Chris Stapleton & Cody Jinks Hit with Coronovirus Cancellations
This article has been updated.
The big concert set to officially open the brand new Globe Life Park stadium in Arlington, TX on Saturday, March 14th has been postponed due to Coronaviurs concerns. Set to be headlined by Chris Stapleton, with Willie Nelson and Family set to play right before, and Jamey Johnson and Yola opening the show, the cancellation is the latest casualty due to concerns about the virus. It was a joint decision between LiveNation and Chris Stapleton’s management team.
Chris Stapleton’s Thursday night show (3-12) at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX also involving Jamey Johnson and Yola has also been postponed, along with all other events at the facility. “For the health, safety and well-being of all of its patrons, performers and staff, we have decided to postpone upcoming events at the Erwin Center for the near future,” University of Texas vice president and athletics director Chris Del Conte said.
The tour package sans Willie Nelson played in Corpus Christi, TX on Wednesday, March 11th. Chris Stapleton was also scheduled to play Rodeo Houston on March 19th, which was also cancelled along with all remaining Rodeo Houston performances due to COVID-19 concerns.
UPDATE: Chris Stapleton’s shows on March 20th in Biloxi, Mississippi, and March 21st in Birmingham, Alabama have also been postponed. After that, his All-American Roadshow is off for a month until being set to resume on April 22nd in Toldeo, OH.
Cody Jinks has also been forced to postpone dates due to the Coronavirus. “We just flew to New York to start a tour and got off the plane to find out that Albany, Rochester, Worchester, and Hartford are canceled. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. We will do everything that we can to reschedule these shows ASAP. As far as the rest of the tour goes, we will notify you the moment we know more.”
The affected Cody Jinks dates can be seen below:
Mar 12 – Albany, NY – The Palace Theatre
Mar 13 – Rochester, NY – The Kodak Center
Mar 14 – Worcester, MA – Palladium
Mar 15 – Hartford, CT – The Webster Theater
The next Cody Jinks performance is scheduled for Bristol, Tennessee on Wednesday, March 18th.
Whitey Morgan also has cancelled a slew of shows scheduled in the Pacific Northwest. “Bad news PNW! The Seattle, Portland, Eugene and Spokane shows have been canceled. We love you and are not happy about this. Stay strong! We will reschedule these shows and make it 10x better next time around. Dates for the rescheduled plays to be announced asap.”
The affected Whitey Morgan dates can be seen below:
Mar 12 – Eugene, OR – Sessions Music Hall
Mar 13 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Mar 14 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
Mar 15 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
Mar 16 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
Along with these postponements and cancellations, many artists either planning to travel to Europe, or currently in Europe are worried how the recent travel ban announced by President Trump will affect their ability to leave or get home. On Wednesday, Mike and the Moonpies cancelled their upcoming European tour, while the Washington D.C. shows for the current Sturgill Simpson / Tyler Childers show have been postponed as well.
March 12, 2020 @ 10:09 am
All prudent measures. End of story.
March 12, 2020 @ 10:17 am
At the end of the day, it’s a wise and safe choice to make.
March 12, 2020 @ 10:31 am
Just a quick note: I added some Whitey Morgan dates that have also been postponed. Also, two more Chris Stapleton dates in Mississippi and Alabama were also postponed after I posted this, which were added above.
I’ll do my best to keep everyone up-to-date on cancellations, but this is a very fluid situation.
March 12, 2020 @ 12:00 pm
Add Ward Davis to the list
March 12, 2020 @ 10:32 am
Prediction: Trig wont be able to keep up with all the cancellations coming. Where I live the Governor has declared this a state emergency and local mayors are following suit. This means city and state workers are likely gonna be sent home.
Most local concert venues near me have issued statements on their cleaning procedures to try to reassure folks. I’m thinking it probably isn’t gonna work. Yeah, financial impact is gonna be frightfully big.
March 12, 2020 @ 10:41 am
I’m not going to try and cover every cancellation, because you’re right, it’s going to get out of hand. But I am going to try and cover the artists that are very relevant to Saving Country Music, like Cody Jinks, Tyler Childers, Mike & the Moonpies, etc., and if and when there is any confusion like there was earlier today about the Chris Stapleton dates, while also making sure I don’t ignore new releases and such. There’s no script on how to handle a situation like this. I’m going to do the best I can.
March 12, 2020 @ 11:00 am
I think it might be wise, now, to revisit the SXSW cancellation response made earlier this week. And then reflect on entertainers canceling their events by choice, or localities making that choice for them.
Trig characterized Austin’s response as an “alarmist overreaction.” He then stated, “And doing so under the pretense of a “local disaster” through an act of government when no actual “disaster” exists is a very scary precedent that could be called upon in the future to stifle legal rights to assembly.” THAT is the alarmist overreaction.
Let’s look to Italy as an example. “On 21 February Italy had 19 identified Coronavirus cases. Now about 12500.”
SXSW was actually one of the most responsible entities in the entertainment industry by canceling their events. When an entity as big as the NBA decides to suspend their season, I think it’s easy to understand that this is something that should be taken a little more seriously than “a popcorn fart.”
While it’s unfortunate that Jinks, Stapleton, Childers/Simpson, Mike & the Moonpies are losing out on dates, it is unquestionably the correct move. Criticizing the city of Austin as if they “created a [disaster]” is foolish. The response of Austin was not embarrassing – the imprudent and narrow-minded response to their responsibility was embarrassing.
Go buy music to make up for the cancellations. Hit indie artists hard. Prop them up while they make the hard and prudent decisions to cancel dates.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:08 pm
Joe,
It might be a bit too early to assess Trigger’s initial response. In 2016, the Zika virus had 5,168 cases reported in the U.S. with an additional 36,512 in the U.S. territories.
This is serious but hopefully the aforementioned numbers provide a bit of context. As with most of these types of things, it will probably get worse before it gets better. But a fluid situation means that statements and assertions are made at the time not knowing the future.
So I personally believe Trigger was correct for the time he made his initial assertion.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:47 pm
I think it’s hard to draw parallels between something that is primarily transmitted through the respiratory system and contact with others and a virus that is primarily transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.
That’s a pretty critical difference between the two.
March 12, 2020 @ 4:35 pm
Joe,
Precisely my point. Since there is nothing to perfectly compare this to, then assessments are made at the time knowledge becomes available. With the knowledge that was evident AT THE TIME, I do not feel it irresponsible to ascertain that a certain amount of hysteria was involved. One thing we do know and use for comparison is human hysteria, especially by the media. That is a product they sell.
Therefore, having a dim eye cast on the various news outlets whenever a story breaks is warranted. And it is human behavior to hitch a ride with said hysteria.
Now a few days later, it does seem to be more serious than first thought. But no one had the insight of a few days later several days ago.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:45 pm
Look, there will be plenty of time to asses what did happen, what is happening, and what will happen in the future with this disease as time goes forward. Right now, just like everyone, I am focused on trying to help get through it and do my little part. If I need to eat crow in the future, it won’t be the first time, and I have plenty of ketchup. But right now, there are many, many cards to still be played, and I don’t think anyone has a good idea of where all of this will end up.
That said, my article on the cancellation of SXSW was grossly mischaracterized by many. I went out of my way to say that Coronavirus was a serious issue. I even said there was a scenario where SXSW should be cancelled. I also said the decision would cause “domino-like implications throughout the music industry will begin to fall for the days and weeks ahead, and affect music like we’ve never seen before.”
This is what we’re seeing transpire now.
Understand, SXSW was actively working on a contingency where they were going to limit crowd sizes, do health screenings of participants, ban participation of people from affected areas, and craft a virtual experience so the conference could still go on, and the company could sustain through a difficult situation. With the City of Austin’s unexpected move made a week before it was necessary and 48 hours after they assured SXSW they wouldn’t cancel, it threw all of those plan into the garbage, forced SXSW to slash its workforce so it couldn’t make a virtual pivot like it was planning, and meanwhile over 150 SXSW-like events are still planned for the week with thousands of artists and attendees still planning to come to the Austin, only with no governing body to oversee them.
I never said Coronavirus was a hoax. I never said it wasn’t to be taken serious. And Italy is not an example, it is an exception. It is the epicenter of the disease at the moment, while more people are recovering than contracting the disease in China, and more people have recovered from it worldwide than have it. Meanwhile the silver lining is all these cancellations will continue to keep the virus under control.
This matter is extremely serious, both as a health matter, and for the music industry. I saw how cancelling such and incredibly significant and influential event as SXSW would cause a domino affect, and I sounded the warning bell as a concerned member of the music community. I don’t regret that decision one bit. That’s not to put music before people, it was to point out how people in the music business and in Austin were going to be adversely affected by that decision too. I saw how the lives of artists and my neighbors were going to be affected, and I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the human toll there too. In the future we’ll have time to re-asses and dissect everything, and if need be, I’ll own up to opinions that didn’t age well.
March 12, 2020 @ 10:37 pm
Italy is not an exception, China is an exception. China curtailed the virus’ spread using the full power of an authoritarian government and the strongest industrial machine in the world. We are much closer to Italy. The rest of the world is going to be Italy if we don’t take proactive steps
March 12, 2020 @ 11:12 pm
Italy is the worst country in the world right now for the spread of the Coronavirus. An example would be taking a country that is near the average or median for Coronavirus spread. Referring to the worst case scenario as the inevitable when there are numerous countries in Asia that were exposed to the virus earlier and did not have the same result as Italy is not taking a full picture look at the outbreak. Could things get as bad as Italy in the United States? Sure. But they could also end up like China, especially with the aggressive measures being taken. Ultimately, this is a discussion for down the road in hindsight.
March 12, 2020 @ 11:22 pm
Sure, but I don’t think I referred to it as inevitable. I said it was what would happen if we didn’t take proactive steps. You’re trying to make the argument both ways, saying we should relax because it’s not as bad as Italy then saying it won’t be as bad as Italy because of the aggressive measures taken. I think and I hope you’re right, but I think part of that is supporting said aggressive measures. At this point the spread of the virus here is unfolding as it did in Italy, and that’s with a pretty severe lack of testing.
You are definitely right that the full accounting won’t happen until after. This is going to affect everyone personally in some way by the time all is said and done, and hopefully we can learn something about how to handle it better next time
March 13, 2020 @ 9:20 am
It probably appears like I’m arguing both ways because I think the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, like it usually is. I respectfully disagree that we’re headed towards the Italy model in the United States though. We still could, but the rate of infection is not at those levels yet. There were two deaths in the US two days ago, 3 deaths yesterday, and so far no deaths today. There’s still a long way to go, but Italy is the exception, not the rule.
March 13, 2020 @ 10:01 am
Well again, I hope you’re right, but there are many ways in which we are behind Italy and the rest of the developed world, most crucially in testing. South Korea has been testing 20,000 people per day. We have tested less than that total. The fact is we don’t really know how the virus is spreading here because we’ve been so far incapable of keeping up with testing. Shutting things down is the minimum response
March 12, 2020 @ 11:40 am
Interesting that you’re not chalking these up to “hysteria”
March 12, 2020 @ 11:54 am
Isn’t that what you requested I do? Now you’re going to give me shit for it?
March 12, 2020 @ 12:04 pm
So…. was it “hysteria” to cancel SXSW?
March 12, 2020 @ 12:29 pm
In Trigger’s defense, he’s not the only one that said that. I travel, to hospitals, for work, so I was more attuned to that being a good call, but my wife and at least a couple of friends felt the same as Trigger.
Marty Stuart’s show tonight in Atlanta has not been canceled. I kind of wish it would be.
March 12, 2020 @ 12:49 pm
That’s true.
But this website gets 500k visits a month. That’s a lot of influence.
And tbh I might risk the bubonic plague to see Marty Stuart
March 12, 2020 @ 1:52 pm
The cancelling of SXSW was handled extremely poorly, done too soon, and made it impossible for the organization to implement the scaled-down event and virtual experience they were working on in response to the Coronavirus concern. Instead of creating a model how events could still go forward in this environment using technology (SXSW is not just music, it’s one of the biggest tech conferences in the world), the cancelling set the precedent of pulling the plug on everything that we’re now seeing.
Just in case people didn’t see it, I wrote about this extensively here:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/sxsw-organization-on-the-brink-after-2020-cancellation/
SXSW had to lay off 1/3rd of its workforce, and will be out of money by June.
March 12, 2020 @ 12:27 pm
My prediction is people will take very prudent precautions just like this and our country will effectively deal with this problem. And then people will say see there never was a problem. Just like Y2K, massive problem that we solved and people to this day call a hoax. This will be the same thing.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:01 pm
Whether you think all the cancellations are warranted or not, it will most certainly smooth out the bell curve on this disease, especially seeing how drastic and wide ranging these cancellations have become.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:20 pm
Thank you Trig. I see Shelton cancelled his remaining 5 shows and rescheduled to next year. C2C has been postponed as well. As you stated earlier this is uncharted territory and we have to take it seriously now. I would hate to be a performer who went ahead and later finds out a concert attendee got the virus. I wouldn’t want to take that risk.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:28 pm
Hi everybody , l’ m longtime fan of this site and i live in Italy. We’re totally locked down here. It hurts for shows cancellations and it Will be an economic tragedy, but please stay home as much as you can. This shitty virus is for Real.
March 12, 2020 @ 1:39 pm
I don’t recall this hysteria with the swine flu in 2009. 60 million infections, 275,000 hospitalizations, 13,000 deaths. Look it up for yourself. Wake up people, these artists live on live performances not record sales.
March 12, 2020 @ 2:49 pm
The CDC is looking to avoid that exact situation. They under-reacted and a novel virus was able to spread more than it should have. So they are taking COVID-19 as chance to really exercise precaution and nip this thing in the bud.
March 12, 2020 @ 4:18 pm
I just drove 6 hours to a folk festival that cancelled at last minute. A small event that was low risk, but government forces put pressure on the organisation to cancel. Especially because Sxsw has cancelled and also Coachella etc.
So yes, you’re right that the mishandling of sxsw had a flow on effect.
IF sxsw would have been modified to suit the situation, we could follow that and still be happy.
But no, its 2020, blanket bans on everything easy to ban but let it slip through anyway
March 12, 2020 @ 4:48 pm
I went to walmart today- Also stopped by the bank and a pawn shop to look at guitars-guess I’m gonna die.
March 12, 2020 @ 5:07 pm
There is no letter H in the great city of Worcester.
March 13, 2020 @ 6:46 am
Looks like the Luck reunion is cancelled.
Got a casino gig tonight, then a St Pat type party at a usually packed bar tomorrow. Holding my breath and crossing my fingers.
March 13, 2020 @ 7:29 am
Good luck (no pun intended), hope everyone has a really good time
March 13, 2020 @ 9:24 am
Tickets were supposed to go on sale this morning for a Cody & Whitey show here in Rockford,IL that was scheduled for April 30 and they intelligently postponed the sales and the show until things get sorted out. I’m fairly certain our governor said no show over 250 people will take place here in Illinois until May at the earliest. I know every state is different with how they’re handling this. No St. Patricks Day Pardi either. 🙁
March 15, 2020 @ 10:54 am
I am interested to see how venues respond in instances where a show IS going ahead, but individual customers are unable to attend due to coronavirus related issues. Most usually have a no refunds policy but due to the seriousness of the issues involved, it might be wise to be a little more flexible than usual for the safety of patrons, artists and venue staff.