If you close your eyes and think back to 2010, you can probably still hear that high, lonesome harmony. Joey and Rory weren't just a country duo; they were a movement. They represented a sort of porch-swing idealism that felt missing from the slick, rhinestone-encrusted Nashville scene. When Joey Feek passed away in March 2016 after a brutal battle with cervical cancer, the world mourned a wife, a mother, and a singer.
But life didn't stop at the farmhouse gates in Columbia, Tennessee.
Today, the story of Rory of Joey and Rory—known more formally as Rory Feek—is a lot more complicated than the highlight reels suggest. It’s a story of new love, bitter legal battles with his adult daughters, and a 100-acre homestead that has become both a sanctuary and a flashpoint.
The New Chapter: Who is Rebecca?
For eight years, Rory was the quintessential grieving widower. He wrote books, filmed documentaries, and raised their daughter, Indiana, who has Down syndrome, with a devotion that brought fans to tears. Then, in the summer of 2024, everything changed.
Rory remarried.
The news caught many off guard, though it probably shouldn't have. Humans aren't meant to be alone forever. The woman is Rebecca, who wasn't a stranger to the family; she was actually Indiana’s schoolteacher. Honestly, the way Rory describes it in his blog, This Life I Live, it sounds like Indy was the one who actually brokered the deal. She apparently told her teacher, "I think you should marry Papa."
They tied the knot on July 14, 2024, in a timber-frame pavilion out in Montana. It was small. Intimate. Rory even wrote a song for her called "I Do." While many fans celebrated the fact that Indiana has a "Mama" again, the wedding also pulled back the curtain on some serious family rot that had been festering for years.
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The Estrangement Nobody Talked About
You've probably seen the photos of Rory’s older daughters, Heidi and Hopie, from the early days of Joey+Rory. They always seemed like a tight-knit unit. But behind the scenes, things have turned incredibly dark.
As of early 2026, Rory is essentially estranged from his adult children. This isn't just a "we don't talk at Thanksgiving" kind of thing. It's a "lawyers are involved" kind of thing.
Heidi and Hopie have been vocal on social media about their concerns regarding Indiana’s welfare and the environment on the farm. They’ve alleged that Rory has cut them off from their little sister entirely. Rory, for his part, claims he’s just trying to protect Indiana’s upbringing and ensure she’s raised with the same values he and Joey shared. He’s been pretty blunt about it, saying he doesn't want his daughter exposed to "differing worldviews" that he feels his older daughters now represent.
The drama took a wild, almost unbelievable turn in 2025.
Hopie Feek dropped a bombshell: a DNA test revealed that Rory isn't her biological father. Rory has always maintained he raised her as his own after her mother left, but the revelation added a massive layer of trauma to an already fractured relationship. Heidi has also accused her father of being "controlling," while Rory has used his massive platform to defend his choices as a father and a Christian.
It’s messy. It’s public. And it’s a far cry from the peaceful "Hymns That Are Important to Us" vibe people remember.
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Life at Hardison Mill in 2026
If you drove down to Columbia, Tennessee today, you’d find that the Hardison Mill farm is busier than ever. Rory isn't just sitting on the porch reflecting on the past. He’s turned the property into a full-blown destination.
- Homestead Hall: This is the barn where they used to film their TV show. Now, it's a legitimate concert venue.
- The 2026 Concert Series: Rory has a full slate of "Home Concerts" scheduled for 2026. He plays roughly once a month—March 21, April 18, May 16, and so on. Tickets go for about 60 bucks.
- The Schoolhouse: The one-room schoolhouse he built for Indiana is still the heart of the property.
- The Homestead Festival: Every year, thousands of people descend on the farm to learn about blacksmithing, gardening, and "traditional" living.
Basically, he’s built a world that looks like the 1800s but runs on modern-day fandom.
What Most People Get Wrong About Rory
People tend to put Rory Feek into one of two boxes: the saintly widower or the rigid patriarch. The truth, as it usually does, sits somewhere in the middle.
He is a man who is deeply committed to a specific way of life—one that involves "traditional" values and a rejection of much of modern culture. For some, that’s inspiring. For his older daughters, it’s been a source of profound pain.
There's also a misconception that he's "retired" from music. He isn't. While he doesn't tour the country in a bus anymore, he’s released solo projects like Gentle Man and continues to write. He just prefers the audience to come to him.
The Joey Legacy
Does Joey still matter in all this? Absolutely.
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Every March, the daffodils bloom on the farm right around the anniversary of her death. Rory still posts about her. Indiana still visits "Mama's cross" in the back garden. But the addition of Rebecca has changed the narrative. It's no longer a story about a man waiting to reunite with his wife in heaven; it’s about a man trying to build a second life while the first one still casts a very long shadow.
The legal disputes with Heidi and Hopie are still winding through the system as of this year. It's a sobering reminder that even the most "inspirational" families have skeletons.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to keep up with the family or visit the homestead, here is what you need to know:
- Check the Blog First: Rory doesn't do traditional press much anymore. If you want the "official" version of what's happening with the legal cases or Indiana, his blog This Life I Live is the primary source.
- Book Home Concerts Early: The venue is small. If you want to see a 2026 show, you usually have to buy tickets months in advance because they sell out to his "inner circle" of subscribers almost immediately.
- Respect the Privacy of the Farm: While the concerts are public, the farm is his home. Fans have been known to just "show up," which has caused security issues in the past. Stick to the scheduled event dates.
- Listen to the New Music: If you only know the Joey+Rory catalog, check out his solo album Gentle Man. It gives a much better look into his current headspace and the transition he's made since 2016.
The story of Rory of Joey and Rory isn't finished. It’s just entered a much more "human" phase—one filled with the kind of joy, conflict, and complexity that doesn't always fit into a three-minute country song.
To see the current schedule for the 2026 concert season or to read the latest updates on the Hardison Mill homestead, you can visit the official Hardison Mill website. Keeping an eye on the public court filings in Tennessee will also provide the most objective updates regarding the ongoing family legal matters.