Kentucky-born country music star to wrap farewell tour at Lexington’s Rupp Arena
A Kentucky-born country music star who has sold millions of albums worldwide is planning to end his illustrious music career in Lexington’s Rupp Arena at the end of the year.
John Michael Montgomery will bring his “The Road Home Tour,” the final tour of his career, to Rupp Arena Dec. 12. The show will be his farewell performance after more than 30 years in the music industry.
The concert will feature special guest performances from Montgomery’s family members, including his brother Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, his son Walker Montgomery and his son-in-law Travis Denning. A news release from Central Bank Center said the show will be the event of the year.
“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,” John Michael Montgomery stated in the 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.”
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1 at ticketmaster.com. They can also be purchased in person at the Central Bank Center box office Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m.
John Michael Montgomery was born in Danville in 1965 and grew up in Garrard County, according to his biography on the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame’s website. He was introduced to music at a young age and started developing fame while playing on the local honky-tonk circuit.
John Michael Montgomery was discovered by Atlantic Records at a club in Lexington and signed with the record label sometime afterward. In 1992, he released his first album, “Life’s a Dance,” and it was the only album by a new artist to sell 1 million copies that year, according to his biography.
Throughout his career, John Michael Montgomery has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide and has reached No. 1 on the singles chart 15 times, according to his biography. He created his own record label, Stringtown Records, in 2008.
He was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2011.
VIP ticketing options for the concert
Patrons looking to enhance their experience at the concert have two VIP options to choose from. People can buy Rupp Club experience tickets starting at $199. They include a premium ticket in sections 31 and 32, exclusive covered parking, private bathrooms and entrance into the club’s lobby, a complimentary chef-driven hors d’oeuvres and a special full-service club bar.
People can also buy Central Bank Loge and Lexus Loge Club tickets. Loge patrons will get access to box Seats on the 200-level of the arena, access to the Lexus Loge Club on the fourth level and all the benefits of the Rupp Club experience.
