Who Is Singer, HARDY's Wife? Meet Caleigh Ryan, Country Singer's Beau Amid Nashville's Big Bash Act

Country star, HARDY (real name, Michael Wilson Hardy) rang in the new year by serving his fans right. He was a part of a dual-role act for the 2026 New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash, performing as a headliner and co-hosting the five-hour special on CBS. HARDY co-hosted the televised event alongside comedian and actor, Bert Kreischer. The duo kicked off the festivities at 7:00 PM and led the countdown to the Music Note Drop at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Besides hosting the event, HARDY performed live from the Bicentennial Stage.

Not just HARDY, Nashville's Big Bash also featured headliners Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean, and Bailey Zimmerman. The show also included over a dozen other country acts, including Keith Urban, Megan Moroney, and Brooks & Dunn. The event aired live on December 31, 2025, on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. Country music fans were utterly thrilled by the stellar acts and shared clips of their favorites from the show on social media. As the event led the searchbar, a surge of curiosity about the 35-year-old HARDY's wife, Caleigh Ryan, was observed. Here's everything we know about her.

Who is HARDY's wife, Caleigh Ryan?

Caleigh Ryan is the wife of country-rock artist HARDY (Michael Wilson Hardy). A California native and marketing professional, she has been a prominent figure in HARDY's life and music since 2018. Born on March 25, 1997, in Encinitas, California, she is currently 28 years old. Regarding her academic background, Caleigh attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and graduated in 2019 with a degree in Marketing and Corporate Relations. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has worked in the hospitality industry as marketing coordinator for Graduate Hotels in Nashville. Caleigh Ryan also co-leads The HARDY Fund, a joint charitable effort that supports community programs in Mississippi and Tennessee.

How did HARDY and Caleigh Ryan's love story start?

Country artist, HARDY and Caleigh Ryan's relationship began on social media and through a series of "fateful" events in 2017. The couple first connected when HARDY slid into her DMs on Instagram after her photo appeared on his Explore (or For You) page. Caleigh was a student at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) at the time, while HARDY was touring. She recalled that HARDY's first DM was unique. It was a video of himself in full camo gear sitting in a deer stand, drinking whiskey straight from the bottle. She found it creative and humorous, which sparked their initial conversation.

HARDY and Caleigh Ryan's first meeting

After nearly a year of chatting online, HARDY and Caleigh met in person for the first time in 2018 at The Lyric Oxford, a music venue near the University of Mississippi. HARDY happened to be filling in on drums for a friend's band that night. HARDY was the one who asked her out, recalling him saying, "I'd love to meet her" amid his tour. Caleigh shared her feelings about their first meeting with PEOPLE and revealed that she was extremely nervous to see HARDY for the first time. She chugged her drink to muster the courage to converse with him. According to Caleigh, they were smitten by each other in their first encounter and stated:

"Once we met each other, there really was no one else. We never entertained anyone else. It was just so easy."

HARDY and Caleigh Ryan got married four years after dating

HARDY and Caleigh officially began dating in April 2018 after meeting through Instagram and having their first in-person meeting at The Lyric theater in Oxford, Mississippi. After three years of dating, HARDY proposed on August 23, 2021, at the same theater where they first met. He announced the news on Instagram with the caption, "I'm not her boyfriend anymore," a nod to his song, Boyfriend. The couple married on October 29, 2022, at Diamond Creek Farms in Nashville, Tennessee, with 350 guests in attendance. Three years into their marriage, they were blessed with their first child, a daughter named Rosie Ryan Hardy, born on March 7, 2025.

What are your thoughts on HARDY and Caleigh Ryan's enduring bond and supportive attitude? Let us know.

Also Read: Andy Cohen Talks About Bond With Anderson Cooper And Fatherhood Amid 'New Year's Eve Live' 2026

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)