Kenny Chesney has been announced to replace Morgan Wallen at numerous music festivals after doctors placed the “Last Night” singer on strict vocal rest.
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In early June, Wallen was slated to headline Myrtle Beach’s Carolina Country Music Fest and Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, Florida. A spokesperson for the Gulf Coast Jam turned to social media on Tuesday (May 9) evening to issue a statement regarding the lineup and to welcome Chesney to their critically acclaimed festival.
“Morgan was the first 2023 headliner we announced last year, and the anticipation to see his amazing show, along with HARDY, Miranda [Lambert], Kane [Brown], and the rest of our incredible lineup, was off the charts,” said Gulf Coast Jam, Presented by Jim Beam Executive Producer Rendy Loveland. “We’ve seen time and time again how brutal this business is on the body, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Morgan for a full recovery.”
No Shoes Nation will flock to the beach on Saturday, June 3, to witness Chesney fill Morgan’s spot. Chase Rice, ERNEST, Bailey Zimmerman, and Lily Rose will perform before Chesney.
“SHOES JUST BECAME OPTIONAL!!!” read the announcement. “We proudly welcome @kennychesney and #noshoesnation to Gulf Coast Jam presented by @jimbeamofficial. Y’all get ready to party with the king of beach concerts!”
The following weekend, June 10, the platinum-selling artist will appear at Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Shortly after Wallen gave the country community a health update, the festival spoke out and confirmed they were working to replace the singer.
“Dear CCMF Fans, We have been informed that due to medical reasons, Morgan Wallen will not be able to perform his next six weeks of appearances, and that includes CMF. We are disappointed, as we were excited to host Wallen at CCMF, again, just as much as everyone wanted to see him perform,” read the social media post. “We are working to reschedule Morgan at CCMF for our 2024 dates, and we wish him a speedy recovery. Please be patient with us as we work quickly to update the lineup.”
Less than 24 hours later, the seaside festival scored Chesney.
“We’ll be groovin’ when the sun goes down’ (And okay, let’s not lie, for FOUR days, all day, every day). Please welcome Kenny Chesney back to the Coors Light Main Stage!” shared CCMF. “We are thankful for Kenny and his team for bringing ‘The Good Stuff.’ See ya on the beach!”
Chesney’s appearance will come on the heels of his nationwide I Go Back Tour with Kelsea Ballerini. He will wrap up his run on May 27, just in time to bring his talents to the sunny South.
“It’s like an extra little bit of something. We love playing those great big stages, and I think everyone knows that,” said the award-winning artist. “When we got the call, even though we were basically done, I thought it over, and of course we wanted to be there for the fans. They’re the reason we do this – and the opportunity to step in and let even more people see how hot and awesome these players are is awesome. Funny how life has a way of stepping in!”
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
