’90s Country Icon John Michael Montgomery Announces Retirement

The country hitmaker says he’s decided to “wind down” his touring career.

By

Madeleine O’Connell

| Posted on

January 2, 2024

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3:02 pm

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John Michael Montgomery; Photo Courtesy of Facebook

John Michael Montgomery has devoted over 30 years to his music career and now at 58 years old, he’s announced that by the end of 2025, he will be retired from his days of touring. 

While sharing the news via social media on New Year’s Day, the beloved ‘90s country star also revealed that he will be commemorating the end of this chapter by embarking on a farewell tour in 2024. 

John Michael Montgomery announces his retirement from the road.
John Michael Montgomery; Facebook Post

His caption read, “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope everyone enjoyed bringing in 2024 and may it be a wonderful one for all my friends out there. For me it will be the start of my farewell tour as I have decided to wind down my touring career over this year and 2025.”

Reflecting On His Early Days Of Touring

In another statement shared in a recent press release, Montgomery went on to reflect on his career that broke out in 1992. At this time, he had stepped onto a tour bus for the first time and had also just released his first single, “Life’s A Dance,” to country radio. 

“It was so surreal to me. And of course like any new artist would, I worried about how long it would last and hoped it would not be a ‘flash in the pan’ career,” he admitted before adding, “So every album, every song, and every year of being able to do what I love for so many years, and for the fans who have supported me and my music, I’ve cherished those moments very deeply.”

YouTube video

Montgomery then took a moment to share his appreciation for all the fans who have supported him along the way and made him the artist he is today. He ended by assuring his listeners that while he’s closing the door to touring, he isn’t saying farewell to performing altogether. 

“So, a BIG thank you to them all! I’m not saying I’m never gonna step on stage and perform again, I still love that feeling of entertaining and the crowd cheering and singing along with my songs as much as that first show over thirty years ago, and it all started when my parents got me on stage when I was a kid. So 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,” the Kentucky-born artist concluded.

Numerous Hits, 16 Million Albums Sold & More

Throughout his pursuit of music, John Michael Montgomery has racked up 36 radio singles, sold 16 million albums and earned numerous hits, seven of which went on to reach No. 1 on the charts: “I Love the Way You Love Me” (1993), “I Swear” (1994), “Be My Baby Tonight” (1994), “If You’ve Got Love” (1994), “I Can Love You Like That” (1995), “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) (1995), and “The Little Girl” (2000). 

His love for music stems from his household, where both his parents instilled a passion for the arts in him and his brother, Eddie Montgomery. They performed together in a family band for several years before breaking off into their own pursuits. Eventually, Eddie and their friend Troy Gentry formed the legendary country duo known as Montgomery Gentry. 

Watching His Son, Walker Montgomery, Carry On The Family’s Passion For Music

The two prominent musical figures now get the chance to watch the next generation of country music come to life through the emerging career of John’s son and Eddie’s nephew, Walker Montgomery. The three generations of artists recently came together to celebrate Walker for achieving the great milestone of making his Grand Ole Opry debut

In the days following, John took to social media to celebrate his son’s major achievement with a post that included a slideshow of images from the memorable evening. 

John Michael Montgomery, Walker Montgomery, Eddie Montgomery and Charlie Mattos; Photo by Chris Hollo, Grand Ole Opry
John Michael Montgomery, Walker Montgomery, Eddie Montgomery and Charlie Mattos; Photo by Chris Hollo, Grand Ole Opry

He wrote, “Congratulations to my son, @walkermontgomery for your Opry debut. Eddie and I were honored to announce Walker to the stage. He stepped into the circle and gave an amazing performance. We are so proud of him. It was a great night celebrating family and country music. Thank you to @opry for keeping the magic alive!”

John Michael Montgomery has several shows booked through October of 2024, including his next stop at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Meyers, FL on January 3. 

Click HERE for a full list of upcoming dates. 

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Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.