Chris Janson Shares Heartfelt Message After Joining Keith Urban Onstage At Gulf Coast Jam

Fans attending the first night of the 2026 Gulf Coast Jam got an unexpected surprise when Chris Janson made a special appearance during Keith Urban’s headline set in Panama City Beach, Florida.

As Urban took the stage on Thursday night (May 28), the country superstar once again proved why he’s considered one of country music’s most electrifying live performers. Midway through his set, he welcomed Janson to the stage, and the two made their way out arm in arm, sparking loud cheers from the packed crowd.

The longtime friends performed Urban’s hit “Days Go By” together. The performance quickly turned into a full-blown jam session, with the two country acts showcasing their individual talents. Urban took the lead, delivering his signature guitar licks while Janson ripped through an impressive harmonica solo before making his way off stage, allowing the Australian singer/songwriter to finish off his set.

Following the performance, Janson took a moment to reflect on their time on stage at the festival and his longtime friendship with Urban in a heartfelt social media post. He highlighted how supportive the “Straight Line” singer has been of his career since the start.

“My longest standing friendship within the music business, @keithurban He’s always been in my corner, and i can’t tell y’all how much it means to me. He invited me to be an @opry member a few years back. So many great times together through the years,” Janson wrote. “I was honored to join him tonight in Florida. It’s pure magic when we jam together. Love you KU!”

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The 2026 Gulf Coast Jam is taking place from May 28 through May 31, 2026 at Frank Brown Park. Keith Urban kicked off night one as the first headliner, and will be followed by Chris Stapleton tonight (5/29), Riley Green on Saturday (5/30) and Post Malone on Sunday (5/31).

Urban’s performances comes just a few weeks before he’s set to drop his 13th studio album, Flow State, on June 12 via MCA Nashville. The yacht rock covers project is set to feature collaborations with Michael McDonald, John Mayer, and Little Big Town, as well as one original track, “We Go Back” featuring Michael McDonald.

Produced by Urban and Dann Huff and recorded at his Nashville studio, the album highlights songs like “Baby Come Back” and “Just the Two of Us” and a rendition of “Summer Breeze,” both available now. Keith Urban is next set to perform at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Friday, June 5 as part of CMA Fest.

Meanwhile, Chris Janson has a slew of his own festival appearances on the books. Next week he will be performing at Bottle & Cork at Dewey Beach, DE on June 4, followed by Carolina Country Music Festival in South Carolina on June 6.