Who Is Chris Daughtry's Wife? All About Deanna Daughtry

Mar. 15, 2025

Deanna Daughtry and Chris Daughtry at Amazon’s Golden Globe Awards Celebration in 2016.Photo:Rachel Murray/Getty

Rachel Murray/Getty

Chris Daughtryhas been married to his wife, Deanna Daughtry, for more than 20 years.

The “It’s Not Over” singer and Deanna wed in 2000, years before he placed fourth on season 5 ofAmerican Idol. In the years since, the couple has welcomed children together, collaborated on music and overcome challenges.

“I think we’ve been committed enough to learn as we go and realize thatwe’re still trying to figure it out,” Chris told PEOPLEin 2019.

“It’s like the universe knew that we were going to help each other grow,” Deanna added at the time. “And each of us was going to be exactly what the other needed."

In a 2019Instagram postcelebrating 19 years of marriage, Chris wrote: “We challenge each other’s growth daily and our marriage is far from perfect and I never expect it will be… but I’m so happy you’re my person and to be sharing this life with you!”

Here’s everything to know about Chris Daughtry’s wife, Deanna Daughtry.

She was a single mother when she met Chris

Chris Daughtry and wife Deanna attend the 2008 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy party.L. Busacca/WireImage

L. Busacca/WireImage

Deanna was already a mom to sonGriffinand daughter Hannah, both fromprevious relationships, when she met the singer. The couplemet at a party in North Carolinawhen Chris was 20.

She and Chris got married years before he competed onAmerican Idol

Chris Daughtry and Deanna Daughtry on their wedding day in 2000.Chris Daughtry Instagram

Chris Daughtry Instagram

The couple went on to tie the knot on Nov. 11, 2000. The pair married six years before Chris appeared on season 5 ofAmerican Idol, finishing in fourth place.

In anInstagram postto mark their 16th wedding anniversary in 2016, Chris revealed that everyone around him thought he was “making a terrible mistake” when he got married. He wrote, “On paper? Crazy as hell! To my circle, I was a 20 year old kid, with a world of opportunity in front of him, fresh outta my parents house, about to marry an older woman with 2 kids that were not mine and throw my life away…and I knew NOTHING about parenting!!!They weren’t wrong about that part.”

Chris continued, “Even as I write this now I’m thinking ‘what the hell was I thinking!!??’ Hahaha. At that time, the ONLY incentive and/or motivation was love. There was no promise of money, fame, fortune, stability, financial security etc… just love. I had no idea just how much my life would change. How much this person would challenge me, not only in my aspirations of getting my voice heard, but to be a better man, a better father, a more compassionate human being, a better friend. The list does go on and on.”

She was at Chris’American Idolaudition

Chris Daughtry and Deanna Daughtry.SGranitz/WireImage

SGranitz/WireImage

Chris had his wife’s support as he auditioned forAmerican Idol.Deanna waited outside of the door as her husband sang for then-judgesSimon Cowell,Paula AbdulandRandy Jackson.

“This is his dream and when he married me, he took on my two kids and he’s younger than me. He’s only 25 and I just felt like he’d have done so much if he was single, but he has a family to take care of and I just want his dream to come true because he’s given me and my kids so much,” Deannasaidat her husband’s audition. “I’m so emotional because I know this is his chance and I just love him. He’s such a good husband and a good father.”

She has kids with Chris

Chris Daughtry and Deanna Daughtry at the 2011 American Music Awards.Lester Cohen/AMA2011/WireImage

Lester Cohen/AMA2011/WireImage

In 2010, Chris announced that he and his wife had twins on the way. “Due to Deanna’s partial hysterectomy in 2006 the couple used IVF and had their embryos transferred to a gestational surrogate,” read a statement on Chris’ website at the time (perJust Jared). The couple’s fraternal twins, Noah James and Adalynn Rose, wereborn via surrogate in November 2010.

Becoming a parent admittedly made the rockstar grow up. Chris previously toldPEOPLE, “Being a father has made me grow up,” adding, “Life is about more than just me. I’ve got a great wife, great kids and a great life now.”

Deanna has also sung her husband’s praises, previously telling PEOPLE, “I love to see Chris as a husband and father. He really has his priorities together, and we both have committed to put the kids first. But he’s good at finding time for us to ‘date,’ which is good for us, and also good for the kids.”

She has collaborated with Chris

Chris Daughtry and wife Deanna at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008.Lester Cohen/WireImage

Lester Cohen/WireImage

Deanna is a songwriter. She and Chrisworkedtogether on the song “As You Are” from Daughtry’s 2018Cage to Rattlealbum. Deanna wrote the lyrics and Chris worked on the song, but he didn’t share the finished product with his wife until he recorded a demo.

“It’s very important for people to know what the song is about and where it really came from,” Chris told PEOPLE in 2019. “Otherwise we’re not being authentic with the song.”

She mourned the death of her daughter Hannah in 2021

Chris Daughtry and Deanna Daughtry with their family.Deanna Daughtry Instagram

Deanna Daughtry Instagram

In January 2023, Chris opened up to PEOPLE about Hannah’s death andhow their family has navigated their grief. “Some days we struggle, and that’s life. We’re vulnerable enough to not hide those emotions from them because it’s a part of life, and it’s something that we don’t want to shelter them from,” he said. “That’s the best thing I’ve learned — to allow it and try not to beat yourself up with guilt for things you didn’t say or didn’t do, because you can’t change that.”

She is a grandmother

Chris Daughtry and Deanna Daughtry.Deanna Daughtry Instagram

Deanna’s late daughter had children of her own. According toE! Online,Hannah was a mother to a son named Liam and a daughter namedLily. On her Instagram, Hannah once credited her mother as the reason for her kids having “the best lives I could possibly give them.”

They’ve overcome infidelity in their marriage

Chris Daughtry and Deanna Daughtry arrive at the Sony/BMG Grammy After Party in 2008.Toni Anne Barson/WireImage

Toni Anne Barson/WireImage

The couple revealed to PEOPLE in 2019 that Chris had been unfaithful to Deanna soon after he rose to stardom. “I look back and I had no idea who I was,” Chris said, noting that tours that had him on the road for months at a time were “just a recipe for disaster on a relationship.” He said, “There’s been infidelity.”

Deanna told PEOPLE she knew it “didn’t really have anything to do with” her. According to her, Chris “was drowning in the stuff he was dealing with, and I was drowning in the stuff I was dealing with. We both had to learn to save ourselves.”

source: people.com