Husband Little Big Town Kimberly: The Truth About Her Marriage and Loss

When you see Kimberly Schlapman’s wild, blonde curls bouncing on stage with Little Big Town, it’s easy to assume her life has always been as bright as a Nashville spotlight. But honestly, the story of her marriage is a lot more complicated than a three-minute country song. If you’ve been searching for details on husband Little Big Town Kimberly, you’re likely looking for Stephen Schlapman. He’s the guy who has been by her side since 2006.

But he wasn't her first husband.

To understand why their marriage is such a big deal in the country music world, you have to go back to 2005. It was a year that basically shattered Kimberly's world.

The Heartbreak Before the Healing

Kimberly was originally married to Steven Roads. He wasn't just her husband; he was the lawyer for Little Big Town. They were a team. Then, in April 2005, while the band was out on a radio tour in Indianapolis, the unthinkable happened. Steven died suddenly of a heart attack at just 41 years old.

Imagine that for a second. One minute you’re building a career with your best friends, and the next, the person you’ve loved for 14 years is just… gone. Kimberly has talked openly about this "deepest hole" she was in. She didn't think she'd ever feel okay again, let alone fall in love.

Grief is a heavy fog. It doesn't just lift because you want it to.

Enter Stephen Schlapman

The man we now know as husband Little Big Town Kimberly, Stephen Schlapman, was actually an old friend of the couple. He and Kimberly had known each other for about six years before the tragedy. He was even friends with her late husband.

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After Steven died, friends started checking in. Everyone does that at first. But Stephen kept calling. He called more than anyone else. He didn't try to "fix" her or tell her to move on. He just listened.

"He let me talk about my late husband all the time," Kimberly once shared. That’s a rare kind of person. Most people get awkward when you talk about a late spouse, but Stephen saw that grief as part of who she was.

A Secret Elopement Nobody Knew About

For nearly 20 years, fans thought they knew everything about the Schlapman wedding in November 2006. But in early 2025, Kimberly dropped a massive bombshell on the Today show.

They eloped.

Six months before their official Caribbean wedding, they snuck off to Las Vegas.

It wasn't a drunken "oops" moment either. They planned it. They were headed to a family lake trip and Stephen basically said, "Hey, what if we go a day early and just get married?"

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Kimberly, who describes herself as someone who never did anything "bad," said yes. They had an Elvis impersonator. They kept it a secret from her parents, her children, and almost the entire world for 18 years. Only four people knew—including her bandmate Karen Fairchild, because Kimberly needed to explain why she wanted a separate hotel room on tour!

Why She Calls Him "Schlap"

This part is actually kinda sweet and a little practical. Since her first husband was named Steven and her current husband is also Stephen, things could get confusing.

To keep their identities distinct in her heart and her home, she calls her current husband "Schlap." It’s a play on their last name, Schlapman. It's her way of honoring both men without the names overlapping.

The Miracle of Daisy and Dolly

For years during her first marriage, Kimberly struggled with endometriosis and infertility. Doctors told her it probably wouldn't happen.

Then came the "honeymoon miracle."

Right after she and Stephen married, she got pregnant with their first daughter, Daisy Pearl. Kimberly is 100% convinced this was a gift from her late husband in heaven. She believes Steven "begged God" to give her the one thing she always wanted.

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The road to their second child, Dolly Grace, was much harder. They dealt with:

• Multiple failed rounds of IVF
• Two devastating miscarriages
• Years of waiting and praying

Eventually, they turned to adoption. In late 2016, they brought home Dolly Grace. The way Kimberly describes it, the family wasn't complete until Dolly arrived, even if the path to getting her was paved with a lot of heartache.

What Stephen Schlapman Does Now

While Kimberly is the face of the family, Stephen is very much the backbone. He used to be the band’s stage manager, so he knows the grind of the road.

These days, he’s involved in various projects, including the "Dogwood Project," a non-profit they started in memory of his late brother. They are also building their "forever home" on several acres in South Carolina to be closer to family.

He’s not just a "plus one" at award shows. He’s the guy who built a custom bunk on the tour bus so their newborn could travel with the band. He’s the one who stayed steady when the fertility treatments failed.

Actionable Takeaways from the Schlapman Story

If you’re looking at Kimberly and Stephen’s relationship as a model for your own life or just trying to understand the woman behind the music, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Grief doesn't have a timeline. Kimberly showed that you can move forward without "moving on" from the person you lost.
• Friendship is the best foundation. Their romance didn't start with a spark; it started with a phone call from a friend who cared.
• Secrets can be special. Their 18-year elopement secret shows that even public figures can keep parts of their lives just for themselves.
• Resilience pays off. Whether it was the sudden loss of a spouse or the struggle of infertility, they kept going until they found their "miracle."

The story of husband Little Big Town Kimberly isn't just a celebrity bio. It's a reminder that even after the worst day of your life, there might be a "Schlap" waiting to help you find the light again.