Every road comes to an end eventually, and 2024 has seen a number of country stars bidding farewell to their fans as they retire from active touring and performing.
Why Are So Many Country Singers Retiring in 2024?
Advancing age and health concerns are the two main reasons country stars walk away from performing and touring, and it’s not a shock that several of the country singers who are retiring in 2024 are on the higher side of the age spectrum.
Which Country Singers Are Retiring in 2024?
Ray Stevens is 85 years old, and the question isn’t why he’s retiring; it’s really more, why has he kept working for twenty years past normal retirement age? The hard-working Country Music Hall of Famer owns a nightclub in Nashville, and that’s where his final run of shows will take place.
Lee Greenwood is also significantly past normal retirement age at 81, and he’s dealing with a slew of physical problems, as well as the desire to spend more time with family after a decades-long career.
The same is true of Alan Jackson, who is right at retirement age at 65. The country icon has been battling a degenerative nerve condition for more than ten years, but it’s worsened in recent years, so he’s wrapping up his performing career while he’s still well enough to give fans a good show.
There are also two major groups retiring in 2024, and one comparative youngster who’s walking away before he even reaches standard retirement age. John Michael Montgomery is just 59 years old, but 2024 will mark his last year on the road after a career that spans three decades.
Read on to see which country stars have announced that they are retiring in 2024.
Country Stars Who Are Retiring in 2024
Every road has to come to an end, and 2024 finds a number of country stars saying goodbye to their fans. Read on to see which country stars have announced that they are retiring in 2024.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
John Michael Montgomery
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery announced that he is retiring from the road in a statement in January of 2024, thanking his fans for a long run.
“I’ve been fortunate and blessed to be able to do what I love for so many years,” he wrote on social media.
Montgomery’s biggest hits include “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That” and “I Love the Way You Love Me.”
His official website lists dates through Nov. 2, though he initially said he plans to wrap his touring career in 2025. It remains to be seen if he will add more shows for next year before stepping out of the spotlight permanently.
ray stevens retiring 2024
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens revealed that 2024 will be his final year of regular live performances in a social media statement in January of 2024.
The 85-year-old Country Music Hall of Famer will wrap his run of live shows at his Nashville night club, Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom, at the end of the year, but he still plans to write and record, as well as performing sporadically.
Alan Jackson
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson is retiring from the road after his next run of shows … or, is he?
The 65-year-old country icon has announced a run of shows that he’s calling his Last Call: One More for the Road Tour, with dates in 2024 and 2025.
Jackson stopped short of calling it a farewell tour in a press release, but he did say the shows would mark the final time he would play those cities. Further dates are possible, but dependent on his health.
The country icon revealed in 2021 that he had been living with a degenerative nerve condition for more than ten years. Jackson has been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which causes nerve damage in the body, primarily in the arms and legs.
“I’ve been touring for over 30 years – my daughters are all grown, we have one grandchild and one on the way… and I’m enjoying spending more time at home,” he states. “But my fans always show up to have a good time, and I’m going to give them the best show I can for this Last Call.”
joe bonsall retiring 2024
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Joe Bonsall
Oak Ridge Boys singer Joe Bonsall announced that he would retire from the road in January of 2024.
The beloved singer had been battling a neuromuscular disease in recent years, which forced him to retire before the Country Music Hall of Famers could complete their previously announced farewell tour.
Sadly, Bonsall did not just retire; the singer died on July 9, 2024, as a result of complications from ALS. He was 76.
oak ridge boys retiring 2024
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
The Oak Ridge Boys
Though Bonsall had to bow out early, he’s not the only member of the Oak Ridge Boys who announced his retirement.
The Country Music Hall of Famers announced their American Made: Farewell Tour in September of 2023.
Their official website shows dates through December of 2024, but it’s not clear if they will add more dates into 2025, or what will be the final date of their concert career.
nitty gritty dirt band retiring 2024
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Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band announced their upcoming retirement from the road in January of 2024.
The band embarked on their All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour in March, with shows planned through Sept. 14.
lee greenwood retiring 2024
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood announced that he was retiring from the road in a podcast interview in November of 2023.
The 81-year-old country legend says health concerns including two titanium knees and a titanium cage in his back factored into his decision, as well as his two sons being in college.
Greenwood’s official tour schedule includes shows through Oct. 5, but he has not yet announced his final show.
doug stone retiring 2024
YouTube
Doug Stone
Doug Stone revealed his plans to retire from the road in December of 2023, citing his desire to spend more time with his family.
“I’ve been on the road for 34 years, and I’m still in pretty good shape,” Stone said. “I’ve missed a whole lot of family life. I’ve got a seven-year-old daughter now, and it’s time to come off the road and have a home life.”
Stone is known for a string of ’90s hits including “I’d Be Better Off (In a Pine Box),” “In a Different Light,” “A Jukebox With a Country Song,” “Why Didn’t I Think of That” and more.
His official tour calendar shows dates through Aug. 22. Stone plans to continue to release new music periodically.
