Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd Just Performed "Chasing After You" for the First Time and Fans are Swooning

• Country singers Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd met in 2013.

• They got married in Nashville in March 2018, and Maren has since opened up about their relationship to CountryLiving.com.

• Maren gave birth to the couple's first child, Hayes, in 2020.
  

Country music isn't just Maren Morris and husband Ryan Hurd's profession—it's what brought them together in the first place. The fellow musicians met during a songwriting session in 2013. Their relationship grew beyond collaborators and friends, until eventually they were one another's muse.

Since tying the knot in 2018, the couple's marriage has continued to serve as inspiration—including for Maren's most recent full-length album, Girl.

“I’ve been in this amazing relationship and I got married in the time that I’ve written and started recording this album,” Maren told Country Living in 2019. “The new record, it has a lot of love in it, I don't shy away from topics [like love], so I’m really excited for people to hear it."

The country artist, who won her first Grammy for "My Church" but later gained crossover attention for her smash hit "The Middle,” said her husband is also her go-to guy for advice on the record, which she revealed was in the works back in February 2018.

"I really trust his opinion, especially if I have a new song that maybe we didn’t write together, I always play him the mix the second I get it back, because I really trust his ear,” Maren says. “I love that we’re such different artists… But he’s always been my biggest fan when it comes to my music and vice versa.”

How Maren Met Ryan

The couple's love story is a lot like a plot line from Nashville. The two met in 2013 while developing the Tim McGraw ballad “My Last Turn Home,” which came out the following year. After spending all day writing, they'd unwind at Music City bars like 3 Crow and Red Door or go out for pizza at Soulshine.

Their working relationship soon developed into a deep friendship, which, eventually, blossomed into a romance. The very first time they told each other “I love you,” was at 3 Crow, a down-home bar with a great burger. Ryan—the writer behind Blake Shelton and Ashley Monroe's 2014 No. 1 hit "Lonely Tonight" — turned that special moment into his first single in 2017, “Love in a Bar,” with lyrics:

“I feel like so many connections are made in those kinds of places,” Maren says. “When Ryan put out his song, and it was so well-received, people were like, ‘Oh my gosh, I met my husband in a bar and we fell in love at a bar, too!’ So, it was cool to hear people’s stories that were really similar to our own.”

Ryan recorded a second song about Maren, “Diamonds or Twine,” which he played for her the night he proposed in July 2017. Maren announced their engagement on Instagram with a photo showing off her unique rough-cut diamond ring.

Maren and Ryan's Wedding

One year later, they tied the knot in Nashville. After reciting self-written vows during the ceremony, the newly married husband and wife danced down the aisle to Wilson Phillips's "Hold On." They didn't want the big day to feel stuffy; they wanted it to feel like a party.

The laid-back event perfectly reflected their relationship, which Maren describes as fun-loving and not too serious. “I think that’s why I gravitated towards him in the beginning, because he’s such a dork and he makes me laugh and is, obviously, very good-looking!” she said. “We’re just always joking around and, I think, sometimes, you can take your job too seriously, especially [being] under a magnifying glass as an artist, so it’s nice to be with someone who gets exactly what you’re doing and can talk you down if you’re having a bad day and is just right there with you. He’s that for me.”

After a few years as husband and wife, it seems Maren and Ryan are still just as giddy as ever. Maren frequently shares sweet snapshots of their life at home on her Instagram.

Maren and Ryan's Marriage

Today, the couple lives in Nashville, with their two dogs, a white German Shepherd named June, and an English Bulldog named Pancake.

Maren feels a sense of pride every time she talks about their home. “I had just rented up until that point,” she told Country Living in 2019. “It was surreal to sign the deed, it was the first time I really looked at something that was such a great investment and I paid for it with my music.” It made her feel, she said, like a “real adult.”

Ryan does most of the cooking and “never misses the mark,” Maren said, especially when using his smoker to whip up salmon and vegetables and ribs.

Maren prefers to stay behind the bar and perfect the art of cocktail-making. She boasts to having already nailed a classic margarita. “I’m the drink girl and he makes the food,” she said. “It’s kind of a cute routine.” They sit in their backyard almost every night and watch movies or sports on a big projector screen while eating.

When they’re not smoking meat and sipping ‘ritas, the self-described “foodies” do date night at their favorite restaurants in Nashville. For tapas, they recommend a joint called Peninsula. Their favorite pizza place is Folk on the east side. They love the casual tacos at bartaco.

Maren and Ryan's Family

In 2019, Maren announced that she was pregnant with their first child, a boy.

"The irony is just too rich that after a year of living in the “GIRL” headspace, the universe would give us a baby boy to even things out. See you in 2020, little one. 👶🏻" Maren captioned the photo.

Maren gave birth to Hayes Andrew Hurd on March 23, 2020, and the little one has quickly been inducted into the couple's Nashville community. Notably, Miranda Lambert sent Hayes a baby gift fit for a Music City star: a bedazzled jean jacket embellished with Hayes' name across the back.

The love Ryan and Maren share for each other and their son is often obvious via their social media posts, like this adorable Valentine's Day note from Ryan to Maren:

"This is how tired we usually are. Last year she was 8 months pregnant, this year we’re chasing that kid around and falling asleep before 9. Nothing more rock and roll than that. Wouldn’t change a thing, truly the most special year of my life. I love you @marenmorris, Happy Valentine’s day to everyone! ❤️"

Maren and Ryan's First Duet

In early 2021, the couple released their first-ever official duet together. "Chasing After You" is a sweet, romantic song that was actually not written by either of them, but by Brinley Addington and Jerry Flowers.

"It's a really emotional, timely, romantic booty-call song," Maren told Apple Music upon the song's release.

Maren and Ryan performed the song for the first time together at the 2021 ACM Awards, and fans had a lot to say about their steamy performance. One Twitter user commented, "Myyyy Lawwwwd. @MarenMorris has never looked more beautiful and happy. That’s what performing with your hubby looks like! @RyanHurd #ACMAwards"

Another fan tweeted, "Such a hot performance and so cute Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris!!" while another added, "Love to see a couple in Love."

Maren was a nominee at the 2021 Grammy Awards for her song "The Bones," and we can only hope that she and Ryan will continue making music together in the future. (Maybe they'll be nominated together someday!!!)

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