Hurry up if you want to see them live: These two country music legends are planning to retire after this year

Taking a band out on the road is one of the fun parts of being musician but years of touring eventually takes its toll. It can be a draining experience both physically and emotionally - which has broken some bands. There comes a time when you just cannot face doing it anymore.

Two major country artists have announced farewell tours this year - both citing different reasons. For one of them, it’s definitive while the other will be winding down their live performances, possibly for good.

Catch Alan Jackson while you still can

Alan Jackson has been taking his show on the road since 2022 but last year he confirmed that he will be wrapping up his career due to ongoing health issues.

The 66-year-old has spent a decade battling Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a degenerative nerve condition that affects the muscles in the arms and legs. As he told NBC’s Today show in 2021: “It’s genetic, I inherited it from my daddy. There’s no cure for it. It’s been affecting me for years and it’s getting more and more obvious. I know I’m stumbling around the stage and I’m having a little trouble balancing even in front of the microphone.”

This week, Jackson informed his fans that his Last Call: One More for the Road tour will be the last opportunity to see him perform live.

“I’ve been touring for over 30 years, you know, played everywhere in the country and parts of the world,” Jackson wrote on social media. “Have had a wonderful career, and getting into my twilight years, and all my daughters are grown, and I got one grandchild and one on the way. Enjoy spending more time at home, and don’t want to be away like I had to be in my younger days, and I don’t tour as much now as I did 10 years ago. But I think it’s getting time to start thinking about hanging it up full-time.”

There will be just four opportunities to see Jackson perform before he retires - his final show will be at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on 17 May. Tickets are still available but not many - the cheapest at the time of publication were $245.50 while two seats in the second row right in front of the stage will cost $2,045.

John Michael Montgomery to call it a day

The other artist who will be quitting the stage is John Michael Montgomery. The singer, who turned 60 last month, will head out on the road for the final time with his Road to Home farewell tour

“Happy New Year!” John Michael wrote in a Facebook post. “We had a great 2024, thanks to everyone who came out to the shows. Looking forward to seeing you next year as I kick off my ROAD TO HOME farewell tour. Wishing you all a blessed 2025!”

A couple of years ago, JMM announced that he would be “winding down” his touring career: “It’s been a wonderful run for me from the beginning over 30 years ago in 1992 when my first song ‘Life’s A Dance’ was released to radio.”

He and his band will be getting on the bus for one last time although details of the tour have yet to be announced. One date has been confirmed - Dauphin’s Countryfest in Canada from 26-29 June, where he shares the bill with Jordan Davis, Josh Ross, Lonestar, Jackson Dean, Neal McCoy and others

Unlike Jackson, John Michael admitted that he will probably still give the occasional live performance in the future as he would “miss playing live too much” not to but the tiring, coast-to-coast touring days will soon be a thing of the past.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.