Morgan Wallen performs onstage at the Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 12, 2021 in Nashville.
John Shearer/Getty Images for Ryman AuditoriumAfter canceling his summer 2021 appearances, including a number of Country Thunder festival dates, Morgan Wallen will headline three of the five Country Thunder festivals in the U.S. in 2022.
According to posts on Wallen and Country Thunder’s Instagram sites Monday (Oct. 18), Wallen will headline Country Thunder Arizona in Florence (April 7-10, 2022), Country Thunder Wisconsin in Twin Lakes (July 21-24) and Country Thunder Florida in Kissimmee (Oct. 21-23). He is the first headliner announced for the multi-day festivals.
Earlier this year, after video of Wallen using a racial slur surfaced, Wallen canceled several dates, including headlining Country Thunder Wisconsin, Country Thunder Arizona and Country Thunder Florida.
Only four weeks ago, Wallen was announced at the headliner for this year's Country Thunder Bristol in Tennessee. He will play on Oct. 30 at the Bristol Motor Speedway. “It’s going to be one hell of a homecoming,” said Wallen, who is from East Tennessee, in a video posted Sept. 18. The lineup for Country Thunder Iowa, to be held next June 10-12 in Forest City, has not been announced.
Wallen, who is managed by Big Loud Management’s Seth England, has been slowly adding fall tour dates the last few weeks, including the Auburn (Ala.) Rodeo on Oct. 23 and two shows at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds in Rome, Ga., On Monday, he announced a show at Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock, Ark., for Nov. 20.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso honored Shyne with a key to the city during a ceremony held at the East Flatbush Young Men’s Mentorship Expo on Saturday. The recognition highlighted both his influence in hip hop and his contributions as a public figure and advocate. Reynoso also declared April 25, 2026 as “Shyne Day” in Brooklyn.
“Shyne embodies what is possible when a community believes in its young people, and the magic that can happen when young people are given the resources they need to thrive. East Flatbush raised Shyne, and it only made sense to present him with the Key to Brooklyn as we team up to deliver hope and opportunity to dozens of young men today,” Reynoso said at the event, as caught by BK Reader.
Shyne also addressed the crowd. “This is the community that raised me, and it’s important for me to pass that love forward,” he said. “There couldn’t be a better way to celebrate this milestone than coming back home and pouring into the next generation.” He also revealed that everyone in attendance would receive complimentary tickets to his 25th anniversary concert on May 2 at the Kings Theatre.
The show will mark 25 years since the release of his self titled debut studio album, which arrived on September 26, 2000. Even while Shyne was incarcerated at the time, the project debuted and reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart. It moved close to 160,000 units in its opening week.
Earlier this week, Shyne posted a video of himself standing outside the Kings Theatre on Instagram while promoting the upcoming performance. "Can’t wait to see you this Saturday, May 2 @kingsbklyn as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Shyne Album…..the celebration will continue @crownhilltheatre where I will meet, take pictures and party with you, my loyal supporters, who’ve made Shyne a Rap Legend," he captioned the post. Fans filled the comments with fire emojis in response.
