Brandi Carlile and Catherine Shepherd's Love Story Began with a Yearlong Phone Courtship
The connection between Grammy-winning artist Brandi Carlile and her wife, Catherine Shepherd, initially blossomed through phone conversations — a bond that quickly deepened once they met face-to-face.
Their paths crossed in 2009 when the acclaimed musician encountered the British-born Shepherd, who was then managing charitable initiatives for Paul McCartney. Carlile and her eventual spouse maintained a year-long telephone courtship before their initial physical encounter.
The celebrated Highwomen vocalist vividly recalls the exact instance she recognized her feelings for Shepherd surpassed mere friendship. This pivotal realization occurred while Carlile was touring in Vermont, and Shepherd came to see her on her tour coach.
“It had been half a year or more since our last meeting, and my previous relationship had concluded,” the artist behind “Right on Time” confided to Howard Stern in October 2021. “The moment I saw her at the entrance, it was instantaneous — 'This is it. Nothing will ever be the same. Every day from now on will be new.' I felt a profound shift. I was utterly captivated by her, undeniably smitten.”
The pair exchanged vows in September 2012, in a rustic setting Carlile affectionately referred to as a “falling down barn" close to Seattle. By 2014, the couple celebrated the birth of their eldest daughter, Evangeline, who would later inspire a track by Carlile. Their second daughter, Elijah, joined the family in 2018.
Continue below for an extensive chronology of Carlile and Shepherd’s journey together:
