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Following Morgan Wallen's announcement that he'll be postponing all tour and festival dates for the next six weeks, Kenny Chesney has been confirmed as the Sneedville native's replacement at Gulf Coast Jam 2023.
The festival's Executive Producer, Rendy Lovelady, shared her sympathies with Wallen, “Morgan was the first headliner we announced last year, and the anticipation to see his amazing show, along with HARDY, Miranda and Kane and the rest of our incredible lineup, was off the charts. 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”.
The much-loved festival is due to take place in Panama City Beach, Florida in early June, with the sun-kissed, margarita-soaked setting sure to provide the perfect atmosphere for Kenny Chesney's arsenal of island-inspired summertime anthems.
The ‘American Kids’ hitmaker will be joined by a heavyweight line-up that includes HARDY, Miranda Lambert, Ernest, Kane Brown, Bailey Zimmerman, Breland, Chase Rice and more.
In addition to being announced as a new headliner at Gulf Coast Jam, Kenny Chesney will also be stepping in for Morgan Wallen at Carolina Country Music Fest 2023 on June 10.
In a heartfelt message shared across his socials yesterday, Morgan Wallen confirmed that he has been placed on six weeks of vocal rest by his team of doctors, after re-injuring his vocal chords during his recent run of shows in Florida.
As a result, Wallen is postponing all tour dates until June 22, including all festival appearances that fall during this timeframe. In addition, he is no longer performing at the 2023 ACM Awards or the 2023 ACM Lifting Lives charity event, which will now be headlined by Jason Aldean.
Although disappointed at Morgan Wallen's departure from the 2023 Gulf Coast Jam line-up, fans have welcomed Kenny Chesney's introduction to the roster of performers.
Speaking about the upcoming appearance, which will come following the end of his 2023 I Go Back tour in May, Kenny underlined his excitement at the prospect of performing at both Gulf Coast Jam and Carolina Country Music Fest.
With his I Go Back tour focussing on smaller venues designed for fans that aren't covered by the stadium markets, Kenny explained, “It’s like an extra little bit of something. We love playing those great big stages, and I think everyone knows that. But this year, in these venues, has been unlike anything we’ve done in years – so much fun, so great, so spur of the moment – and I wouldn’t change a thing”.
The four-time CMA Entertainer of the Year went on to confess he's been itching to return to the arena-sized crowds that he has become accustomed to over the years, “I can’t lie, though. I was missing those big stages just a bit. And now, me and the road family get to have our cake and eat it, too. 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 white hot and awesome these players are is awesome. Funny how life has a way of stepping in!”
For more on Gulf Coast Jam 2023, see below:
