Country music star Trace Adkins has lived a life as dramatic as any of his hit songs, marked by massive chart-topping success, public struggles with alcoholism, and four separate marriages. While his deep baritone voice and towering presence made him a fixture of modern country music, his personal life has regularly captured public curiosity. From his high school sweetheart to his current life with a Canadian actress, understanding his relationship history requires looking at how each chapter shaped him.
Trace Adkins has been married four times to four different women: Barbara Lewis, Julie Curtis, Rhonda Forlaw, and Victoria Pratt. Each marriage represents a distinct era of his personal evolution, spanning his early days before fame, the turbulent years of his rise to Nashville stardom, and his eventual journey toward sustained sobriety and peace.
Barbara Lewis: The Early Years and First Marriage
Long before country radio knew his name, Trace Adkins married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Lewis. The young couple tied the knot in the early 1980s when Adkins was still in his early twenties, trying to find his footing long before his breakthrough debut album Dreamin' Out Loud hit shelves.
During this first marriage, they welcomed two daughters together: Tarah and Sarah. Life during these years was far from the glitz of Nashville red carpets; Adkins worked rough jobs in the oil industry while trying to carve out a living playing music in local honky-tonks. The immense pressure of early marriage, financial strain, and the relentless grind of chasing a music career eventually took a toll. The couple divorced in 1990 after roughly eight years of marriage. Despite the split, both daughters remained a central part of his life as he navigated his rising career.
Julie Curtis: A Turbulent Marriage and Near-Fatal Incident
Adkins married his second wife, Julie Curtis, in 1991. This three-year marriage remains the most dramatic and heavily publicized chapter of his personal history due to a terrifying domestic incident that nearly ended his life.
In February 1994, amid escalating tensions fueled by Adkins' severe struggles with alcoholism, a heated argument broke out between the couple. Curtis, attempting to get him to leave, drew a .38-caliber revolver. During the ensuing struggle, a shot was fired, striking Adkins in the chest. The bullet punctured both his heart and his lungs, requiring emergency life-flight transport to Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Miraculously, surgeons saved his life. Adkins later spoke openly about the incident, admitting that his own battle with alcohol played a major role in the volatile environment. The marriage dissolved quickly following the shooting, and the divorce was finalized later that year. Curtis and Adkins did not have any children together. Decades later, Adkins expressed forgiveness toward Curtis before her passing in 2021 at the age of 59.
Rhonda Forlaw: Seventeen Years and the Longest Marriage
By the mid-1990s, Trace Adkins was establishing himself as a commercial powerhouse in country music. In 1997, he married Rhonda Forlaw, a public relations executive in the music industry. This marriage stood as his longest, lasting for nearly seventeen years.
During their marriage, Adkins and Forlaw welcomed three daughters: Mackenzie, Brianna, and Trinity. To the public, they appeared to be a stable industry couple, weathering the demands of touring and mainstream stardom together. However, Adkins' ongoing battle with alcoholism continued to strain the household behind closed doors.
The breaking point arrived in 2014. Following an incident involving an overzealous tribute artist on a music cruise—which prompted Adkins to enter a rehabilitation facility—Rhonda filed for divorce in Williamson County, Tennessee, citing irreconcilable differences. Although the couple briefly attempted reconciliation and filed to expunge the initial paperwork, the split ultimately proved permanent. The legal dissolution of the marriage wound its way through Tennessee courts for years, finally concluding with a finalized settlement in late 2023.
Despite the end of the marriage, Forlaw and their daughters played a pivotal role in staging an intervention that finally helped Adkins achieve lasting sobriety. He credited his children and his ex-wife's tough love for helping him realize that maintaining his sobriety was the single most important key to his future.
Victoria Pratt: Finding Stability and Current Marriage
Following his separation from Rhonda, Adkins found a renewed sense of peace when he crossed paths with Canadian actress and model Victoria Pratt. The two met while working on the film The Virginian in 2014, sparking a close friendship that gradually blossomed into a romance.
Pratt, known for her roles in television and film, brought a grounded stability into the country star's life. On October 12, 2019, the couple tied the knot during an intimate ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana. In a testament to his deep roots in the Nashville community, the wedding was officiated by his close friend and fellow country icon Blake Shelton.
This marriage is the fourth for Adkins and the second for Pratt, who was previously married to director T.J. Scott. Years into their marriage, the couple maintains a quiet, stable life together, frequently sharing glimpses of their blended family and travels on social media. Adkins has often noted that finding Victoria allowed him to settle into a peaceful, sober chapter after decades of personal storms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children does Trace Adkins have?
Trace Adkins is a father to five daughters across his first and third marriages. He shares Tarah and Sarah with his first wife, Barbara Lewis, and Mackenzie, Brianna, and Trinity with his third wife, Rhonda Forlaw.
Who is Trace Adkins currently married to?
He is currently married to Canadian actress and fitness model Victoria Pratt. The couple wed in New Orleans in October 2019 in a ceremony officiated by Blake Shelton. You can read more about his career milestones on the Grand Ole Opry artist directory.
What happened with Trace Adkins' second wife?
In 1994, during an argument related to his alcoholism, his second wife, Julie Curtis, shot him in the chest with a .38-caliber revolver. The bullet damaged his heart and lungs, requiring emergency surgery. The couple divorced shortly after the incident.
How long was Trace Adkins married to Rhonda Forlaw?
Trace and Rhonda were married for approximately 17 years before she filed for divorce in March 2014. Their divorce proceedings took several years to legally finalize, concluding through the Tennessee court system in 2023.
