Alan Jackson, 66, kicks off his final string of concerts – “Last Call: One More for the Road” – beginning January 18, 2025. The tour wraps up May 17. “I’ve been touring for over 30 years, you know, played everywhere in the country and parts of the world… Have had a wonderful career, and getting into my twilight years, all my daughters are grown, and I got one grandchild and one on the way,” posted Jackson on X.
Jackson has been dealing with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – a nerve condition that affects movement and balance – though he’s kept it private. Despite this struggle, he’s continued performing for more than ten years.
“I don’t want people to be sad for me; it’s just part of life… I’ve had a wonderful, beautiful life. I’ve been so blessed. It’s just good to put it out there in the open,” Jackson shared.
He’s not the only country legend who is going to retire. Right as 2024 began, John Michael Montgomery, 59, shared his own news. His “Road to Home” farewell tour will close out a career on stage that began with his first hit back in 1992.
Throughout his career, Montgomery has sold more than 16 million albums. His signature voice took songs like “I Love the Way You Love Me” and “I Swear” straight to the top of Billboard’s charts.
“I’m sure there will be some situations where I just need to do a show here and there because I’ll miss that too much, but I just feel the time has come to say goodbye to the road life,” Montgomery reflected.
Country music legends planning to retire in 2025
Country music legends Alan Jackson and John Michael Montgomery are planning to wrap up their touring this year. Getty Images
Country music singers are kind of like pro wrestlers in that they never truly retire all the way.
Sure, they might cut back, but they always seem to have at least one more show in them. And that’s good news for the country music world, especially in the case of the guys listed below because they are legends. And they are legends who have announced intentions to retire from touring by the end of 2025.
So, chances to see them in person will likely be extremely rare, and … you never know, this may indeed be the last year you can see them at all.
Check out the legends with retirement plans this year below:
Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson announced last May that he was planning on wrapping up his career, and in early June he opened up about why that is.
The 66-year-old delivered the message to his fans via a video posted to his X, formerly Twitter, account.
“I’ve been touring for over 30 years, you know, played everywhere in the country and parts of the world,” Jackson said. “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.” The tour, which is called “Last Call: One More for the Road,” is slated to begin on Aug. 2 and currently has 10 dates running through May 17, 2025.
Jackson revealed in 2021 that he has Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a chronic neuropathy condition that effects a person’s balance and ability to walk. He also addressed that in the video posted to his account.
“Most of my fans know I have a degenerative health condition that effects my legs and arms and my mobility that I got from my daddy and it’s getting worse,” he said. “So, it makes me more uncomfortable on stage, and I just have a hard time, and I just want to think about maybe calling it quits before I’m unable to do the job like I want to.”
Jackson still has some tour dates into 2025 so there’s still chance to see him.
John Michael Montgomery’s Facebook message on New Year’s Eve was pretty tame compared to that of a year ago.
“Happy New Year!” the country music star wrote. “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!”
That’s right. He is ready to head out on the road for the final time this year, but it wasn’t a surprise because that was the surprising message he had for fans on Facebook to start 2024.
“I have decided to wind down my touring career over this year and 2025,” he wrote back then. “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.”
Fans flooded his post this year with more than 3,000 comments, and it sounds like if he is going out, they are going to make it a point to see him one more time.
“Happy New Year,” one person responded. “Hope to see you one last time on your farewell tour.”
Others, though, are still trying to talk him out of it.
“Happy New Year!” one person wrote. “You’re too young for a farewell tour. Give it another 20 years and try again.”
The 59-year-old singer’s first three albums, 1992’s “Life’s A Dance,” 1994’s “Kickin’ It Up,” and 1995’s “John Michael Montgomery,” were all reportedly multi-platinum selling albums. And he has reportedly sold more than 16 million albums in his career.
His Billboard number-one hits include: “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “I Swear,” and “I Can Love You Like That.”
Good news for fans of the artist is that while it sounds as though he is all but wrapping up his time on the road, he reportedly hasn’t ruled out the occasional appearance and it doesn’t sound like he is completely walking away from making music.
“I’m sure there will be some situations where I just need to do a show here and there because I’ll miss that too much,” he reportedly said in a statement. “But I just feel the time has come to say goodbye to the road life.”
Country legend Alan Jackson bids farewell to Fort Worth
Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson will deliver his farewell Fort Worth show at Dickies Arena, marking a significant turning point in his illustrious career that has spanned more than three decades.
Fort Worth is the only Texas stop on Jackson’s “Last Call: One More for the Road” tour, where up-and-coming artist Zach Top will serve as the opening act.
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This goodbye performance is significant because of Jackson’s strong ties to Fort Worth, especially through Billy Bob’s Texas, where an early performance inspired his hit song “Dallas.”
“Fans know when they come to my shows, they’re going to hear the songs that made me who I am – the ones they love,” Jackson said about the tour on his website. Despite dealing with the movement issues caused by Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), the 65-year-old superstar still performs plenty of his 25 No. 1 songs, such as “Chattahoochee,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” with Jimmy Buffett and “Remember When.”
A portion of ticket sales will support the CMT Research Foundation.
Industry watchers point out that this seems to be a true retirement from touring, in contrast to other artists’ “farewell” tours. On his website, Jackson made clear his desire to spend more time with his family at home.
The February show is Fort Worth fans’ last chance to see the man who helped shape contemporary country music.
Tickets are on sale now on all major ticketing sites.
Alan Jackson and John Michael Montgomery Announce Retirement from Touring
Two legends of country music are getting ready to say goodbye. Alan Jackson and John Michael Montgomery just announced they’ll stop touring in 2025.
Montgomery shared the news on New Year’s Eve, announcing his ‘ROAD TO HOME’ tour. In a statement to American Songwriter, the singer said, “Thanks so much for your support for the last three decades. It’s meant so much to me.”
Since his 1992 hit “Life’s A Dance,” Montgomery’s songs have touched countless fans. He dominated radio with number ones like “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “I Swear,” and “I Can Love You Like That.” His album sales have topped 16 million copies.
After 30 years on tour, Montgomery wants to spend more time with family. Though he might still pop up for occasional shows after the farewell tour ends.
Jackson kicks off his farewell shows on August 2, 2024. Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, he said, “I’ve been touring for over 30 years, played everywhere in the country and parts of the world, and had a wonderful career. But I’ve come to a point where it’s time to hang up my cowboy hat and focus on what really matters most to me.”
Jackson’s “Last Call: One More for the Road” ends May 17, 2025, with 10 shows planned. He’s stepping away because of his ongoing struggle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which makes it hard for him to move around on stage.
Both artists shot to fame in the early 1990s. They helped define country music’s sound during that time, each creating hit after hit that went platinum.
