John Michael Montgomery to Retire from Touring
Few assembled as memorable of a list of hits in the ’90s as John Michael Montgomery. “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident),” “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That,” and “Be My Baby Tonight” all hit #1, and deservedly so from one of the era’s most passionate singers. As ’90s country has come back into vogue, the John Michael Montgomery catalog has received renewed interest.
Unfortunately though, like we see so often with country legends, Music Row gave John Michael Montgomery about a 10-year shelf life before shuffling him out to pasture. But he never stopped touring, and never stopped entertaining appreciative fans. But as he nears the age of 60 in 2025, he’s decided it’s time to start winding down touring.
“I’ll never forget the first time I stepped foot on a tour bus for my first show back in 1992, with my first single ‘Life’s A Dance’ just coming out on radio,” he said in a post on New Year’s Day. “It was so surreal to me. And of course like any new artist would, I worried about how long it would last and hoped it would not be a ‘flash in the pan’ career. So every album, every song and every year of being able to do what I love for so many years, and for the fans who have supported me and my music, I’ve cherished those moments very deeply. So, a BIG thank you to them all!”
Montgomery continues, “I’m not saying I’m never gonna step on stage and perform again, I still love that feeling of entertaining and the crowd cheering and singing along with my songs as much as that first show over thirty years ago, and it all started when my parents got me on stage when I was a kid. So I’m sure there will be some situations where I just need to do a show here and there because I’ll miss that too much. But I just feel the time has come to say goodbye to the road life.”
John Michael Montgomery is worth seeing live if you have the opportunity. When he performed in 2023 at the Two Step Inn in Texas, Saving Country Music observed,
“You could almost forget just how many hits John Michael Montgomery had back in the day. He came out holding a somewhat silly-looking Takamine guitar with an American flag graphic on it. But when he closed his eyes, stopped strumming, and crooned out classics like ‘I Could Love You Like That’ and ‘I Love The Way You Love Me,’ it could make you fall in love with anyone. How country music let this guy age off of radio is a travesty.”
John Michael Montgomery will be going on his final tour in 2024. A full set of dates will be forthcoming, but in the interim, you can find is currently announced dates below.
Hopefully this isn’t the last we’ve heard from John Michael Montgomery. He had the hits, and he had the influence to at least be worthy of Hall of Fame discussion at some point in the future.
TOUR DATES:
Jan 3rd – Fort Myers, FL – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
Jan 26th – Dover, FL – Hillsborough County Fairgrounds
Mar 2nd – Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
April 5th – Riverside, IA – Riverside Casino Event Center
April 7th – Del Rio, TX – Val Verde Fairgrounds
May 31st – Xenia, OH -Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
Oct 11th – Wichita, KS – TempleLive Wichita
January 3, 2024 @ 8:46 am
Underrated JMM song: How Was I To Know
January 7, 2024 @ 10:41 pm
I think Rope the Moon is underrated as well.
January 3, 2024 @ 8:58 am
Thanks for the heads up!
If you liked him that much while seeing him at the Two Step Inn, sounds worthwhile.
January 3, 2024 @ 9:12 am
…what a pity. apart from being at great hitmaker, he’s also a kick-ass guitarist. affirmative, “how was i to know” is a mighty fine soundin’ tune.
January 3, 2024 @ 9:39 am
One hopes he has another album left in him somewhere too. Haven’t had one since 2008 I believe.
January 3, 2024 @ 10:26 am
I imagine he will be spending some time behind the scenes helping his son Walker as well. Walker is a great kid, sounds a lot like his dad and has a budding career going in Nashville.
January 3, 2024 @ 11:33 am
Known the family for years and it really is crazy how great his catalogue is and people sleep on it. With the resurgence of 90s music being in hopefully people will find his music again. Seriously though who didn’t cry first time they heard “The little Girl”
January 4, 2024 @ 7:22 am
Great record produced by Buddy Cannon
January 3, 2024 @ 12:23 pm
As I’m in Ft Myers, I just checked the venue’s website (Barbara Mann PAC) and they said due to circumstances beyond their control, tonight’s concert was cancelled. Too bad!
January 3, 2024 @ 12:26 pm
Huh, well that sucks.
January 3, 2024 @ 12:32 pm
Crazy how a 10 year shelf life career can give you 20+ hit songs…
Nowadays, artists are lucky to have 10 singles within a 10 yr time span
January 3, 2024 @ 6:56 pm
Sold and I Swear were Billboard country songs of the year in two consecutive years in 94 and 95.
Was having this discussion with a friend about how most acts only have a 10-15 yr period at most where they are at their artistic peak.
January 4, 2024 @ 4:53 pm
The Nashville brass are so addicted to the vanity of the precious “number one radio single” that they’ll push one song as long as they can until it hits the top slot, even if that takes more than a year (happens more often than you’d think nowadays). But back in the day artists were putting out three, sometimes even four singles per year. I’m not sure what incentivized the change.
January 3, 2024 @ 3:26 pm
“Somwhat silly looking guitar.” WhY Do YoU HaTe aMeRiCa?!
January 3, 2024 @ 6:48 pm
Lots of those songs that were also pop/ R&B hits are just cringe now, as the kids say. but I’m not gonna lie there is nothing better to get a girl on the floor at the Jr High dance! Great memories! He has a lot of great songs and a great voice
January 3, 2024 @ 11:20 pm
Please say it isn’t so , not another year if lip syncing!!!
January 4, 2024 @ 8:36 am
Yes, it’s painfully obvious. JMM will go live on some fast stuff, but most of his catalog, which are slow or midtempo ballads, is 100% lip synced these days. He’s been plagued by throat issues for years.
January 3, 2024 @ 11:52 pm
One of the best from one of the greatest periods in Country. That period from about 1989 to approx 2001 fits right into that “10 year shelf life”. Will miss him, his guitar ???????? and his musicianship.
January 4, 2024 @ 5:55 am
Clint Black and Travis Tritt fit that 1989-2001 timeline too
January 4, 2024 @ 6:47 am
Some of his hits would be called “boyfriend country” if they came out today. Good voice,though, and I’ve always had a soft spot for his “Life’s a Dance.”
January 4, 2024 @ 3:48 pm
John Michael is at msny of his son’s local gigs around central Kentucky. My buddy ran sound at one of them a few years back. I went with him to hang out. John Michael has settled down a lot the last 10-15 years. He seems super happy and content with his life. I don’t think he really ever cared about being a mega superstar, he’s really down to earth and easy going, you might say he’s a bit shy. During Walker’s performance, he was talking to everyone and seemed very humble. He listened more than he talked and there was no sign of a huge ego. He’s a breath of fresh air in a society of superstars that desperately want attention. His sister’s son named Dillon Carmichael has an amazing voice. He meeds dome direction, but the guy can flat out sing old school country style stuff, or anything for that matter. Jon Pard produced his last album. Eddie, John Michael, Walker and the whole family seem like great people. I’m glad he’s smelling the roses. His career path seem a little like Travis Tritt to me.
January 4, 2024 @ 6:30 pm
Hope I can catch a show time on the tour as I have never seen him. Was going to see him in Goddard last year but ended up heading to see Michael Martin Murphey. I have several albums of his in my collection.
January 6, 2024 @ 8:15 am
D**n.J.M.2 was one of favourites,and a VASTLY underrated hitmaker.Too bad the industry dropped you for the “bro-Country” types. Hope you change your mind,John Boy,but I wish you the best,pardner !!!!! (He’ll be 59 Jan.20.)