Justin Moore, Chase Rice, and Colter Wall are among seven singers who have stepped away from touring this year (Photo Credit: John Lamparski/Getty Images, Steve Jennings/Getty Images, Scott Dudelson / Getty Images for Stagecoach)
It is halfway through 2026, and so far, a total of seven country singers have announced they would be pausing their touring career to focus on their health.
Life on the road may look glamorous, but for many country music stars, the demands of constant touring can take a serious toll. Between the long nights, endless travel, and the pressure to perform at the highest level often leave little room for rest, recovery, or personal well-being.
This year, several country artists have made the difficult decision to step away from touring to focus on what matters most: their health. Whether they’re battling physical injuries, prioritizing mental wellness, addressing substance abuse issues, or simply taking time to recharge, these performers have chosen to put themselves before their careers—at least for the moment.
Justin Moore is the most recent singer to announce that he is taking time away from touring to focus on his health. He was scheduled as the opening act for Riley Green’s Cowboy As It Gets Tour, but announced his news just six shows into the tour.
From chart-topping headliners to beloved veterans, here’s a look at the 7 country singers who hit pause on life on the road in 2026 in order to heal, recover, and return stronger than ever.
Justin Moore
Known for hits like “Small Town USA” and “If Heaven Weren’t So Far Away,” Justin Moore has been touring for the better part of two decades. But, it seems the tour life has taken a toll on him.
In a statement posted to all his social media accounts on June 8, the country singer wrote:
“I’ve made the decision to take some time to focus on my health. As a result, I’ll be stepping away from touring for a short period and will be unable to perform some upcoming shows. This is the right decision for me and my family, and I appreciate everyone’s understanding and support. I look forward to getting back out there later this summer and doing what I love most.”
Jake Worthington
We first met Jake Worthington during Season 6 of The Voice in 2014, where he came in second place to Josh Kaufman.
Since then, he has had a steady rise in country music with fans loving his traditional sound. He is seemingly constantly on the road and in May, he announced his Intent To Tonk Tour: Repeat Offender Tour, which kicks off on July 25th.
He is also scheduled to open for big acts including Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, HARDY, and Gavin Adcock, according to his website.
On May 22, he shared a major life update on social media, revealing that he will be stepping away from music for now.
“I live a life as my heroes did, but that life gotten ahold of me,” Worthington wrote on Instagram. “I love my family, my friends and my fans too much to let it take over me. I need to take some time to work on myself for my wife and daughter. I promise I will come back even better. God bless country music.”
He has not cancelled any appearances yet, and his next tour date is on July 24th.
See his statement below.
Tayler Holder
Shortly after making his Grand Ole Opry debut in April, Tayler Holder announced he would be cancelling his shows to focus on his mental health.
“Over the past several months, I’ve been in a constant struggle with my mental health in ways that I can no longer ignore. I’ve tried for a while now to put my head down and just push through this and give everything I have to the music and the people who support me, but truthfully, I’ve reached my limit right now and I need to take a step back and focus on getting healthy,” he wrote.
Holder continued, “I’m taking this time to rest, seek support, and reconnect with myself away from the pressure and pace of touring,” he wrote. “My hope is that this break will allow me to return stronger, healthier, and able to give you guys the performances you deserve.”
Randall King
On March 18, 2026, Randall King canceled several upcoming tour dates, announcing that he would be stepping away from the stage to focus on his personal well-being.
He also told fans he is seeking professional help after taking a “hard look” at his life and realized his choices have affected not only him, but those around him.
“My faith comes first and right now I don’t feel right stepping on stage without the confidence that I’m living as the man God has called me to be,” King said on social media.
Colter Wall
Shortly before King’s announcement, Colter Wall took to social media to release a vulnerable statement about his mental health. He revealed he is “mentally unwell” and pushed himself despite knowing that he needed to take a break to get help.
He announced that he would be taking an indefinite pause from live music, cancelling the remainder of his tour dates.
Megan Patrick
On May 11, singer Megan Patrick, who is expecting her first child in September, announced that she, too, would be cancelling tour dates and going on hiatus beginning in June.
“With a heavy heart, I’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of my shows for the year, starting in June. 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,” she said. “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.”
See her post below.
Chase Rice
Chase Rice took to Instagram on January 8 to announce to his fans that he would be taking a break after 13 straight years of touring.
“Alright everybody, I wasn’t sure whether I was gonna talk about this or not but here we are,” Rice wrote. “I’ve been touring for 13 years and I’ve lived a dream far greater than I could’ve ever expected. This isn’t a goodbye thing or anything like that to be clear upfront, although it may feel like that, but I’m exhausted.”
He continued, “I haven’t been able to be myself on stage in quite a while and really enjoy music and why I got into it in the first place. I love songs, I love living them, hearing stories from other people, and figuring out how to put that life into music. After 13 years it’s finally beat me up to the point where I need to step away for a while. I need to go live life so that I have more real experiences to write down.”
He played a couple shows he had scheduled, but then took his well-deserved break.
See his announcement below.
