Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are arguably one of the best power couples in country music. Country music fans are certainly aware of this power couple who have been together for over a decade (an accomplishment for celebrities).

But little is known about their difficult journey before tieing the knot. As Brooks revealed he can’t be away from his wife, we take a look at what got them to this point. From being just friends to an inseparable marriage, this is their journey.

Before either had a record label, the pair became friends! Brooks and Yearwood met in 1987 while recording a demo at songwriter Kent Blazy’s attic studio and immediately hit it off.

Married at the time, Yearwood, said, “We hit it off, but I had no idea he’d turn out to be Garth Brooks!” While her unknowingly future partner later revealed, “It’s strange because I felt that feeling like when you just meet your wife, but I’d been married for 13 months.”

After recording at Blazy’s studio, Yearwood was paid $10 for her work, while Brooks walked away without a dime, according to CMT. However, he did manage to gain a lot more than money from the recording; his first meeting with his future wife.

Despite their instant connection, Brooks was married to his then-wife, college sweetheart Sandy Mahl, and Yearwood was married to her college beau, Chris Latham. Therefore, the singers had no choice but to maintain a professional relationship and keep things platonic.

Brooks even promised to Yearwood that when he got his record deal and made it big, she could open shows for him. Brooks stuck to his word and two years later, following the release of his first album, the two friends went on tour together.

They also collaborated on duets such as “Like We Never Had a Broken Heart,” from Trisha’s debut album, and “In Another’s Eyes,” which appeared on her 1997 record, “A Collection of Hits.” Despite his initial feelings, the two remained faithful to their partners.

For the next few years while performing together, the friends got on with their lives. Brooks and his wife, Mahl, had three daughters: Taylor Mayne Pearl (1992), August Anna (1994), and Allie Colleen Brooks (1996).

Despite being the best-selling solo albums artist in the US and the only artist in history to have released 7 albums achieving diamond status, Brooks decided to take a break from his career in 2000 in order to spend more time with his daughters. A year later, he and Sandy filed for divorce.

While Brooks was becoming a huge success, Trisha was making a name for herself and released her debut album in 1991, which contained the number 1 single “She’s in Love with the Boy.”

She recorded some duets with Garth, including “In Another’s Eyes,” which became a huge success and won them a Grammy Award. Unfortunately, her romance was less successful. She divorced her first husband Chris Latham in 1991 and married Robert “Bobby” Reynolds, bass player for the country music group The Mavericks, in 1994. The couple divorced in 1999.

Finally, the two friends were single and dynamics began to change. Away from the public eye, romance began to blossom. In 2002, they were spotted holding hands at a memorial service for Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard.

This was their first public appearance as a couple. After that, they made appearances in public including at events and restaurants. Brooks revealed to Ellen DeGeneres, “You keep hacking [at marriage], you work and you work and then comes that time where you’re looking at the rest of your life going, how do you want to live it?”

Brooks continued to say “[Trisha] is somebody who I always enjoyed being around, and we had a lot more in common than I ever dreamed we did and we started seeing each other after the divorce after we came off tour.”

Three years later the couple was at star Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace. They were at the unveiling for the bronze statues of Garth and other music legends. When Garth’s statue was revealed, it had a wedding band on its left hand. Quite the giveaway, Trisha said, “You’re not going [to do this] in front of these people?”

But Brooks did not listen to her and, on stage, in front of a crowd of 7,000 people, he got down on one knee, removed his hat, and asked Trisha, “Will you marry me?” Despite living together for a few years, Yearwood was stunned, “Her knees were like Jell-O,” talent coordinator Jerry Hufford told People.

While crying tears of joy, she accepted the proposal. A year later, they tied the knot at their home in Oklahoma in front of only four family members.

The happy couple had an extremely intimate Christmas-style wedding, marrying in mid-December 2005. “It’s the perfect Christmas gift to each other. We could not be happier.” Brooks and Yearwood make it a point to make their anniversary a family affair.

“When we got married … we married the girls,” Yearwood says, referring to Brooks’ three daughters, Taylor, August, and Allie. “So the five of us always celebrate together.” Up to this point, life seemed pretty perfect. But what are the strange facts about their marriage that we do not know about?

Garth Brooks has admitted that he cannot spend a day apart from his beloved wife. While it is acceptable for couples to spend time apart, Brooks wants to be right by Yearwood’s side day in and day out.

In a 2014 interview with People, Brooks told reporters they were “looking at the luckiest, most blessed guy on the planet.” He reportedly began to tear up when he said, “I’m madly in love with her and I can’t stand to spend a day without her.”

As you may already be able to tell, Brooks is not shy about PDA. On their 12th anniversary, he spoke openly on iHeartRadio, “It’s just twelve. It could be a hundred and twelve and it would still feel the same.

Every day is like the first day for me. Everything from the way she smells to the way she talks. Just things that never get old.” That year Garth and Trisha celebrated their anniversary on stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena during the final shows of their world tour.

Ready for more cringe? While visiting The View, Brooks continued to share his devoted love for his spouse. He joked with the talk show hosts that he introduces his wife as “the love of his life” everywhere they go.

Meanwhile, Yearwood jokingly refers to him as “her current husband.” During that same interview, Yearwood called Brooks her “biggest cheerleader” off and on the stage and said even when they’re not all “lovey-dovey and passionate,” they’re still the best of friends.

They may be the King and Queen of country music and have dominated the country music charts, but when it comes to their own personal downtime preferences, the pair claim to be fans of pop music.

Brooks surprised Yearwood for her 53rd birthday with an impromptu trip to Louisville, KY to see Bruno Mars perform live. In a Facebook post, Yearwood said she wasn’t sure “who had more fun” at her birthday — her or Brooks! Judging by pictures, it seems the joy was mutual!

Yearwood shyly revealed in an interview with Today that her hubby nicknames her “Queen.” Despite apparently pleading to call her just “Trisha,” we all know this affectionate man won’t be budging at any point in the near future.

On his Instagram account, pictures he takes alongside Yearwood usually include a royal reference. He captioned a picture at the Country Music Awards in November 2016 with “Standing next to the QUEEN makes any day a great day, but especially today! love, g.”

We are not sure just how much more sappy Brooks can get, but we think this may top it off. During a joint interview with Parade magazine, he revealed another quirky fact about their marriage.

The “Ask Me How I Know” singer admitted he knew Yearwood was the one because when they started dating, he discovered she was everything he wanted her to be and more. He even declared that he loves “breathing the same air she’s breathing.” Cringeworthy or cute? You take your pick.

Yearwood and Brooks are so content in their marriage that they want to spread the love. They even go out of their way to make sure other couples feel the same way they do.

According to CBS News, the couple has helped settle the bill for a newlywed couple’s honeymoon and sent wedding gifts to another set of fans. But Brooks does not just do this for anyone, the generosity was triggered by an event that happened during one of his Oklahoma City concerts.

One fan, Drew Bargsley, got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend Chelsea Townsend during the song “Unanswered Prayers” and she said yes. Creating a commotion, the singer stopped his performance to see what was going on.

“Chelsea, where do you want to go on your honeymoon?” Brooks asked. After revealing she did not know yet, Brooks said. “Tell you what, if you pick Hawaii, Miss Yearwood and I will pay for it.” Yearwood congratulated the couple too but hoped no one else would get engaged that night.

The generosity didn’t stop there. At a show in Lafayette, Louisiana, Jude and Jamie Blanchard held up a sign reading: “Best Week Ever. Garth this Friday, our wedding next Friday.” Brooks spotted it and serenaded the couple with a song.

He then asked them if they wanted him to purchase anything from their wedding registry. The couple (obviously) couldn’t refuse and passed forward a wedding invitation for the superstar. The newlyweds certainly got more than expected, they reportedly received “a pair of lounge chairs, a KitchenAid mixer, and other items” delivered to their doorstep.

Just like a puppy dog, when Brooks is not breathing in the same air that his wife breathes, he is catching a whiff of her natural scent. Brooks told iHeart Radio on their 12-year anniversary that “It could be a hundred and twelve [years of marriage] and it would still feel the same.

Every day is like the first day for me.” He added, “Everything from the way she smells to the way she talks. Just things that never get old.”

Having a Starbucks within a mile is great, but Yearwood is lucky enough to get her coffee delivered every morning to her from her beloved husband. “He gets up every morning and makes my coffee,” she told People magazine.

“And it’s the best. And if I have to get up early, like right now I’m filming my cooking show and I’m getting up at like 6 o’clock in the morning, and he doesn’t have to get up at 6 o’clock, he gets up and makes my coffee.” What’s more, Brooks doesn’t even drink it himself!

The main cause for celebrity couple failure is limited quality time together. Even once Brooks had retired, Yearwood was still making tracks. In order to be closer, she cut her tour dates “way down” and eventually quit touring entirely.

Instead, she created a series of cookbooks and started hosting her own Food Network cooking show, Trisha’s Southern Kitchen. This way they would never be apart. She said they’re together “99 percent of the time … We don’t spend very many nights apart.”

After thirteen years in retirement, Brooks came back on tour. From 2014, he and Yearwood spent three years on tour together, covering 383 shows. Brooks called the tour an “emotional rollercoaster”.

He said, “It’s been three years of your life with your best buddies out there so you’re proud of your work but at the same time you hate to see it end because this is how you become accustomed to your days.” Demand was so high the pair performed multiple concerts with even two shows per night in some cases.

The couple has certainly proven that their relationship is a strong one. They’ve toured together, performed at the CMA Awards together, and released their first joint album: a collection of holiday songs called Christmas Together.

They will celebrate their 13-year wedding anniversary on December 10th. When asked about touring with each other, Yearwood said, ” I can’t think of anything negative.” With Brooks agreeing, “I don’t have anything negative, either… I can’t think of a con, other than you can’t get away with stuff. But that keeps you honest.”

This summer, the country power couple headed out to Mishawaka, IN to work alongside hundreds of volunteers for Habitat for Humanity’s 35th Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. The group constructed 22 new, affordable homes for low-income families.

Brooks and Yearwood have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for over a decade. They take away a lot from the experience, “You still learn new experiences every day. You learn that the system works,” Brooks says. “[The new homeowners] put in their sweat equity, and then they take out a mortgage, and here we go. They become part of the system.”

Earlier this year, Brooks headlined a two-hour set in front of a crowd of 75,000 at Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which he described as “The coolest outdoor festival there is.”

After playing there herself 10 years earlier, Yearwood knew how amazing the experience would be for her husband. But of course, a performance now would not be the same without his wife by his side. He admitted in an interview now it’s like “Hi Garth, where’s your wife? It’s never separated anymore.”

It does not seem like the country music king and queen will be hanging up their cowboy boots anytime soon as the pair are not ready to give up their day job. “I can sing, I’m not going to stop,” Yearwood said in an interview, “We hit the jackpot because we are with the love of our lives.

We also get to do what we love for a living. So as long as we can do that, we’re going to do that.”

They say romance never dies, and in Brooks’ case, that is certainly true. After 13 years of marriage, the country singer will be romantically surprising his wife during his performance on the 52nd Annual CMA Awards with his new track.

The song will be as new to her as it will be to everyone else attending the awards celebration. He revealed that although the song is not directly about Yearwood, the message about strong women is what reminds him of his wife.

Brooks revealed on his Facebook chat a sneak peek into what his wife is working on. Just recently, Yearwood posted seductive pictures to Instagram which created many questions among their fans. He shared, “[They] have been asking for something for years to come out, and this is cool.

It’s neat to be in the house with her while this is going on.” Although there is no word as to when the secret song will be released, Brooks’ song will be available after the CMA Awards.

Even though Brooks has plans for an upcoming three-year stadium tour, that does not mean the country couple will spend time apart. While he will be performing alone, Trisha will be joining with her own tailgate session.

Fans can sample her recipes and cocktails, as well as check out furniture and accessories from her home collection. While she may appear as an occasional surprise guest during his stadium shows, Yearwood will also be in the studio this year making music of her own.

Since their marriage, Brooks and Yearwood have mostly worked and performed as a team. But soon the country stars are going to focus on their own individual projects. Yearwood has plans to record new music, while Brooks has announced an upcoming performance at Notre Dame Stadium.

Despite the fact that they won’t be on stage together, Yearwood and Brooks say they’ll still be spending the same amount of time together off-stage. “We didn’t get married to be apart, so we’re gonna be together all the time,” Brooks has revealed. Now that is true love.

Ursula Andress is an actress and former model who’s known for being the very first Bond Girl. What many people don’t realize, though, is the beauty’s life was almost as secretive and thrilling as 007 himself! See Andress’ journey in Hollywood, what she thought about her bombshell status, and why she became known as an A-list heartbreaker.

Andress was born in Ostermundigen, Switzerland, on March 19th, 1936. Her parents were well-to-do, so Ursula lived a privileged life with her five siblings — brother Heinz, and sisters Erika, Charlotte, Gisela, and Kàtey. Her father had to leave Switzerland at one point, putting his children in their grandfather’s care.

The soon-to-be actress was well-traveled and studied in Berlin until she was 16 years old. There, she learned to speak English, French, German, and Italian. After that, Andress moved to Paris, and then Rome — which is where her career began…

At the age of 17, Andress met famous actor Daniel Gélin, who was filming a movie at Ursula’s school in Paris. The pair became infatuated with each other despite the fact that Gélin was married and 30 years Andress’ senior.

Regardless of all the reasons not to be together, the duo insisted they were in love, and Ursula decided to follow Daniel to Italy after his film wrapped. The actor tricked the teenager’s mother with a fake contract from Studios de Billancourt, which convinced her to allow Ursula to go to Rome.

After spending some time with Gélin in Rome, his illicit substance use became too much for Andress, and she ended things. However, she didn’t want to return to Switzerland — so much so, that when her family contacted the authorities in an attempt to find her, Ursula hid.

For a while, the young woman stayed at Hotel de la Ville with her friend, Bridgitte Bardot, who also went on to become an actress and model. The pair “innocently” shared a bed with movie director Roger Vadmin – all three of them unclad.

Eventually, Andress’ family did find her, but she convinced them to let her pursue her dream of traveling. She worked as a nanny for a while, but quickly found her footing in the modeling industry. At first, Ursula tried everything.

She posed for artists and took bit parts in various Italian films. However, one of Gélin’s friends, Marlon Brando, advised the model to focus her efforts on Hollywood if she really wanted to become successful. So, that’s exactly what Ursula did.

Andress moved to Hollywood in January 1955 and, like most aspiring stars, was shocked by how difficult it is to make it big in Tinseltown. Paramount insisted that Ursula study Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo’s films, as they were considered the two most beautiful actresses of that time.

She was also instructed to take English lessons from Audrey Hepburn’s mother. However — as you’ve probably already figured out — Andress wasn’t one to follow directions. The actress complains that she felt as if Paramount had “locked me up in a glass cage.”

Andress struggled in Hollywood due to her limited English. So, she entered a four-month-long relationship with A-lister James Dean, hoping some of his star status would rub off on her. Although that wasn’t the case, their romance did keep Ursula’s name in the celebrity world long enough for her to find her next leading man — actor John Derek.

Derek was married and had children, while Andress was 19 years old and didn’t speak the same language as him. However, as with Gélin, such minor details didn’t stop them.

Derek promptly divorced his wife, married Andress, and traveled the world with her on a four-year-long honeymoon. Although one might think leaving their wife and kids for a barely adult woman who you can’t communicate with is a good idea, John quickly learned that he’d messed up.

The actor found himself shocked by Ursula’s lack of ambition and frustrated that she wouldn’t read any of the scripts sent to her or pursue any potential roles. It’s almost as if she was a 19-year-old who just wanted to have fun.

For Andress, the point of fame and fortune was always freedom and the ability it gave her to see the world. The actress explained, “I am a gypsy. I have always been a gypsy, dreaming about curiosity and dreaming about traveling.”

She continued, “The world has become so small today. It is so sad that everything is becoming the same, and different traditions and cultures are all disappearing. I want to see different cultures and different traditions.”

Eventually, Andress bought herself out of her Paramount contract and signed with Columbia Pictures instead, but still showed little to no interest in working towards becoming an actress.

However, success found her anyway in 1962. Derek took a photo of Ursula, which ended up in the hands of several producers. They quickly offered the young beauty the role of Honey Ryder in ​​Dr. No — the very first James Bond movie.

As she did with so many other roles, Andress initially declined the offer to portray Honey Ryder. However, her friend and successful actor, Kirk Douglas, read the script aloud, which convinced Ursula to accept the opportunity.

The finally employed young woman set off to Jamaica for filming, which is where she met Sean Connery — the very first actor to play James Bond. Initially, Andress was intimidated by the star, but the two eventually hit it off and became good friends.

Connery became very protective of Andress, who was unknown at the time, still learning English, and faced a lot of struggles while filming. The Swiss actress was told she didn’t “look Jamaican enough,” which led production to routinely spray tan her.

Then, the filmmakers were unhappy with Ursula’s Swiss-German accent, stating that no one could understand her. Not one to pass up on hiring the beauty, the production team decided to dub over Andress’ lines instead.

Everyone knows that Dr. No scene in which Honey Ryder emerges from the water wearing a white bikini. What you may not be aware of, though, is that Ursula made that iconic swimsuit herself. The actress was shown several options throughout production but didn’t like any of them, so she simply made her own.

Years later, that very bikini sold at a James Bond auction for roughly $60,000. Upon parting with it, Andress admitted, “This bikini made me into a success.”

After solidifying her status as the first Bond Girl, more Hollywood opportunities began to pour in. Andress worked with Elvis on Fun in Acapulco and spoke highly of the star.

She said, “The only way I knew him was from TV, this new idol, this hip-swinging lover with a guitar. The first day I went to work, he came over, this humble man, full of charm, love in his eyes and kindness, and being so considerate and warm. I was so surprised.”

After that, it was clear that Andress had made it in Hollywood. She went on to work with other big names, such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Anita Ekberg, and starred in successful movies. One such film was Once Before I Die with her then-husband in 1964.

However, that was the production that ended their marriage, there were whispers that Ursula was cheating on Derek with her co-star, Ron Ely. To this day, Andress hasn’t revealed if the rumors were true.

Despite the actress’ success, Andress did miss out on some roles that went on to become just as iconic as Honey Ryder. Ursula was almost cast as Nova in Planet of the Apes, which went to Linda Harrison. She turned down portraying Loana in One Million Years B.C., which made Raquel Welch famous.

And, Andress was the original pick for Sophie in Sophie’s Choice, which ultimately went to Meryl Streep, who received a Best Actress Oscar for her performance.

Andress was known for being comfortable with work that required her to take off her clothing. She famously auditioned in the nude for the film 4 for Texas. Interestingly, she remains entirely clothed in the movie itself, as censors stepped in.

Ursula also posed for Playboy a total of eight times in her career. When asked why she participated in some of the racier aspects of Hollywood, the actress replied, “Because I’m beautiful.”

Ursula’s love life became quite predictable, as the actress would routinely fall for one of her co-stars on the set of whatever movie she was filming.

It happened with John Richardson while working on She, Marcello Mastroianni while making The 10th Victim, and Jean-Paul Belmondo on the set of Up to His Ears. Each relationship only lasted a few months, with the exception of Belmondo, whom Andress called “the love of her life.”

Andress had an on-again-off-again relationship with actor Ryan O’Neal, who was widely thought to be the worst of her lovers. At one point, while they were together, Ursula broke her arm — which the media blamed on a bodysurfing injury. However, many speculate that O’Neal was to blame, and his temper had gotten ahold of him.

It’s important to keep in mind that, in those days, production companies had a lot more control over their stars’ public images than they do now. To this day, fans are left to wonder what to believe.

In 1967, the actress was offered to be in another James Bond movie. This time, the film was Casino Royale, and Andress portrayed Vesper Lynd. Unlike her first time on a Bond movie set, Ursula was a star now.

Director Val Guest gushed that she was “universally loved by everyone in [the] studio.” With success under her belt and her finances in order, Andress decided to become pickier about the parts she played.

Andress took on sultry role after sultry role until she finally earned herself the nickname “Ursula Undress.” She also continued on her path of dating men she met on set after her seven-year-long relationship with Belmondo ended.

Looking back on her various lovers, the actress has said that her feelings for each one were “deep” and “platonic,” and that she’d like for them to all live in a big house together. We highly doubt they feel the same way.

At that point, audiences started rooting for feminist characters and wanted to see tough, baddie women on screen. However, Ursula was uninterested in changing with the times and continued to take on roles that flaunted her body.

Soon, her films began to flop, as the public grew tired of seeing the same type of character repeated over and over again. However, Andress stayed relevant long enough to act in Clash of the Titans where she — you guessed it — met another man.

After meeting Harry Hamlin, and accidentally becoming pregnant with his child, Andress was ready to settle down. She was 44 years old, Hamlin was 28, and the two had a son named Dimitri Alexander Hamlin before getting engaged.

Ursula admitted that prior to becoming a mother, she was someone who “refused even the responsibility of pets.” With the combination of having a newborn, and her career already struggling, Andress took a step down in Hollywood, confining herself to bit parts in TV shows.

The actors broke up three years after having a child, with Andress blaming herself for the split, saying she was “possessive.”

Hamlin’s current wife, Lisa Rinna, revealed in 2020, “Ursula is the movie star that you would imagine. He said she called him and said, ‘Harry, come to my room.’ And so he did, at 28 years old, he went in and she got pregnant that night. And that was that, at 44. First time.”

Andress’ last known love was a controversial one, which is probably why she’s kept her romantic life private ever since. In 1986, she began to date 20-year-old economics college student, Fausto Fagone, while she was 50.

The age gap enraged the public — who seemed to have forgotten about Derek pursuing Andress when she was 19 – and the pair broke up in 1991. Unphased, Ursula said, “Love affairs and husbands can end, but a child is forever. Dimitri is my love now.”

Although Andress had her fun in the past, the actress has made it clear that she isn’t that person anymore. In 1996, Playboy offered Ursula $250,000 to do a photo shoot for her 60th birthday.

Andress declined saying, “I’m happy to cover up now, and to keep the old photos going.” To be clear, in 1965, Playboy paid Ursula roughly five times what they’d shell out for photoshoots back then, so she’s made her money from them.

Given how nonchalant Andress was about climbing the Hollywood ladder in the first place, we can assume she just wants to live a financially comfortable life. Perhaps that’s why Ursula hasn’t bothered with acting in recent years.

As it turns out, she’s incredibly wealthy from investing in the stock market. The actress revealed, “I was lucky to earn money easily, but I invested it carefully, and now I’m happy I did because then I had the responsibility of raising my child as a single mother.”

Sadly, Andress suffers from Osteoporosis, an incurable condition that makes her bones extremely fragile. In 2008, the actress said, “I don’t want to become a crippled old lady, bent double, who can only shuffle along. There would be no point for me. If I cannot be active, I would rather die. I could not cope without full mobility. My life would be over.”

She went on to express regret at not taking the diagnosis seriously sooner because, “I had no pain, no warning.”

Despite still being perfectly beautiful, Andress recognizes that time has come for her, as it does for all of us.

She’s referred to her Bond Girl days saying, “Years ago looking like that was easy, now it is hard. These days I prefer a little more darkness, and to keep the old photos going. Age brings you very strange surprises. […] It is such a surprise when you discover it for yourself because it is completely different.”

Andress now lives a quiet life away from Hollywood, splitting her time between Switzerland and Rome. She makes a few occasional appearances in various media but seems to be done with acting for good.

Andress’ last venture into the spotlight was to comment on Sean Connery’s passing. She described him as “loyal,” “a fabulous actor,” and “a great friend.” Ursula stated, “For me, Sean is not dead, he will always be alive, with me forever.”

As for herself, Ursula is satisfied with her life but has expressed her concern for the next generation. Andress has said, “I’ve had a very fabulous life, and if I had to go tomorrow, I wouldn’t mind. But for the children who haven’t had their turn yet, I feel sorry that we made a very big mess of this world.”

World issues and controversies aside, Ursula Andress will always be the original Bond Girl and the woman who created the life she wanted — on her own terms.