Luke Bryan returned to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Friday evening (Aug. 12) for his sixth consecutive sold-out show at the famed Music City venue, and despite experiencing vocal challenges, the superstar powered through and was determined to give the capacity crowd the best show possible.
The Show Must-Go On
“I was not going to cancel Nashville under any circumstance,” Bryan, who was forced to cancel/postpone three shows last weekend due to ongoing vocal cord congestion, shared from the stage a few songs into his two-hour set.
It was clear that there was a subtle strain on Bryan’s voice through performances of “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,” “What Makes You Country,” and his latest single, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand.” His fans had his back, singing along to every word as Bryan took a few moments to cough or chug water.
Unwilling to succumb to the challenges, the Georgia native quickly derived a new plan with his band and switched things to acoustic about nine songs into his set.
With newfound determination, Bryan used this as an opportunity to connect with the audience on a deeper level as he bantered between songs and covered a few of his heroes like Ronnie Milsap (“(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me”) and his American Idol cohort, Lionel Richie (“Endless Love”).
Fans Cheered Him On And Loved The One-Of-A-Kind Experience In Nashville
Through performances of songs like “Do I,” “Drink A Beer,” and “Crash My Party,” fans showcased their support for Bryan by cheering him on amid moments when he appeared to be struggling with his voice.
At one point, he welcomed special guests Chayce Beckham, Jackson Dean, and Ashley Cooke back to the stage.
When the acoustic portion came to a close, Bryan promised a full-on party of the remainder of his set, and he delivered. Kicking things off with the intro of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” the superstar brought the feel good vibes of “One Margarita” to the arena and maintained the energy with performances of the crowd-pleasers “Rain Is A Good Thing,” “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” and Country Girl (Shake It For Me).”
Closing out the night with “Play It Again,” Bryan bid farewell to the crowd.
Luke Bryan’s Nashville performance was a testament to his unwavering dedication to his fans and his artistry. When faced with a challenge, he didn’t back down. Instead, he used it as an opportunity to create an unforgettable musical experience.
Moments before take the stage on Saturday, Bryan greeted industry personnel backstage where he reflected on his career and the progress he’s made since moving to Music City.
“It’s just such an amazing town,” he said of Nashville, before adding, ”And to go from just driving around 440 and looking at the skyline and having looked back and have obviously played Bridgestone six times, I didn’t realize that was the number. I think we did a stadium show at Vandy through the years. And at one point, I played on a flatbed truck during CMA Fest out at the Sounds Stadium, and there were three people there, and I was having fun then too.”
He later shared, “Through all that, I’ll still be having fun and it’s still going to be fun up there tonight. Like I said, it has been a wild ride from Vegas to stadiums.”
Luke Bryan’s Country On Tour has seen a few setbacks in recent weeks due to the singer/songwriter’s ongoing vocal cord congestion. After canceling and or postponing shows in Salt Lake City, Boise and Watershed, Bryan returned to the stage on Thursday for a show in Rogers, Arkansas.
See Photos Of Luke Bryan’s Country On Tour In Nashville Below
Canceled Mississippi Concert After Nashville Show
Following his Bridgestone Arena concert, Bryan made the difficult decision to cancel his show in Brandon, Mississippi scheduled for Sunday, August 13.
Bryan took to social media to share the news with fans late Sunday morning (Aug. 13).
“Dear Brandon, MS I am regretfully going to have to cancel my show there tonight. Under doctor’s advice after taking 6 days off to heal I attempted to sing at both shows Thursday and Saturday and it was a struggle,” he shared.
He conveyed that he must grant his voice the time to rest, as each performance he delivers intensifies his vocal challenges.
“Every show I sing I’m setting my voice back. I will continue to do everything I can to get better. Please know how much you mean to me and how heartbreaking this is to do.”
According to the venue, Bryan’s show at the Brandon Amphitheater has been completely canceled and fans will receive a refund at the original point of purchase.
New Single “Southern And Slow”
The news comes just days after the country hitmaker released his new song, “Southern and Slow,” co-written by Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson and Chase McGill and co-produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens.
It’s the third song released from Bryan’s yet-to-be-announced album and finds the country superstar reflecting upon the “simple times.”
Bryan’s latest single, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand,” is climbing the charts at country radio now.
Luke Bryan is currently in the midst of his headlining Country On Tour, which kicked off on June 15 in Syracuse, New York. The trek, which runs through October 28, features special guests Chayce Beckham, Tyler Braden, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean, Jon Langston, Conner Smith, Alana Springsteen, Hailey Whitters, and DJ Rock on select dates.
