal.” Cereal isn’t exactly a fancy treat that you would expect a superstar to chomp down on his free time. But Brad is certainly satisfied with it.
Presenting… The C-Notes
Before Brad Paisley was the incredibly successful solo artist that we all know and love, he was part of a little band called C-Notes. I should mention that this was a very long time ago – back before Brad was even a teenager!
The band consisted of Brad, two of his friends, and his guitar teacher named Clarence “Hank” Goddard. That sounds like a fun time. I made up my own band when I was ten too. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the talent or skill to follow my musical dreams.
His Clothing Line
Brad Paisley clearly has a busy schedule. Having a demanding career, raising a family, and working on The Store, seems like a lot for one person. But not for Brad. In addition to all his other endeavors, the singer has his very own fashion line at Boot Barn! How cool is that?
His clothing line is called Moonshine Spirit and has everything a cowboy (or cowgirl) could ever need, including hats, jeans, shirts, jewelry, jackets, and boots! Like everything else he does, the line is very successful. He launched it back in 2014, and it’s still thriving!