Kyle Jacobs, prolific country music songwriter and husband to country music star Kellie Pickler, was found dead in his Nashville home on Friday afternoon.

According to the Nashville Police Department, the cause of death is said to be suicide by a “self-inflicted gunshot.” However, the situation is still under investigation. Kyle Jacobs was 49 years old.

Kellie Pickler, 36, was home at the time according to an official statement: “…she awoke a short time earlier, did not see her husband, and began looking for him. After she and her personal assistant were unable to open the door to the upstairs bedroom/office, the assistant telephoned 911.”

The call happened at 1:21 pm local time and officials arrived soon after.

The apparent suicide comes as a shock to many, especially given that the couple seemed very happy in their relationship and were married for more than 12 years.

In an interview with Us Weekly magazine, Jacobs confessed, “[Our relationship] is nothing but love and laughter… we love our marriage, and our marriage is always No.1.”

Both Were Rising Stars

Jacobs was born in Bloomington Minnesota but moved to Tennessee in 2000 to pursue his musical career. Since then, he has made a name for himself as a singer, songwriter, and producer.

Over the years, he was worked with a number of iconic stars such as Kelly Clarkson, Garth Brooks, and Tim McGraw. 

In 2014, he won an Academy of Country Music Award as a producer for Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck.” Continuing to work together, Jacobs helped Brice’s 2020 album “Hey World” reach platinum status.

Pickler got her claim to fame after a debut on season 5 of American Idol, after which she produced several albums and became a well-known musician and TV personality. At the moment, she hosts “The Highway,” a radio show on SiriusXM.

Pickler is also a proud ambassador for United Service Organisations (USO), a non-profit charity that aims at helping military personnel and retired veterans.

Both later starred in a reality docuseries “I Love Kellie Pickler,” which ran for three seasons from 2014-2017.

It is said that their love of music is what brought Jacobs and Pickler together.

A Long-Term Relationship

Jacobs and Pickler started dating in 2008, after meeting through mutual friends a few years prior. Although both felt that they were made for each other from the start, neither was in a rush to tie the knot citing a strong focus on their careers.

In a radio interview with GAC Nights, Pickler explained, “I’m not ready — I’m 22, I just started out — I’m not ready to put my husband first… [I’ll wait until] I’m to a point into my career where I can say, ‘This can come in second and I’m ready to have a family,’” but adding, “I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.”

Jacobs eventually proposed on June 15, 2010, Pickler’s grandmother’s birthday.

They got married less than a year later on January 1, 2011, in Antigua. The power couple did not have any children together.