The Real Reasons Miranda Lambert And Blake Shelton Divorced

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton were the cutest country music couple since Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. The pint-sized powerhouse and the lanky goofball in cowboy boots charmed the entire world with their romance, but it all came crashing down in 2015.

Breakups, celeb or otherwise, are always difficult for those involved — and post-divorce life wasn't exactly easy for these two. But whether it was the dubious circumstances under which they fell in love, the cheating accusations galore, or just the general strains of a celebrity marriage, there were signs that these two probably weren't headed towards a golden anniversary. And we haven't even mentioned Shelton rebounding pretty quickly with one of his co-stars on The Voice – which wasn't the best look — or Lambert moving on from her own rebound beau. 

Naturally, fans still want to know what exactly happened to shatter the picture-perfect love these two crooners shared. Let's dive into the real reasons why Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton got divorced.

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert met when he was married to his first wife, Kaynette Gern, in 2005. Shelton and Lambert were performing together in CMT'S "100 Greatest Duets" concert and sparks flew immediately.

He explained on Behind the Music in 2012, "I've never had that kind of experience with anybody. I was a married guy, you know? Standing up there and singing with somebody and going, 'Man, this shouldn't be happening.' Looking back on that, I was falling in love with her, right there on stage." He also told 60 Minutes (via Us Weekly), "I was married. That was easily the toughest thing that I've, you know, been through. I put my divorce up there with my brother's death and that was a tough, tough call to make."

Apparently, not that tough: a pal of Gern's told the National Enquirer, "Kaynette was not only a loyal wife, she stood by Blake through the roughest of times while he was struggling. But Blake turned his back on her for Miranda. Without Kaynette to keep his career on track, it's unlikely he would have ever reached his level of stardom." In her divorce filing, Gern accused Shelton of "inappropriate marital conduct," so we'll let you draw your own conclusions as to what happened there.

TMZ reported that Miranda Lambert grew tired of Blake Shelton spending so much time in Los Angeles to film The Voice during their marriage. The "Only Prettier" singer reportedly hates Tinseltown, and having to fly out to see him, sometimes just for a day, was trying on her. Combine that with the couple's touring schedules when he wasn't filming the NBC hit, and you've got the recipe for a strained marriage.

Sources close to Lambert told TMZ that while she would visit Shelton in Los Angeles often to accommodate his filming schedule, he rarely went out to see her at home in Oklahoma, leading her to "feel like an abandoned wife" and to ultimately declare, "This is no way to live." Another insider claimed to Radar Online, "Miranda loves having this picture-perfect country marriage, but the truth is, she's often lonely."

In 2012, Shelton pretty much admitted as much himself, telling People, "She does that for me way more than I've ever done that for her. I'll be the first one to admit that, because I'm old and I'm more apt to give up and she won't. I'm just a guy about it, I guess. She's always been the one to go through hell to make sure we spend time together."

Sources cited by TMZ claimed that Blake Shelton believed Miranda Lambert was cheating on him with country singer Chris Young, who previously opened for her on tour. The two were occasionally spotted out in public together. A spy told Star magazine (via Radar Online) that on one outing, "Miranda and Chris were really into each other. They were acting like a couple." The insider added, "Miranda and Chris' bond has bothered [Shelton] on occasion, but he doesn't think anything serious is going on."

Young denied the allegations, telling Entertainment Tonight, "Man, it sucks that I got put in this situation with two people who are my friends. It's just so weird getting pulled into something like that where it just wasn't true." He added, "I've definitely texted and called both of them [following the divorce]. They're both good since [the last] time I've heard from them. As good as you can be ... I was in touch with Blake all day that day [the cheating rumors began to circulate]. He was like, 'Dude, sorry.' I was like, 'I know, man.'"

Young also released a statement on Twitter: "I don't normally address gossip but in this case I will. My name has been mentioned as a contributing factor in Blake and Miranda's divorce. That is totally FALSE. They are both my friends and I would not betray that friendship. Just wanted to clear that up."

Alongside gossip about Miranda Lambert cheating were rumors that Blake Shelton was stabbing her in the back. Sources told TMZ that he stepped out on her with "a famous country singer," though it wasn't specified who the singer was.

When speculation swirled that the crooner was Cady Groves, the so-called "other woman" spoke out. "This is too much. I'm going to have a nervous breakdown," she told In Touch Weekly (via Hollywood Life). "Blake and Miranda are letting me take all the bullets. It's wrong." Groves, who sadly passed away in May 2020, reportedly wrote angsty tweets after Blake and Lambert announced their divorce, which set tongues wagging. Groves told the tab, "I tweeted because it was the only way for Blake to hear me. I want to talk to him. If I could only be face-to-face with him, I have four questions for him. But he isn't talking to me."

According to Radar Online, the alleged affair damaged Groves professionally and personally. "All that crap that happened years ago ruined her career," her brother said. "She lost her record deal. She lost an album she spent years on ... As far as what happened years ago, it was never what people thought ... She wouldn't intentionally be trying to stir up negative drama with Blake. That is why her career fell through. She wouldn't intentionally be trying to get attention from it when she's working her butt off to get her career back."

Though Shelton did appear in Groves' "This Little Girl" video (playing the role of a greasy tow truck driver), he denied all the allegations and even threatened to sue In Touch over the claims.

The former couple's pals reportedly sided with Miranda Lambert during her divorce from Blake Shelton. A source revealed to Hollywood Life, "Miranda denies ever cheating on Blake, it's a case of he said she said but most of their friends have sided with Miranda. She's just never been the cheating type, she was always so head over heels for Blake, she lived for that guy." The insider added, "To say she cheated with five other men and no one knew about it, well it just doesn't ring true for anyone. Miranda denies ever being unfaithful to Blake, she feels like it's just a smear campaign to make Blake look better for up and leaving her." 

Other sources echoed this sentiment to TMZ, claiming Shelton hired a powerful PR firm to smear his famous ex-wife's name.

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton reportedly didn't agree on whether or not to have children right away, and that may have impacted their marriage. "That's the one thing I really want to plan the right way, because I don't want to have children and raise them on a plane or a bus," Lambert told People in 2012. "Right now, we're both at our peak and having a blast, and I don't think either one of us are thinking about changing a thing."

The previous year, Shelton told the magazine, "When I see my mom and dad with their grandkids and that relationship down the road, that's what I'm looking forward to more than anything: that family and those generations and being on that end of things." According to a source cited by Us Weekly, "Blake was dying to have kids, but Miranda kept putting it off."

Conveniently, around the same time Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert split, his fellow The Voice coach, Gwen Stefani, and her rocker husband, Gavin Rossdale, were going through divorce drama of their own. A source told People, "The divorce had its place in Blake's life, but he doesn't dwell on it. He's come full circle and moved on with his life and is more grateful than he's ever been." As for Stefani, an insider said, "Before dating Blake, Gwen seemed lost. She had the roughest time with her divorce and was trying to be positive about her future, but she found life very difficult."

Shelton told talk show host Chelsea Handler that the timing for their rebound romance could not have been better. "This person that I kinda knew — I had worked with on the show [but] I didn't really know her that well, Gwen, that first time. Just, 'Hey, how ya doin'?' And then to all of a sudden find out she's going through basically the same exact same thing, at the same time."

The move reportedly came as no surprise to Lambert. A source told Us Weekly, "She had her suspicions but didn't really know it was a real thing until the announcement ... But she doesn't care. She's divorced and he can date who he wants."

After the split, a source told Us Weekly (via Hollywood Life) that Miranda Lambert was uncomfortable with her relationship being in the spotlight. "Miranda is actually doing amazingly well," the insider said. "Being in a public marriage, she felt so boxed in. Now she is free to be herself. [She is] really taking time to enjoy her life right now ... she's in a very good place now." Lambert told People in May 2016 that she isn't very active on social media for a reason. "I really believe in leaving some mystery," she said. "I don't need to know what everybody's doing all the time — especially with heroes of mine. I want to keep admiring them from afar."

Compare her approach with her ex, who put on so much PDA with new girlfriend Stefani that some folks assumed their entire relationship was a PR stunt, and you can surmise why he and Lambert didn't last.

Opposites attract, sure — but after a while, they also get sick of each other because of a fundamental lack of compatibility. As such, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert's marriage may not have lasted just because they're such different people. 

Lambert said in a 60 Minutes interview with Shelton (via E! News) that he taught her how to have a sense of humor and "how to have fun." Meanwhile, she told Marie Claire in December 2014, "I'm not sunshine and roses. Blake's the happiest person on the planet. He pulls me out of my darkness ... Literally, everything is the best about being married." That is, until those differences in worldview finally clash. 

E! News speculated that Shelton's charm was a blessing and a curse, because he may have possibly used it on the road, noting that many of his songs are about drinking and liking pretty girls. The outlet made a particular note that Lambert said on 60 Minutes, "He really is what he sings about ... listen to his music, he lives what he says he is." That may be great for a good time, but maybe not so great for a lasting union.

After divorcing Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert rebounded with Anderson East. They dated for two years until splitting in March 2018, but before they broke up, Lambert supposedly started dating then-married Turnpike Troubadours frontman Evan Felker and allegedly harassed his then-wife, Staci, over the phone. Lambert has denied this claim. 

According to a source cited by People, Felker told Staci he felt like he couldn't blow Lambert off because songwriting with her was a life-changing financial opportunity. Felker's band opened for Lambert on tour in February 2018, and he reportedly filed for a speedy divorce shortly after, but it seemingly blew up in his face: Lambert announced in August 2018 that she was "happily single," and later, a source alleged to People that it was because Felker "broke her rules," not specifying what those were. 

Another insider griped to Us Weekly that this all "seems like this is a pattern" for the "Little Red Wagon" spitfire, adding, "Miranda is insecure and has too many 'yes' people in her life. She does this to herself. The people around her don't feel bad anymore." No kidding: That November, Lambert met then-NYPD officer Brendan McLoughlin just days before his first child was born by a woman named Kaihla Rettinger — whom he reportedly got pregnant while engaged to a different woman, Jackie Bruno. McLoughlin and Lambert married in secret in January 2019. We'll leave it up to you to decide whether Lambert's dating history speaks volumes.