Neal McCoy’s wife, Melinda Williams, has been by his side for nearly four decades already. And the two got one of the greatest love stories in the music business. But did you know that the longtime couple’s romance blossomed in a shoe store? Guess we can all say they did fall “head over heels.”
Well, let’s fall in love even more with their love story.
It Was Love At First Sight for Neal McCoy
After attending junior college near his hometown, Neal McCoy (whose real name is Hubert Neal McGaughey Jr.) headed about ten miles north to the big city of Longview, where he got his first job selling shoes at the mall. Little did he know, a paying job wasn’t the only thing waiting for him. It is also where he will meet the woman he’ll spend the rest of his life with, Melinda Williams.
Melinda Williams was also working at another store within the mall and one time, “She came in the shoe store with her mother. And I just thought, ‘Oh my gosh, who is this girl? She’s the prettiest girl in the world… She had to be. I’d never seen anybody prettier,” McCoy recalled.
Getting To Know The Prettiest Girl In The World
Luckily, Neal McCoy’s romantic tale continued as he got the chance to go after the “prettiest girl in the world” at no other location than a disco. He mustered up enough courage to ask her to dance, but much to his surprise, he was immediately shut down. Williams said, “No, I don’t dance with guys I don’t know on slow songs.”
McCoy had to take that rejection and some ribbing from his buddies until the stars started to re-align, and a faster-paced song played on. That fast song gave our lover boy a whole other chance.
“She came over and said, ‘Well, you still wanna dance?'” McCoy revealed. “And, of course … I went and danced with her, and we’ve been dancing ever since.” Before the night was over, McCoy did not only get Williams on the dance floor but also kissed her.
From Dance Floor To Forever
Five months later, Neal McCoy and Melinda Williams walked down the aisle. The happy couple was blessed with two wonderful children, son Christian Swayde and daughter Miki McGaughey Strong. They also have two grandsons named Titan and Dash.
A year after they got married, McCoy won a 1981 talent contest hosted by Janie Fricke and secured a spot as an opening act for Charley Pride, which started his country music career. McCoy said that he had learned a lot about relationships after being married for several years.
“I don’t know that there is one secret. I think it’s just a give-and-take kind of thing,” McCoy told Country Weekly. “You have to choose your battles. You can’t just fight over everything. Once you’re married a little while, you kind of figure it out.”
He added, “…the longer you stay together, I think the little things — you just don’t pay as much attention to them. In my business, it’s the spouse that deserves all the credit if a marriage stays together.”