Wynonna Judd's Tumultuous Love Life: Inside Her Three Marriages

Country music legend Wynonna Judd may reign supreme on stage, but her romantic escapades have been anything but harmonious, with multiple marriages hitting dissonant notes.

Judd's first foray into matrimony began in 1996 with Arch Kelly III. Together, they welcomed two children, Grace Pauline and Elijah, into the world. Yet, like a soured chord, their marriage unraveled. They separated in 1998, officially parting ways with a divorce in 2003.

Fast forward to November 22, 2003, when Judd took a chance on love yet again with her second husband, D.R. Roach. At that time, he was not just her partner but also her road manager and co-owner of a concert security company. Despite her initial excitement, claiming he was her best friend, their relationship crumbled spectacularly. Just five days after Roach was hit with charges of aggravated sexual battery involving a minor, Judd pulled the plug on their marriage.

"We were ‘unable to live together successfully as husband and wife,'" her legal documents stated, according to People.

Judd's third venture into love saw her marrying drummer Cactus Moser in an intimate ceremony at her home in Leiper's Fork, Tenn., on June 10, 2012, after a brief six-month engagement. Moser, a father-of-three, had his kids in attendance, though Judd's mother, Naomi Judd, and her sister, Ashley Judd, were notably absent.

Their connection began back in 1989, but the sparks didn't fly until years later when they reunited in 2009.

"He's the most tough and tender man I've ever been with that I trust," the country star told People following her mother's death in 2022. "We are so connected. It's crazy how connected we are. I trust him with my life, which, I can't always say that about men in my life."

Cactus is celebrated as one of the founding members of Highway 101, accompanying Wynonna and her mother, Naomi, on tour in 1989. They would share pleasantries at various events until things turned romantic when he relocated to Tennessee.

"When I moved here, I kept my horses at her place while I built fences," he reminisced to Music Row in 2015. "There was a long gap but in 2009, I'm playing at Puckett's for these fun classic rock gigs and Wy comes walking in with Naomi. So we got together and went on a couple of dates."

These days, the couple blends business with pleasure, forging their musical paths together on stage. Cactus lends his drumming talents to Wynonna & The Big Noise, and, in his own words: "Getting to do the musical part together, instead of separate, is a bonus."