Who Is Travis Barker’s First Wife? Inside His Marriage to Melissa Kennedy
Before there was Shanna Moakler and Kourtney Kardashian, there was Melissa Kennedy. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, during Travis Barker‘s early days as a drummer for Blink-182, he was in a relationship with Kennedy that even led to a short-lived marriage.
The relationship ended in 2002, and he went on to wed Moakler in 2004. That romance was on-and-off until the pair called it quits for good in 2009. Now, Barker is married to Kardashian, whom he tied the knot with in 2022.
In his new documentary, Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear, the rocker is breaking down everything to know about his personal life, including extremely rare comments about his marriage to Kennedy. Scroll down for more.
Who is Melissa Kennedy?
Kennedy is a real estate broker for her own company called LifeStyle Estates Realty and Funding Inc., per LinkedIn. She founded the company, based in Orange County, California, in 2006. It is a residential real estate business.
Prior to that, she worked as a real estate salesperson for Pacific Sands Mortgage and Realty Inc. from 2003 to 2006.
Melissa Kennedy/Facebook
While she was in a relationship with Barker, Kennedy served as vice president of his Famous Stars & Straps clothing line from 1999 to 2002.
How long were Travis Barker and Melissa Kennedy married?
Barker and Kennedy were married for less than one year. They reportedly tied the knot in September 2001, and he filed for divorce in August 2002.
It’s unclear exactly when they started dating, but their relationship began at some point in the late 1990s. Kennedy made an appearance in the 1999 Blink-182 documentary The Urethra Chronicles, so they were already together at that point.
Why did Travis Barker and Melissa Kennedy split?
Barker opened up about his split from Kennedy in Louder Than Fear. “I was touring with Blink non-stop,” he explained. “It was tough, especially since I was married at the time. I kind of realized that the relationship wasn’t working out for either of us anymore.”
After the two got into a “huge blowout” fight, he opted to focus on his career instead of their relationship, which led to the demise of their marriage. “I went back to L.A. soon after that and life just kept getting crazier and crazier,” Barker added.
Did Travis Barker and Melissa Kennedy have kids?
No, Barker and Kennedy never had children together. When he married Moakler, he became a stepfather to her daughter, Atiana de la Hoya, whom he still has a close relationship with today. He and Moakler also welcomed son Landon in 2003 and daughter Alabama in 2005. With Kardashian, Barker has a son, Rocky, born in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Kennedy appears to be a mother to two children. Her Instagram profile picture features her holding hands with two young boys.
Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear, Streaming Now, Hulu
