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Ray Benson's Longtime Wife: 5 Surprising Facts About Diane Carr And Their Family Life

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Despite his towering presence as the 6-foot-7-inch frontman of the legendary Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, Ray Benson Seifert has always maintained a relatively private personal life, especially regarding his family. As of December 2025, the most consistent and long-standing partner in the life of the nine-time Grammy winner is his wife, Diane Carr (sometimes spelled Dianne), a dedicated nurse and the mother of his two sons. Their decades-long relationship has been a quiet anchor amidst the whirlwind of a touring musician’s career, with Diane often providing the grounding force for the "biggest Jew in country music."

The question of "Ray Benson's current wife" often leads to confusion due to a common name mix-up and the private nature of his affairs, but Diane Carr is the woman who has been a central figure in his life for over four decades, having supported him from the early days of Asleep at the Wheel's move to Texas. While some reports suggest a divorce occurred at one point, the couple has consistently been mentioned together as a family unit, with recent accounts suggesting his "wife" is still a central part of his life, even cooking the family's holiday meals.

Ray Benson Seifert: A Quick Biography and Family Profile

Ray Benson, born Ray Benson Seifert, is an American musician, actor, and voice actor best known as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist for the Western swing revival band Asleep at the Wheel. His career has been instrumental in keeping the unique American style of Western swing—deeply rooted in the nation's cultural fabric—alive and thriving.

  • Full Name: Ray Benson Seifert
  • Date of Birth: March 16, 1951
  • Age (as of Dec. 2025): 74
  • Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Musical Career: Co-founder and frontman of Asleep at the Wheel (formed 1970)
  • Genre: Western Swing, Country, Honky-Tonk
  • Awards: Nine Grammy Awards with Asleep at the Wheel
  • Height: Approximately 6 ft 7 in (The "Tallest Country Singer")
  • Current Wife/Partner: Diane Carr (or Dianne)
  • Marriage Date: Married Diane in 1981
  • Children: Two sons, Sam Seifert and Aaron Seifert
  • Parents: Maurice Seifert and Pearl 'Bobby' Cohen

The True Story of Ray Benson and Diane Carr

The relationship between Ray Benson and Diane Carr is a testament to longevity in the often-tumultuous world of music. Ray Benson (Seifert) met and married Diane, a nurse, in 1981, a period when Asleep at the Wheel was firmly established in Texas after relocating from West Virginia. Their marriage predates much of the band's major Grammy success, making Diane a partner through the band's initial struggles and eventual triumphs.

Diane Carr is known for her career as a nurse, a stark contrast to the spotlight of country music, which likely contributed to the couple’s ability to keep their private life out of the tabloids. An obituary for Ray's father in 2002 listed "Ray Benson Seifert (Diane Carr)," confirming the long-standing nature of their family unit.

A key piece of information that surfaces in a profile about Benson mentions that he was "newly divorced" from his "wife of 20 years, Diane Carr," but that they continued to share a home in West Lake. This suggests that while their legal marital status may have changed at one point, their commitment to co-parenting and a shared life remained strong. The fact that a 2025 article still references his "wife" in a domestic setting suggests that, regardless of legal status, Diane remains his life partner.

The Sons: Sam and Aaron Seifert

Ray and Diane have two sons, Sam Seifert and Aaron Seifert, who have both grown up in Austin, Texas. The family has always been a priority for the towering musician, who often cites his family life as a source of stability.

  • Sam Seifert: The older son, Sam, has shown an interest in the music business, with reports indicating he was studying and improving his golf at Belmont College in Nashville. Sam and his brother, Aaron, also collaborated on a TV project, showcasing a creative streak inherited from their father.
  • Aaron Seifert: Aaron is the younger son. Like his brother, he was raised with a strong connection to the Texas music scene, but his personal pursuits remain largely private.

The Seifert family—Ray, Diane, Sam, and Aaron—remains a close-knit Austin family, often mentioned together in local community and obituary acknowledgments, highlighting their enduring bond despite the demands of Ray's career.

Clearing Up the Confusion: Ray Benson vs. Ray Benson (Jodi Benson's Husband)

A major source of confusion when searching for information about Ray Benson's wife stems from the existence of another public figure with the same name. It is absolutely crucial to differentiate between the two to get the facts right.

The confusion often arises because:

  • Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel) is Ray Benson Seifert, the 6'7" Western swing musician, whose wife is Diane Carr.
  • Ray Benson (Actor/Singer) is a different person, an actor and singer who married actress and voice artist Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid) in 1984. They have two children, McKinley and Delaney.

The two men are entirely separate individuals. Any search result mentioning "Jodi Benson" is referring to the other Ray Benson, not the Grammy-winning frontman of Asleep at the Wheel. This clarification is key to understanding the true marital history of the country music legend.

The Legacy of Western Swing and Family Values

Ray Benson’s commitment to his family mirrors his dedication to Western swing—both are long-term, deeply personal commitments. For over five decades, he has been the driving force behind Asleep at the Wheel, breathing new life into a uniquely American music style and earning a spot as a titan of country music.

His wife, Diane, has been the constant companion on this long journey. While Ray tours and earns accolades like his 2024 recognition at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Diane's role as a nurse and the family's matriarch provides the essential stability. Their story is a quiet success in a loud industry, proving that a decades-long partnership is possible, even for a musician who spends much of his life on the road. The enduring presence of Diane Carr in his life, coupled with the legacy of their sons Sam and Aaron Seifert, confirms that family remains the most important entity in the tall musician’s life.

ray benson current wife
ray benson current wife

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