Kenny Loggins, 78, secretly elopes with girlfriend after two failed marriages

Kenny Loggins revealed he had married for the third time, sharing the news with a simple acknowledgement of his wife during an appearance in Los Angeles.

The Footloose singer, 78, was speaking at the Grammy Museum on Thursday, September 17, when he introduced longtime partner Lisa Hawkins by her new title.

“I want to take a moment and acknowledge my wife, Lisa,” he told the audience during a Q&A for his documentary, Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart.

The couple eloped to Hawaii, with a photograph from their trip included in the film, according to People. The announcement came around eight years into their relationship, which Kenny had previously credited as one of his reasons for stepping away from major touring.

Kenny Loggins’ marriage to Lisa Hawkins

Kenny shared the personal news during an evening devoted to a career spanning more than five decades. The Grammy Museum event included a documentary screening, a discussion with the singer and a short performance in its intimate Clive Davis Theater. The film explored his musical collaborations and the challenges of balancing life as a performer, husband and father. 

His wedding marked his third marriage. Kenny was previously married to Eva Ein from 1978 until 1990, before marrying Julia Cooper in 1992. His second marriage ended in 2004.

The singer had five children across those relationships and spoke about wanting more time with his grandchildren when he announced his farewell tour in 2023.

Lisa was also central to that decision. In an interview with AARP that year, he explained that their relationship deserved more of his attention.

“I want to put more time into that,” he said, “and not lose that. And spend more time with my grandchildren.”

Kenny Loggins’ musical bond with his stepdaughter

At Thursday’s event, Kenny also spoke warmly about Lisa’s daughter, Hunter Hawkins, 25, who had become a regular musical collaborator.

Calling his stepdaughter “amazing”, he explained that their time together on stage and in the studio had given him particular enjoyment. “We perform together a lot. She covers all the high notes for me now,” he joked. “And being in the studio with her and working out new ideas is the most fun I’m having right now.”

The pair had already shared the stage at one of the biggest celebrations of Kenny’s career earlier this year. In June, Hunter joined him at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where they performed Heart to Heart. Gavin DeGraw, who inducted Kenny and paid tribute with a performance of Danny’s Song, then joined them for Celebrate Me Home. The evening recognised Kenny alongside fellow inductees including Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette and KISS songwriters Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

Kenny Loggins on life after his farewell tour

Although Kenny stepped back from major touring following his 2023 This Is It tour, he continued to perform and make music.

When he announced the farewell dates, he explained that he wanted more time at home after decades on the road. His latest comments suggested that creating music with family had become an especially rewarding part of that change.

During the documentary Q&A, Kenny also joked about the difference between his everyday memory and his ability to recall the details of a recording. “I don’t know if any of you can relate to this, but as we get older, our memories get a little worse,” he told the audience. “And I’ve noticed how crappy my memory is, except when I’m in the studio.”

He explained that his engineer had pointed out how readily he remembered individual tracks and musical details, even when others needed written notes to follow them.

Kenny Loggins’ enduring movie hits

Kenny first rose to prominence in the 1970s as one half of Loggins and Messina, before building a solo career that made his voice synonymous with some of Hollywood’s most recognisable soundtracks.

His recordings included Footloose, from the Kevin Bacon film of the same name, and Danger Zone, which accompanied the aerial action in Top Gun.

Reflecting on Footloose in a 2022 interview with AXS TV, Kenny admitted he had not anticipated how successful the film and its title song would become. “You can’t see that coming,” he said.

He also reflected on how the relationship between a film and its music could help both reach a wider audience. “The movie thing is an interesting synergy,” he explained. “The movie lifts the song, the song lifts the movie, and back then, it hadn’t been done.”

“Back then, pop music and movies were not necessarily symbiotic,” he added. “All of a sudden, it was working.”