Zac Brown And Wife Shelly Are Separating After 12 Years Of Marriage

After 12 years of marriage and five children together, Zac and Shelly Brown have decided to go their own separate ways. Earlier today, the couple announced the sad news by releasing a joint statement to People, letting their fans know that they have decided to separate as a couple. The couple wed back in 2006 and share five children together — Alexander, 4, Joni, 7, Georgia, 8, Lucy, 10, and Justice, 11.

“We feel blessed to be on such an incredible journey in life and sometimes the journey begins to lead in different directions. It is with deep love and respect that we announce we are separating as a couple.”

“We have led a whirlwind life together growing into a beautiful family with five amazing children and while life will be rearranging a bit, our love and commitment to our family will always be there,” the statement continued. “This was a difficult decision, but we’ve done plenty of tough things together and this is our next venture — love, mutual respect, and care for each other are what we are moving forward with.”

At the end of the statement, Zac and Shelly reminded people that family comes in “all different forms” while also asking people to refrain from commenting on the split or sending negative energy. Instead, the pair suggested that people channel that energy into something more positive, like sending love to their own families.

Zac and Shelly first met shortly after college, after he played a show on New Year’s Eve. Brown recalled the event in an interview with his record label, Big Machine Label Group, saying that his other date stood him up and he thought that he would be left without someone to kiss at midnight. But as fate would have it, he came across Shelly when he was walking home from a friend’s house and the rest was history.

“There she was, standin’ right there and I remember kissin’ her and then that was game over.”

It is also pretty well known that Zac has chosen to tour with his children, opting to homeschool them so they can spend more time as a family while Zac travels for work.

According to his website, Brown has a few upcoming shows though he is not actually on a nationwide tour at this time. On October 13, Brown will play at the “7th Annual Night of the Candles,” and on October 19 he will play at “Party in the Pines” in White Springs, Florida. The 40-year-old will then finish out October on the 27 at the Blues Fest at the O2 in London.