Bailey Zimmerman has cancelled all of his upcoming UK and European shows, including his highly anticipated headline appearance at The Long Road Festival next month.
The US country star shared the news directly with fans in a heartfelt statement on social media, explaining that he needs to step away to focus on his family.
“This was not an easy decision and it kills me to have to cancel because I know how excited everyone is… but right now I need to take this time to focus on important family matters. Everything is okay, it’s just my family needs my attention and that’s what I’ve gotta do.”
Zimmerman stressed that “everything is okay” but said his family needs his attention. He added that after completing his remaining North American shows in August, he plans to take additional time to focus on himself, his family and new music.
He closed his message by thanking fans for their understanding, writing:
“I’m so sorry to everybody that has waited so long… I hope y’all can understand that my family has to come first.”
Disappointment for UK country fans
The cancellation is a major disappointment for UK country fans, with Zimmerman due to make his first British appearance in more than two years. He had been announced as the Saturday night headliner at The Long Road Festival on 29 August, one of the most eagerly anticipated performances of this year’s event.
His previous UK and European tour in 2024 sold out, cementing his status as one of the fastest-rising names in modern country music and leaving fans eagerly awaiting his return.
At the time of writing, no replacement headliner for The Long Road Festival has been announced.
The Long Road searches for a new headliner
Following Zimmerman’s announcement, The Long Road Festival said it is already working to secure a replacement for the Saturday night headline slot.
Festival organisers acknowledged the disappointment of the news, particularly with the event now just a month away, but reassured fans that an announcement on a new headliner will be made as soon as possible.
The festival also emphasised that The Long Road has always been about more than any single artist, thanking its community of fans for helping create the unique atmosphere that has become the event’s hallmark.
Zimmerman had been due to headline Saturday 29 August, marking what would have been his first UK performance in more than two years. His sold-out UK and European tour in 2024 had made his return one of the most anticipated sets of this year’s festival.
In a brief message to fans, The Long Road added: “We are working hard to secure another Saturday night headliner and will share an update as soon as possible.”
A difficult few months
The announcement comes after what appears to have been a challenging period for the singer.
In May, a performance in New Mexico was cancelled following an incident at Zimmerman’s hotel. The singer later apologised publicly and accepted responsibility for the situation, while charges connected to the incident were subsequently dropped.
More recently, his appearance at the Delaware State Fair was interrupted by a power failure that was outside of his control.
However, there is nothing to suggest that either event is connected to the cancellation of his UK and European dates. Zimmerman has made clear only that he is stepping away because of “important family matters,” and it would be inappropriate to speculate beyond the statement he has chosen to share.
Fans rally behind the singer
Although the news will come as a huge disappointment to those who had been looking forward to seeing Zimmerman perform, many fans have already responded to his announcement with messages of support, recognising that artists sometimes face difficult personal decisions away from the spotlight.
His statement emphasises that his family must come first, and UK fans will undoubtedly hope that, once the situation has settled, he will be able to return to these shores in the near future.
Bailey Zimmerman’s statement
Key points from Zimmerman’s announcement:
- All UK and European shows have been cancelled.
- He says the decision was made because of “important family matters.”
- Zimmerman reassured fans that “everything is okay.”
- His North American shows in August will still go ahead.
- He then plans to take time to focus on himself, his family and new music.
