Zac Brown and his wife Shelly have split up after 12 years of marriage.

The 40-year-old Zac Brown Band singer and his 34-year-old wife have five kids together, ranging in age from four to 11. In a joint statement to People they admit it was a difficult decision.

"We feel blessed to be on such an incredible journey in life and sometimes the journey begins to lead in different directions," they say jointly.

Shelly Brown is a jewelry designer. The magazine recalls Brown saying they met at a New Year's Eve show his band was playing. He'd been stood up and was lacking someone to kiss at midnight. Once they touched lips, it was "game over."

Soon after getting married, the Browns welcomed daughter Justice, who's now 11 years old. Three more daughters came in the next four years: Lucy, Georgia and Joni, now ten, eight and seven respectively. In May 2014, the couple welcomed a baby boy named Alexander, delivered naturally at 11-pounds, 7-ounces.

“We feel blessed to be on such an incredible journey in life and sometimes the journey begins to lead in different directions," the statement reads. "We have led a whirlwind life together growing into a beautiful family with five amazing children and while life will be rearranging a bit, our love and commitment to our family will always be there."

The couple then asked that rather than commenting or spending energy worrying about them you take a moment to send love to your own family.

The Zac Brown Band are working on a new album which promises to stretch the boundaries once again.

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