Dan + Shay's Dan Smyers is half of one of the hottest country duos in Nashville alongside Shay Mooney. From performing with Justin Bieber at the 2020 CMA Awards to new hot singles left and right, the country music star's career has been on fire for nearly a decade. In 2024, the duo will become the first co-coaches in "The Voice" history. Through his rise to fame over the past few years he's had longtime love Abby Law by his side and their love story is completely adorable.
Smyers was born in Wexford, Penn on Aug. 16, 1987. Before entering the country music fray, Smyers played in the emo band Transition, which was part of the 2004 and 2006 Warped Tours, as well as the group Bonaventure. Upon his 2010 graduation from Carnegie Mellon University, Smyers moved to Nashville.
The other half of Dan + Shay, Mooney began writing songs and playing guitar as a teenager. He left Valley Forge Christian College after only one year to pursue his music career. Mooney's first record deal —with T. Pain's Nappy Boy Entertainment— was as a solo artist.
The future bandmates met at Dec. 2012 party at Smyers' house. The following day, the pair began their songwriting relationship. Beyond writing songs they cut themselves, Smyers and Mooney penned two Rascal Flatts songs: "Back to Life" and "I Like the Sound of That."
Smyers sings, writes songs and plays guitar, bass and piano in Dan + Shay.
Law is a marketing manager. She's from the Kansas City area and is a diehard Chiefs fan. She was no stranger to country music while growing up. Her dad, Mike Kennedy, is a former radio personality and a member of the Country Radio Hall of Fame.
Read on for the relationship timeline of a couple that first bonded over their shared love of dogs.
Dating and Engagement (2013 - 2016)
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The couple met in 2013 both volunteering for an animal rescue center. They immediately hit it off over their mutual love for animals, and they're also both vegetarians,
After three and a half years of dating, Smyers proposed on Nov. 18, 2016 while the couple was vacationing in Hawaii.
"I think we've acted like [a married couple] for the past few years, so it'll be nice to make it official," Smyers told People. "Everybody's timeline is different but by the time we got engaged, we were so familiar with each other that there wasn't anything foreign or scary."
"There are few words to fully convey this feeling of complete happiness. Daniel Smyers, knowing and loving you has been the most rewarding part of my life thus far and continuing our journey together as your wife will be an honor," Law wrote regarding the news.
Marriage (2017)
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The couple wed on May 13, 2017 in Nashville.
Three of the couple's rescue dogs —Chief, Joy and Ghost— were in the wedding party, as was Mooney.
"Wouldn't have been our wedding without the most important members of the wedding party (sorry friends, we love you too)," Law wrote on Instagram following the wedding. "The father to our canines. The keeper of my heart. The hardest working man I know. My best friend. My partner. My husband. Thank you for making my dreams come true and choosing me to walk beside you in this life," Law wrote on Instagram following the wedding.
Since the couple passionately volunteers and fosters dogs through the Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue in Tennessee, they included them on their registry so friends and family could make donations.
"We've included a fundraiser for Proverbs in our registry," Law told People leading up to the big day. "We've built a life together over the past few years and didn't really need a lot of stuff, so we included it if someone wants to donate."
"The wedding is going to be very representative of the both of us," added Smyers. "We're both vegetarians so there's going to be a lot of vegetarian and vegan food options, and our dogs are going to be in the wedding so it's going to be very us and laid-back."
Mooney married his wife, former Miss Arkansas Hannah Billingsley, that same year. Footage from both weddings made it into the music video for Dan + Shay's "Speechless."
Marriage (2017 - Current)
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Over the years, Law has appeared in Dan + Shay's music videos for "Nothin' Like You" and "10,000 Hours." In addition, Law and Billingsley get credited for encouraging Dan + Shay to not break up before recording their most recent album, 2023's Bigger Houses.
The couple has no children as of January of 2024. However, as of March of 2021, they have five dogs. They also volunteer together Wags & Walks Rescue Nashville, which provides good home for rescue animals.
Editor's Note; This article was originally published in 2020. It was updated on Jan. 11, 2024.
