Kenny Chesney To Replace Morgan Wallen At Gulf Coast Jam And Carolina Country Music Fest
The news comes after Wallen was placed on a strict six-week vocal rest.
Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen; Photos Courtesy of Jill Trunnell and David Lehr
Kenny Chesney is stepping up to fill-in for Morgan Wallen at two upcoming festivals amid Wallen’s doctor ordered vocal rest.
On Tuesday (May 9), It was revealed that Chesney will now headline both Gulf Coast Jam and Carolina Country Music Fest in June.
Gulf Coast Jam
The eight-time Entertainer Of The Year is set to perform at Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, Florida on Saturday, June 3. In addition to Chesney, Chase Rice, ERNEST, Bailey Zimmerman, Lily Rose, DJ NYU and more are also on the bill that evening.
“Morgan was the first 2023 headliner we announced last year, and the anticipation to see his amazing show, along with HARDY, Miranda and Kane and the rest of our incredible lineup, was off the charts,” said Gulf Coast Jam Presented by Jim Beam Executive Producer Rendy Lovelady. “We’ve seen time and time again how brutal this business on the body, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Morgan for a full recovery.”
“We are just as sad as everyone else, as our families were as excited as your families to see Morgan Wallen,” said Gulf Coast Jam Presented by Jim Beam COO Mark Sheldon. “We pray he gets well soon, and we hope to see him in Panama City Beach in the near future.”
Carolina Country Music Fest
The “Knowing You” singer will also take Wallen’s place at Carolina Country Music Fest on June 10 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
“We have been informed that due to medical reasons, Morgan Wallen will not be able to perform his next six weeks of appearances and that includes CCMF [and] We are disappointed, as we were excited to host Wallen at CCMF, again, just as much as everyone wants to see him perform. [Festival producers are] working to reschedule Morgan at CCMF for our 2024 dates and we wish him a speedy recovery. Please be patient with us as we work quickly to update the line up.”
Placed On Strict Vocal Rest
The news comes hours after Wallen took to social media and revealed that he has been placed on a strict vocal rest that forced him to reschedule 6 weeks worth of concerts and appearances.
Earlier today (May 9), the country superstar took to social media to share the unfortunate news with fans via an emotional video message. In the clip, Wallen revealed that he has been placed on a strict six-week vocal rest and has been forced to cancel his ACM Awards performance.
“What’s going on y’all, I’m just going to get straight to it. I got some bad news from my Doctor’s at the Vanderbilt Voice Center yesterday. After taking ten days of vocal rest, I performed three shows last weekend in Florida and by the third one I felt terrible,” he explained. “So, I went in and got scoped yesterday and they told me I injured my vocal cords and that I have vocal fold trauma. Their advice is that I go on vocal rest for six weeks. So that’s what I’m going to do. They want me to not talk at all, but they said it’s okay if I need to for something like this.”
Injured In Australia
The superstar went on to reveal another injury that took place when he was on tour in Australia.
“I also tore my lat [latissimus dorsi] while we were in Australia. I’ve been trying to work through that quietly, but this off is going to help me get that back right as well,” he also revealed.
He then shared that he and his team are currently working to reschedule upcoming tour dates and that he unfortunately won’t be able to perform at the ACM Awards or ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Morgan Wallen & Friends, presented by VGT by Aristocrat Gaming.
“We’re working on rescheduling all the date during this time frame. We’ve almost got that done, but some of them are pending so I will keep you updated,” Wallen continued. ”I won’t be able to make these festivals that I have during this time frame, but we are going to make those right next year. I won’t be able to do the ACM Awards or the other event, which y’all make sure you still go it’s for a great cause.”
Doctors warned Wallen that he must adhere to vocal rest, otherwise it could impact his voice in the future.
“They told me that if I do this the right way that I’ll get back to 100% and they also said that if I don’t listen and if I keep singing that I permanently damage my voice. So for the longevity of my career this is just the choice I had to make,” he acknowledged. “I hate it, but I love you guys and I appreciate all the support that you always give me and I’ll see you soon and I’ll be back better than ever. God bless you.”
One Night At A Time World Tour
Wallen is currently in the midst of his One Night At A Time World Tour, which kicked off with two sold-out shows at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in April.
The One Night At A Time World Tour marks Wallen’s first-time ever headlining stadiums across the globe for multiple nights.
Marking one of the largest tours of 2023 so far and the biggest tour of Wallen’s career, the lengthy trek will visit 30 stadiums, plus arenas, amphitheaters and festivals to fans across four countries and two continents.
The North American leg of the trek will wrap up on October 7 at Tacoma Dome in Washington.
The tour, which kicked off in March with shows overseas in New Zealand and Australia, will return overseas this fall with stops in Canada before heading to The O2 in London on Dec. 3.
Produced by Live Nation, the trek will feature support from ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman on all dates. HARDY and Parker McCollum will also appear on select dates.
In an effort to give back to those in need, Wallen will donate $3 of every ticket sold on the U.S. dates to The Morgan Wallen Foundation. Established in 2021, the foundation benefits causes near and dear to the superstar’s heart, including organizations such as Greater Good Music, Children Are People, the Salvation Army, and the National Museum of African American Music.
Wallen Will Return To The Stage On June 22
Last month, Morgan Wallen’s vocal issues caused him to abruptly cancel his concert in Mississippi and reschedule several other dates of the trek prior to Tuesday’s announcement. According to Morgan Wallen’s official website, the East Tennessee native’s next scheduled tour date will take place on June 22 in Chicago, IL at Wrigley Field.
Rescheduled tour dates and festival appearances will be announced soon. Upon the announcement of new dates, a 30-day refund window will open at the point of purchase.
Kenny Chesney’s I Go Back Tour
Meanwhile, Kenny Chesney is in the midst of his I Go Back Tour, which kicked off on March 23 in Charlottesville, Virginia and continues through May 27. The trek features support from Kelsea Ballerini.
Presented by Blue Chair Bay Rum, the I Go Back Tour finds Chesney returning to his roots as he visits arenas and cities that he played on his rise to superstardom.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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