BREAKING: Luke Bryan Unable To Perform At Watershed Festival, Lainey Wilson Steps Up As Replacement
“This is such a frustrating weekend,” Bryan shared.
Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson; Photos by Andrew Wendowski
Luke Bryan will no longer be performing at the 2023 Watershed Festival.
On Sunday afternoon (Aug. 6), the country superstar took to social media to share the unfortunate news with fans.
“This is such a frustrating weekend. ‘Shedders, I am sorry to let you down but I am not back singing – can hardly even talk still,” Bryan shared. “This festival is one of the most beautiful places we perform and one of the most fun crowds always.”
“I know my friends on the show will bring a great time for you! Show them all what you got. Love ya, Luke!” Bryan’s statement concluded.
Brian O’Connell, President of Live Nation Country and also known as BOC Country, revealed that Lainey Wilson would be filling in for Luke Bryan as the headliner for Watershed Festival on Sunday, August 6.
“Tonight’s Luke Bryan at Watershed Festival has been canceled due to Illness, but we are excited to welcome Lainey Wilson as this evening’s headliner. I cannot wait for that,” O’Connell said in the clip.
O’Connell also shared that concertgoers will receive a partial refund for their tickets due to the lineup change.
“We’re also going to be issuing a refund for 1/3 of your base price festival wristband for this lineup change. The refund will be processed within 10–14 days. It’ll be automatically credited. There’s nothing else that you need to do. We are so looking forward to an amazing Sunday here at Watershed Festival. We’ve had a great festival so far and we cannot wait with all the enthusiasm to welcome Lainey Wilson on her first headlining slot ever at Watershed.”
The news comes after Bryan was forced to cancel his Country On Tour date in Boise and suddenly postpone his concert at USANA Amphitheatre in Salt Lake City, Utah.
On Saturday (Aug. 5), Luke Bryan had to make the tough decision to cancel his show at Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater in Boise, Idaho. At the time, the American Idol judge took to social media to issue a statement with fans.
“Dear Boise fans – this is so hard for me to do but I am going to have to cancel my show on August 5th at Ford Center,” Luke Bryan wrote.
He then shared that he sought medical attention and he is following the guidelines set forth by his physician.
“Under the advisement of doctors I need another day to rest my voice and get better,” he continued. ”There is nothing that I love more than to play live shows and I am so disappointed to not be able to do this for you.”
He concluded, “More info will be sent to those who bought tickets. Love ya Luke.”
Just one day prior, hours before the doors opened, the country hitmaker released a statement to his fans to provide an explanation for the postponement.
“Dear Salt Lake fans, for the past couple of weeks I’ve been battling a head cold,” Bryan wrote. ”I have been spending those days warming up and singing and have been able to perform.”
He then went on to share that he wasn’t well enough to take the stage and had to make the tough decision to postpone the show.
“Today I have followed the same routine trying to not give up but I am just not getting better,” he continued. “I truly can not give you the show I want to give so I am going to have to postpone tonight’s show at USANA Amphitheatre to August 31, 2023.”
Luke Bryan’s statement concluded, “Thank you so much for understanding.”
The postponement comes as his brand-new single, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand,” a tune co-written by Chase McGill, Matt Dragstrem and Geoff Warburton, makes its way into the top 15 at Country radio.
Co-produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand” serves as his current single, and is expected to appear on his yet-to-be-announced next studio album.
Additionally, the five-time Entertainer Of The Year is currently in the midst of his headlining Country On Tour, which kicked off on June 15 in Syracuse, New York. The trek, which runs through October 28, will visit 36 cities across the United States with stops in Philadelphia, Nashville, Charlotte, and more.
Chayce Beckham, Tyler Braden, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean, Jon Langston, Conner Smith, Alana Springsteen, and Hailey Whitters join Bryan on the run alongside DJ Rock.
“I’m so excited about this year’s summer tour, the Country On Tour. I’ve got a lot of new up-and-coming artists. Some of ‘em have had a hit, some of ‘em are about to have a hit. They’re gonna be out there with me, and I’m so excited to be around young talent and watch them enjoy the summer tour,” Bryan previously shared of his tour mates.
He later added, “My favorite part about being out there on the Country On Tour is going town to town, and nothing is better than being out on the road in the summer.”
Later this year, Luke Bryan will take to the road for his 14th annual Farm Tour, which is set to run from September 14 through September 23. The trek will find Bryan visiting five farms, including Mulberry Orchard (Shelbyville, KY), Miller Family Farm (Millersport, OH), Schnell Family Farms (Colfax, IA), Klondike Farms (Brooklyn, WI) and Gar-Lin Dairy LLC (Eyota, MN).
Kameron Marlowe, Chayce Beckham, Peach Pickers and DJ Rock will serve as support on the Georgia native’s Farm Tour.
“One of the reasons we created these Farm Tour shows – to bring the big-city tour to the people,” Bryan explained in a press release. “These nights are one-of-a-kind and we really enjoy getting to know the farmers and their families, love the whole atmosphere of playing on these incredible farms and watching entire communities come together and get excited about these shows.”
Additional information about the Farm Tour can be found HERE.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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