Meghan Patrick Gets Emotional While Explaining Decision To Cancel Remaining 2026 Tour Dates
“This is hard to say, but I need to be honest with myself and with y’all…”
Meghan Patrick; Photo by Ford Fairchild
Meghan Patrick has made the difficult decision to cancel her remaining 2026 tour dates as she focuses on her health and pregnancy.
The CRS New Faces honoree shared the emotional news with fans in a heartfelt video posted to social media on Monday morning. In the candid clip, Patrick admitted she originally believed she could continue touring throughout her pregnancy without slowing down, but quickly realized that wasn’t realistic.
“This is hard to say, but I need to be honest with myself and with y’all… I was wrong. When I found out I was pregnant, my first thought after the excitement was, ‘How is this going to affect my career?’ I was determined not to slow down. I thought I had to prove that pregnancy wouldn’t change anything and that I could push through no matter what,” she shared.
As the pregnancy progressed, however, Patrick says she began reevaluating what mattered most after conversations with her doctors, family, management team, and husband, fellow country singer Mitchell Tenpenny. Ultimately, she came to the realization that prioritizing her health and the well-being of her unborn daughter needed to come first.
“But over the last few weeks, after a lot of conversations with my doctor, my family, my team, and Mitchell, I’ve realized I was wrong to think that I had anything to prove. More importantly, I’ve realized my health and my baby girl’s well-being have to come first,” she continued. “So with a very heavy heart, I’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of my shows for the year, starting in June. I fully intend to reschedule the Golden Child dates when I’m able, but for now, everyone who bought tickets will receive full refunds.”
Patrick went on to explain that many of the dates on her schedule had been booked before she learned she was expecting and admitted she underestimated how physically and emotionally challenging this chapter of life would become.
“Between complications, hospital visits, exhaustion, and the anxiety that comes with experiencing a previous miscarriage, I’ve had to take a hard look at what’s truly important right now.”
The singer said the choice was not only about protecting herself, but also about setting an example for other women navigating career and motherhood.
“I’ve spent years believing I had to constantly push harder, sacrifice more, and prove myself to deserve a place in this industry. But I don’t want to contribute to the idea that women have to run themselves into the ground to succeed. Right now, being the best mother I can be matters more than anything else,” she added.
Patrick also assured fans that she never wants to give anything less than her absolute best on stage and said she wouldn’t feel right accepting fans’ hard-earned money if she couldn’t deliver the kind of performance they deserve. After wrapping up the final few dates remaining in May, she plans to fully step away from touring for the rest of the year.
“I’ll finish the last couple of shows I have this month, then I’ll be stepping away from touring for the rest of the year to focus on my family, my health, and this baby girl we prayed so hard for. I’ll still be making music, and honestly, I feel like I’m writing some of the best songs of my life right now. So I will not be disappearing or ‘quitting,’ just doing things a little differently in the best way for not only the quality of my music, but also for my family,” she said.
She closed her message with a heartfelt thank you to fans who have supported her throughout the years and reassured them this is only a temporary pause.
“I promise I’ll be back when the time is right, and it will be worth the wait.”
Meghan Patrick and Mitchell Tenpenny announced the news of their pregnancy on March 31 via Instagram.
“We’ve been blessed with the greatest gift of all this year! God is so good and always right on time… we can’t wait to be Mom and Dad,” they shared at the time.
Their baby girl is expected to arrive later this year, adding another meaningful milestone to an already unforgettable chapter for the couple, who married in a rustic Tennessee ceremony on Sunday, October 23, 2022.
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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