Over the past year or two, some notable performers have left the country music industry.
In 2024, over 30 artists or significant figures passed away, and a few iconic performers also declared that they were saying goodbye to their careers.
However, with fresh dates announced for 2025, at least two of the artists that people believed were bidding adieu in 2024 seem to have taken a step back.
That’s fantastic news for country music lovers. Here are some famous performers who have made the decision to continue in 2025:
Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood appeared to be riding high as he rode into the sunset.
Even though the country music icon declared in 2023 that he was retiring and winding down, he has recently been quite popular, giving his song “God Bless the U.S.A.” a significant place on the campaign trail alongside Donald Trump, the president-elect.
It seems that Greenwood has made the decision that 2024 will not be his final year. Taste of Country reports that the 82-year-old musician has revealed a completely new 2025 tour schedule.
In a statement to Taste of Country, Greenwood said, “The American Spirit Tour is a celebration of the values and pride that make this country great.” I’m eager to travel and share these unique encounters with my fans around the nation.
According to Greenwood’s website, the first date is set for January 22 at the Seminole Casino Hotel in Immokalee, Florida. For those who would like to see him in the Keystone State, he will also make two appearances in Pennsylvania: on Saturday, July 26 at the Rayne Drop Inn II in Marion Center, and on Sunday, July 27 at the Fayette County Fair in Dunbar.
According to Taste of Country, Greenwood initially stated that he was stepping away in 2023 due to health concerns, including a pair of titanium knees and titanium in his back.
However, it seems that he is doing well enough and is in enough demand to continue beyond two years.
The Oak Ridge Boys
In terms of sorrow, few people in the country music industry suffered as much as the Oak Ridge Boys did in 2024.
At age 76, singer Joe Bonsall passed away in July.
After Bonsall declared in January that he was retiring from the band’s touring, it was discovered that complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Scleroris (ALS) were the cause of his death.
William Rusty Golden, the son of band member William Lee Golden, passed away shortly after that.
In addition, frontman Duane Allen’s wife, Norah Lee Allen, passed away during Easter. Additionally, it was disclosed that singer Richard Sterban’s wife, Donna, also lost her father a few hours after Allen announced the death of his wife. In addition, veteran guitarist Donnie Carr’s wife, Phyllis Carr, passed away in March.
All of that occurred while the band was on what it had declared to be a final tour.
Nobody would have criticized them for riding off into the sunset in light of that. However, according to Taste of Country, the band announced a new set of dates that extends their run until December 2025.
Regarding the updated dates via Taste of Country, Golden stated in a press statement, “We’ve had so much fun touring from city to city and getting to see everyone.”We hope you enjoy the new CD as much as we do; the reception we got to it has been fantastic. We’ll be adding more dates shortly, so visit our website often.
A new set of dates for 2025 was just disclosed by Lee Greenwood, another legendary figure in country music who declared in 2023 that he was retiring from touring.