Country music star John Michael Montgomery is set to play his retirement show Friday at Rupp Arena.<\/p>\n
The singer, who is just 60, recently had a message for fans in an interview that he shared on social media. <\/p>\n
\u201cI appreciate everything and all these years,\u201d he said in a video on his Instagram. <\/a>\u201cIt\u2019s all about the fans for me anyway. You know, it ain\u2019t about Nashville. It ain\u2019t about any of that stuff for me. For me, it\u2019s always been about getting onstage and watching the people enjoy what I do, and to be able to do this for a living for as long as I\u2019ve been a kid growing up in the music business and to be where I\u2019m able to be at today \u2026 it\u2019s only because there were people out there that came to see me or I\u2019d be without a job. <\/p>\n \u201cFrom the nightclubs all the way to where I\u2019m at today, and so, you know, I hope that they can find a way to get to Rupp Arena on Dec. 12,\u201d he added. \u201cIf not, all I can say is thank you for the support, and it\u2019s tough to say goodbye, but it\u2019s something that you just gotta go, \u2018Thank y\u2019all very much, but it\u2019s time to go.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Montgomery has been telling folks for more than a year that 2025 would be his last on tour, and he is ending his career where it began. <\/p>\n \u201cI stepped on a tour bus for the first time in 1992 and haven\u2019t looked back since,\u2019 Montgomery said in a press release. \u201cBut now it\u2019s time to bring it all back home for my last concert \u2014 and I can\u2019t think of a better place than Rupp Arena.\u201d<\/p>\n Also slated to perform at the farewell concert will be Montgomery\u2019s brother, Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, and his son, Walker Montgomery, and son-in-law, Travis Denning.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are going to have a lot of fun and end this ride in a big way,\u201d Montgomery said.<\/p>\n Montgomery\u2019s retirement from the road is timely as he introduced the world to his first grandchild earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cI am a Grandpa! Say hello to Charlotte!\u201d he wrote on Instagram while holding his new granddaughter.<\/p>\n Montgomery first announced he was retiring on Facebook in 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cI have decided to wind down my touring career over this year and 2025,\u201d he wrote back then. \u201cIt\u2019s been a wonderful run for me from the beginning over 30 years ago in 1992 when my first song \u2018Life\u2019s A Dance\u2019 was released to radio.\u201d<\/p>\n He reminded folks on the social media platform at the start of 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cHappy New Year!\u201d the country music star wrote.<\/a> \u201cWe had a great 2024, thanks to everyone who came out to the shows. Looking forward to seeing you next year as I kick off my ROAD TO HOME farewell tour. Wishing you all a blessed 2025!\u201d<\/p>\n