John Michael Montgomery wraps up his touring career in Lexington

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I don't want my memories of of is, you know, in a bus li riding living in a bunk out of a bag or in a hotel room, you know. I want them to be more about seeing my family grow. John Michael Montgomery took the stage for the last time during his final concert in Lexington, Kentucky on December 12th at Rup Arena. >> [cheering] >> Thank you all so much for sharing this wonderful night with me. >> The country legend is only 60 years old. So why is he hanging up his hat now? When CO hit in 2020, everything including touring shut down. For the first time in 27 or 28 years, John Michael Montgomery had to pause his shows. He realized he'd been pushing his body to its limits. the end of the year, I noticed that my body and my voice, everything was felt so good from being rested from not traveling. I was like, "Wow, this is the best my body has felt." You know, I didn't realize how hard being on the road and traveling was getting on me. >> The following year after that 2020 wakeup call, he cut his shows in half. Flash forward another year and after Montgomery suffered four broken ribs in his wildly covered bus crash, the reality of his future hit him hard. >> And I I just looked in the mirror. I tell people all the time, it's the same with any athlete, pro alete that's been playing, you know, sports for years and they finally look in the mirror and go, you know [music] what, this is a young man's game and I'm not a young man anymore. So, I just decided when I turned 58 in January, uh, a couple years ago, I decided, uh, just let everybody know that, hey, when I turn 60, that's going to be my last year. It'll be my 20, uh, be my 33rd year out on the road. [music] I'll be 60 years old. Uh, and it kind of gave everybody a two-year period to process it, get ready for it, including me. >> He kept to his word. He also holds his personal life and family with tremendous importance. His daughter Madison recently welcomed her first child. His son Walker just got engaged. Life as a father is shifting into a new season. And he knows this next chapter will go by quickly. He doesn't want to miss it. >> I couldn't have made it up. I made up a better story. And uh but I've also been one that's I'm I'm a realist, you know. I know when my body starts telling me it's like, "Hey, you you ain't getting any younger." And I from 50 years old to 60 years old went really fast. As a matter of fact, I was like, "Wow, my kids grew up. Uh they got married and you know, now they're having I'm having grandbabies and and stuff." And I know that 60 to 70 years old, good Lord willing, I make it to 70 is going to go faster. And uh uh I want I I want to try to enjoy uh I don't want my memories of of is you know in a bus riding living in a bunk out of a bag or in a hotel room you know I want them to be more about seeing my family grow. >> John Michael Montgomery rose to prominence in the early 1990s with a string of heartfelt traditional country hits. He achieved major success with songs like I Love the Way You Love Me, Be My Baby Tonight, and the chart topping I Swear, which became one of the decade's most popular ballads. He's not numb to his success, y'all. >> And growing up, you know, you always heard the saying, as they say, uh, or the cliche, it's like if you can get one hit, you can make a living off of it the rest of your life. Well, you know, that's that's for those guys that get record deals, not for me, you know. But as time would prove, Montgomery was one of those guys. His career became the kind of story he once only admired from afar. >> You know, I got a record deal. I got a number one hit. And I at that point I was like, "Okay, maybe I can actually do this and not have a real job one day." And so, uh, you know, and and it is a job, but as as they've said, a lot of people tell you, when you do something you love this much, it's never a job. when you do, you know, >> now that he's going to be having more downtime on his hands, I asked him what is he going to be doing. >> I'm going to walk my dogs, uh, let my chickens out, go up and feed all the barn cats I have. >> His wife will get to have him around the house more, too. Now, it already sounds like his honey to-do list was pretty plentiful even when he was on the road, but now with the grandbaby, >> been putting together cribs and high chairs and and uh >> did this 30 plus years >> and I I've I've cussed a few of the the engineers that built these things. Uh but uh you know I'm kind of like wow this the guy that designed this uh baby crib must have been the one that designed all the roads around Nashville. >> He made sure in my interview with him to make it clear he's not done performing just the touring aspect he's done with it was hard on his body but you might catch him on stage here and there. He did give Willie Nelson props though to being able to still tour in his 90s. I tell people all the time, I wish I had Willie Nelson's genetics because I mean that that guy's unbelievable. uh you know 90s something years old and he still gets out there and does shows you know obviously he can't do as many as he used to but uh I kind of follow George Strait's career for you know he's one of my favorite all-time favorite singers you know and and uh you know I think when he turned 60 you know few years back he like you know the touring you know I need uh that that's getting too hard to do anymore u but that you know he still goes out and does events you know I guess you would call them now uh cuz he packs every place he plays, breaking records and all that. But it would kind of be the same kind of situation with me. You know, if a situation, you know, just uh worked [music] out where it made sense to me, then, you know, I would uh I would certainly, you know, go sing a few songs for some people again on the stage. Uh I just love it too much not to. >> I'm Addison Hager for Taste of Country. Hit that thumbs up button if you love this interview from John Michael Montgomery. and go on comment below how much you love the singer, songs that you've enjoyed of him, or even congratulations for the next stage of life. Thanks for watching.