Neil Young and Pegi, his wife of 36 years, have decided to file for divorce after 36 years of marriage.
The decision comes as quite a surprise to those of us who’ve observed them throughout the course of Young’s decades-long career. The “Heart of Gold” singer submitted divorce papers on July 29, 2014, according to court records attained by Rolling Stone magazine. The Youngs have kept news of their split pretty private since it didn’t come out until this week, almost a month after it happened.
The pair married in August 1978, and have had two children together: son, Ben, and daughter, Amber. They also founded The Bridge School in 1986 in honor of their son, who has cerebral palsy. (It’s an educational program for special needs children.)
Huffington Post notes that Pegi was also a backup singer for Neil during his touring throughout the 1990s. Neil and Pegi were supposed to play together in Raleigh, North Carolina, on September 13, but her name has since been removed.
In a world where celebrity marriages usually split up after five or 10 years, the Youngs had something remarkable, and his decision to call it quits is just further reminder that grey divorce is more common than ever.
Here are some warning signs that your long-time marriage may be in trouble:
Often times in a grey divorce, anger and fighting are second tier to the above warning signs. It’s often a lack of passion that drives people to file divorce forms in spite of having a long history together, so don’t assume your marriage is safe just because you never fight. Always be open and communicative with your spouse, and demand the same respect.