In a handwritten note posted to social media on Tuesday, April 13, country singer Morgan Wallen announced that he won't tour this summer. (Wallen was scheduled to open Luke Bryan's Proud to Be Right Here tour this summer.)
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"I've found this time away to be very valuable to me in many ways, but I feel like I need a little more of it and therefore will not be performing tour dates this summer," Wallen wrote. "It means I won't be playing festivals or the Luke Bryan tour dates. But it's important to me personally, if you can, go to these shows -- support country music. Country music is back and that's a beautiful damn thing."
This is the first public statement Wallen has made since releasing a video in February, apologizing after a video was posted to TMZ of him using the N-word.
In the note, the "Whiskey Glasses" singer acknowledged fans' support.
"I know my corner hasn't been the most popular one to stand in recently, but many of you did anyway," he wrote.
(This week, six billboards in support of Wallen appeared around Nashville.)
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Though Wallen didn't address the incident directly, he said he's working on himself.
"I've made some mistakes, I'm figuring those out, and I apologized because I was truly sorry and have been making amends," the Tennessee native wrote.
The singer also addressed the success of his album Dangerous: The Double Album, which spent 10 weeks at No. 1, and ended the letter by telling his fanbase he'd be back "sooner than later."
"My story is far from over and getting back out to see y'all is all I can think about," Wallen wrote. "So just know you'll be seeing me sooner than later."
In February, following the release of the video of Wallen using the racial slur, the country singer was suspended by his record label, Big Loud Records. His music was also removed from Cumulus Media and iHeartRadio airwaves. CMT also removed Wallen from its platforms.
In February, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) stated that Wallen was ineligible for awards this year.
"The Academy does not condone or support intolerance or behavior that doesn't align with our commitment and dedication to diversity and dedication," the statement read.
Wallen, who was a contestant on season 6 of The Voice, released his debut album If I Know Me in 2018. The album featured "The Way I Talk," "Up Down," "Chasin You" and more.
