His son is expected to tie the knot with global pop icon Taylor Swift in a celebration already being talked up as one of the biggest celebrity weddings in recent memory.
But romance may run in the family, as Travis Kelce’s father, Ed, appears to have found a new companion of his own — and she, too, has a musical streak.
Ed, 75, has been spending time with Doree Hepner, a blonde singer and vocal coach who is more than a decade younger than him and lives only a short drive from his home in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
The Kelce family patriarch, who divorced Travis’s mother Donna after roughly 25 years of marriage when their son was in university, recently offered a glimpse of the budding relationship on Instagram by posting a photo from a Saturday night outing.
In the affectionate caption, Ed praised Hepner as “dynamic and gorgeous” as the pair enjoyed cocktails and live soul music at a bar in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
The new romance also appears to be progressing smoothly, with the Daily Mail revealing that Ed has already met at least one of Hepner’s children.
On Sunday, Ed returned to social media with another post from the same venue, sharing a photo from a performance by Hepner’s Rebellion, a rock and blues band led by Hepner’s son Dylan, 34, and daughter-in-law Maizy, 31.
Last week, Ed was spotted dropping his dog off at daycare before heading to Hepner’s three-bedroom condo, which she purchased in 2023 for $290,000.
Ed Kelce, 74, has been enjoying the company of Doree Hepner, a blonde singer and vocal coach 10 years his junior who appears to be a longtime fan of his soon-to-be daughter-in-law
Travis Kelce’s dad sent fans into meltdown over the weekend after sharing this photo on Instagram of his outing with his new love interest, calling her ‘dynamic and gorgeous’
Kelce shared a snap of a performance by Hepner’s Rebellion, the rock and blues band fronted by Hepner’s son Dylan, 34, and daughter-in-law Maizy, 31, on Sunday
The loved-up pair were heading out for the day with Hepner spotted in the passenger seat as Ed drove them out of her gated condo complex first thing Wednesday morning.
He later showed up at his other son Jason’s annual fundraiser, Team 62 at Ocean Drive, in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, where he was also joined by ex-wife Donna, 73.
Attempts to reach Ed Kelce for comment were unsuccessful as phone numbers linked to him are now out of service. Calls and messages to Doree Hepner went unanswered.
Happily, Hepner appears to be a Swiftie, potentially paving the way for a plus-one invite to the Kelce-Swift nuptials believed to be happening at New York’s Madison Square Garden in a matter of days.
Hepner, a 64-year-old widow, has shared a string of nostalgic snaps on social media of herself performing with a guitar on stage.
In one photograph shared to Facebook two years ago and now unearthed by the Daily Mail, Doree – full name Dorothea Jean Hawes-Hepner – can be seen taking to the mic with an electric guitar alongside her daughter Onna, 39, and musician son, Dylan, 34.
Replying to a comment from a friend who quipped, ‘Taylor who?’, Hepner revealed she was ‘Swifting Out’.
Swift was then enjoying a blockbuster 2024, having clinched two Grammy awards, and in the midst of her history-making global Eras Tour.
Hepner’s friend replied: ‘That, I would love to see. She probably would too!’
Hepner may indeed get to meet the singer she so clearly admires if she secures an invite to accompany Ed to his son’s wedding.
Hepner, a singer and vocal coach, has shared a string of nostalgic snaps on social media of herself performing with a guitar on stage
She shared a photo on Facebook two years ago of herself singing into a mic with an electric guitar alongside her daughter Onna, 39, and musician son, Dylan, 34
Hepner appears to be a longtime Taylor Swift fan. Replying to a comment from a friend who quipped ‘Taylor who?’ Hepner wrote that she was ‘Swifting Out’
Some insiders claim the bash will be a multi-million-dollar extravaganza at MSG in Manhattan on July 3.
But others have dismissed this as nothing but an elaborate ruse and claim the couple will hold a more intimate wedding at another secret location.
Hepner used to live in Elkton, Maryland, where she was a well-known local singer and volunteer school music teacher while juggling a job as an orthodontic dental assistant.
She is now also a freelance vocal coach, according to her LinkedIn page.
Hepner appears in a string of YouTube videos performing hits like Lady Antebellum’s ‘Need You Now’, Miranda Lambert’s ‘White Liar’ and Neil Young’s ‘Comes a Time’ at a live music café in her native town.
Hepner and Kelce senior have sadly both experienced the heartbreak of losing partners.
Ed Kelce’s hard launch of his relationship with his new flame came just before his son, Travis Kelce, is set to tie the knot with Taylor Swift. The soon-to-be newlyweds are pictured above in New York City on June 13
Ed Kelce was married to Travis’ mom, Donna, for 25 years. They are pictured together in 2025
Kelce’s partner, Maureen Maguire, passed last August, aged 74, from a long-term illness thought to be linked to her heart
Maguire and Swift had shared a warm relationship, with Ed sharing sweet photographs of them both posing with the pop star in Kansas City Chiefs shirts
Hepner’s musician and engineer husband David died from colon cancer in 2013, while Kelce’s long-term partner after Donna, Maureen Maguire, passed last August, aged 74, from an illness thought to be linked to her heart.
Maguire and Swift had shared a warm relationship, with Ed sharing sweet photographs of them both posing with the pop star in Kansas City Chiefs shirts.
Ed previously told the LA Times how his late girlfriend and Swift struck up a bond, with Maguire jokingly telling Swift ‘hey, that’s my boyfriend’ when the singer took a selfie with Ed at an NFL game.
Ed and Donna Kelce raised their football star sons in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. While they divorced more than 10 years ago, they remain friends and regularly appear together to support their sons.
