‘90s Country Legend Announces Last Show Before Retirement

‘90s Country Legend Announces Last Show Before Retirement originally appeared on Parade.

The man behind “I Swear” is saying “so long” to the stage.

On Tuesday, July 29, John Michael Montgomery announced that his final concert will take place in December at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky—and fans wasted no time sounding off.

“It’s time to bring it all back home for the last show,” the 60-year-old country music icon wrote on Instagram. “I can’t think of a better place than @rupp_arena! I hope you will join me and some very special guests!”

He tagged @luckymaneddi, @walkermontgomery, and @travisrdenning before signing off with a reminder: “Presale begins Wednesday, July 30 at 10am and Tickets go on sale Friday, August 1 at 10am!”

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The reactions rolled in almost instantly.

“Noooo not a final show!” one person wrote.

“Yo, that’s a real bummer,” another said.

“Why stop bud? Keep doing special shows,” chimed in a third.

“I don’t feel like musicians ever truly retire,” someone else pointed out.

Other fans had a final plea: come to their city before signing off.

“Please come to North Florida ❤️❤️❤️❤️,” one begged.

“Please come perform in Fort Smith, Arkansas,” another pleaded.

“How about gracing us with your music over here in the UK? Would love to see you at the Country2Country festival in London,” a hopeful fan added.

The show—titled The Road Home: The Final Concert—will feature three generations of country music on one stage. John Michael’s brother Eddie Montgomery, his son Walker Montgomery, and his son-in-law Travis Denning are all set to join him onstage.

“I stepped on a tour bus for the first time in 1992 and haven’t looked back since, but now it’s time to bring it all back home for my last concert and I can’t think of a better place than Rupp Arena,” the award-winning artist said in a press release. “I wanted to celebrate this occasion with my family so I invited some of them to perform with me.  We are going to have a lot of fun and end this ride in a big way.”

Although the final date is now set, the retirement isn’t exactly a surprise. On New Year’s Day 2024, John Michael first announced he was stepping back from life on the road.

“I hope everyone enjoyed bringing in 2024 and may it be a wonderful one for all my friends out there. For me it will be the start of my farewell tour as I have decided to wind down my touring career over this year and 2025,” he wrote on Facebook at the time. “It’s been a wonderful run for me from the beginning over 30 years ago in 1992 when my first song LIFE’s   A DANCE was released to radio I think either as a 45 vinyl or on a cassette tape, CDs had not quite taken over the market yet and the internet was still in its infancy. It amazes me where it is today. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to be able to do what I love for so many years so Please join me on my journey as I say goodbye to the road life.”

He thanked fans for their support and signed off, “Take care and see ya out there, Love you all! From me and my road family.”

The final show announcement also comes just weeks after a major personal milestone: John Michael became a grandfather.

“I am a Grandpa! Say hello to Charlotte!” the ’90s chart-topper posted on Instagram, sharing a photo of himself holding his new granddaughter. His wife, Crystal White, appears in the picture as well.

Catch John Michael’s last show on Friday, December 12 at Rupp Arena—one final night of country hits, family, and farewell.

‘90s Country Legend Announces Last Show Before Retirement first appeared on Parade on Jul 31, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.