Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

What Happened to John Dutton’s Wife, Evelyn Dutton?

What Happened to John Dutton's Wife
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Fans of the Yellowstone series are on the edge of their seats as they watch the Dutton family fight to defend their lands. The show has plenty of enigmatic characters, and one that has fans debating is Evelyn Dutton, John Dutton’s wife. There are a lot of speculations about her death and her relationship with her family, especially Beth Dutton. 

RELATED: The Cast of Yellowstone and Where You Might’ve Seen Them Before

For starters, she only made four appearances in the show, all of which were in a flashback or simply photos of her shown during the show. One thing is for sure, John Dutton hasn’t moved on after losing his beloved spouse, even after decades have passed since her death.

Her death also took a considerable toll on her children, especially Beth. As most Yellowstone fans know, Evelyn was tough on Beth during her childhood. Enough for some viewers to speculate that she hates her daughter. 

What Happened to Evelyn?

RELATED: Did John Dutton Die in the Yellowstone Series? 

So, how did Evelyn Dutton die? She lost her life on March 30, 1997, during a horseback riding accident. Her horse got spooked and fell on her while she was out riding with Beth and Kayce. 

Before the tragic incident, Beth was nervous while on her horse, causing it to get spooked. As a result, Evelyn’s horse also got spooked, resulting in her death. When she falls, Kayce stays by Evelyn’s side while Beth rushes off to call for help. 

During that time, Evelyn looks at Beth and says, “She did this. Let her undo it.” While Beth managed to find and bring her father to the scene, they were too late. Evelyn Dutton takes her last breath when John reaches her. As for Beth, she gets traumatized by the incident and the harsh dying words of her mother. 

Evelyn and Beth’s “Talk”

It’s no secret that throughout her appearance in Yellowstone, Beth’s mother, Evelyn Dutton was tough on her. It led to many fans thinking that she hated her. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. It turns out she was hard on her because she wanted to toughen her up. 

Evelyn even said something to Beth the day the young girl got her first period. Evelyn says that everything will change for Beth starting that day. She made her aware that she was entering a world dominated by men. 

Now because of that, Evelyn says she’ll be harder on her so that she can turn Beth into something that most men will never be. Evelyn then apologizes to her in advance, saying she will hate everything that’s about to happen to her. 

Why Does Beth Blame Herself for Her Mother’s Death? 

Following her mother’s death, Beth starts having a terrible time in life. It seems she is blaming herself for everything that happened that day. She feels guilty about the accident and, at one point, even believes that she killed her mother by “being scared” when they went horseback riding that time. 

Both siblings had to deal with their loss at a young age. It’s safe to say that her mother’s passing and coldness towards her during her death have left a lasting trauma on Beth. In one episode, during Evelyn’s death anniversary, Beth, struggling to cope, bathed in a trough and drank champagne to wash away her guilt. 

Though already gone, Evelyn Dutton still significantly impacts everyone she’s left behind in Yellowstone, especially Beth. What other consequences Evelyn’s death has for the rest of the family remains to be seen. 

Latest Stories

John Foster performs Brooks & Dunn’s “Believe” on American Idol as his emotional mom watches from the audience with a supportive sign on Mother’s Day.

John Foster Sings Brooks & Dunn’s “Believe” for His Mom and Brings Her to Tears in the Audience

It takes guts to sing a Brooks & Dunn song on national TV, especially one like “Believe.” But it takes something even heavier to pull it off on Mother’s Day, ...

Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban side by side as fans debate Stapleton's powerful ACM performance of "Blue Ain't Your Color" and whether it outshined the original.

Chris Stapleton Took On Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” but Who Sang It Better

Keith Urban may have recorded it first, but Chris Stapleton just might’ve claimed it for good. When Stapleton took the stage at the 2025 ACM Awards and delivered a smoldering ...

Maren Morris appears in a recent interview, attempting to clarify her stance on country music after previously signaling a departure from the genre.

Maren Morris Now Claims She Never Said She Was Leaving Country Music

Maren Morris wants you to know she never said she was leaving country music. Apparently, all that talk about burning it down was just a misunderstanding. In a new interview ...

Alan Jackson grows emotional during his 2025 ACM Awards speech after performing “Remember When” and receiving the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award named in his honor.

Alan Jackson Breaks Down Thanking His Wife at the ACMs After Lifetime Achievement Win

Alan Jackson has never been one for theatrics. His music has always spoken about love, life, and family in plain, honest language. But on Thursday night at the 2025 ACM ...

Brooks & Dunn share a laugh backstage as they reflect on their journey from million-dollar royalty checks on a bus to breaking records again at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Brooks & Dunn Remember the Day They Got Their First Million-Dollar Check on the Bus

Long before they were legends, Brooks & Dunn were just two guys chasing a country music dream. And like a scene straight out of a Nashville fairytale, they still remember ...

Gretchen Wilson attends the 2025 ACM Awards red carpet, re-emerging after years away due to health struggles and marking the start of her country music comeback.

Gretchen Wilson Reveals the Health Struggle That Took Her Away From Country Music

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Gretchen Wilson in the spotlight, but now we know why. The “Redneck Woman” singer has kept a low profile for the better part ...

Maren Morris appears on a talk show couch expressing her thoughts, shortly before calling out pop artists for "cosplaying" as country singers—a statement stirring irony given her own history with the genre.

Maren Morris Calls Out Pop Stars “Cosplaying” as Country and Yes the Irony Is Real

File this one under “you can’t make this up.” Maren Morris, who all but broke up with country music just two years ago, is now calling out pop stars for ...

Lainey Wilson poses with a horse in a star-studded outfit, capturing the same down-home authenticity and bold flair that earned her Entertainer of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Lainey Wilson Won Entertainer of the Year and There’s a Damn Good Reason

Another year, another win. Lainey Wilson walked out of the 2025 ACM Awards with the Entertainer of the Year trophy for the second time in a row, and while some ...

Morgan Wallen performs for a packed stadium crowd in an earlier concert moment—just months before his ACM Awards shutout sparked major fan backlash in 2025.

Morgan Wallen Fans Say There Was “Zero Reason He Shouldn’t Have Won” After ACM Snub

The 60th ACM Awards went off in Frisco, Texas, with big performances, big speeches, and big wins. But not for Morgan Wallen. And his fans are not keeping quiet about ...

Old Dominion captured here in a past promo photo, just before breaking Rascal Flatts’ record with their eighth straight Group of the Year win at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Old Dominion Snatched a Record Rascal Flatts Held for Over a Decade

It finally happened. Old Dominion broke a record that most thought would stand forever. At the 2025 ACM Awards, the Nashville-based five-piece won Group of the Year for the eighth ...