As Morgan Wallen prepares for his return to the stage for the first time since his Nashville arrest, fans have already shown how much they stand behind their favorite country music artist.
Wallen’s song, “Man Made a Bar,” featuring Eric Church, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, earning more than 31 million audience impressions for the week of April 5-11.
The song, released in 2023, marks Wallen’s 14th No. 1 single and gives Church his 12th No. 1 song.
Despite Wallen’s arrest last week, artist branding and crisis communications expert Holly Baird exclusively told Fox News Digital Wallen’s career “remains on a path of redemption and growth.”
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“Some days you’re up, some days you’re down — i.e., acting like a drunk maniac in a bar and ending up in jail. Everyone faces challenges, and Morgan needs to tackle his head-on with accountability and true support,” Baird said.
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“His fan base clearly has his back, as ‘Man Made a Bar’ just reached No. 1 a year after it was released. It’s not uncommon for public figures to encounter personal obstacles, and, like anyone, Morgan deserves the chance to address and learn from them — even if on the stage at Ole Miss.”
Fans will be waiting to hear if Wallen addresses the April 7 incident in which he was charged with three felony counts by the Metro Nashville Police Department after a chair he allegedly threw off the roof of the six-story Chief’s bar landed on Broadway near two police officers.
“At 10:53 p.m. (April 7), Morgan Wallen was arrested in downtown Nashville for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. He is cooperating fully with authorities,” Wallen’s attorney, Worrick Robinson, told Fox News Digital.
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A photo of Wallen outside the bar with police was published by TMZ.
He’s scheduled to perform Saturday on the University of Mississippi campus, his first show since the arrest.
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin poked fun at Wallen with a photo on X, formerly Twitter, of a stadium transformed into a concert venue.
“@MorganWallen transferring to the sip also,” Kiffin wrote.
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The show at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium also marks his return to Ole Miss after last year’s mishap. Wallen abruptly canceled his performance after the opening acts had already finished and just minutes before he was slated to take the stage.
“After last night’s show I started losing my voice so I spent the day resting up, talking to my doctor and working through my vocal exercises trying to get better,” he explained in an Instagram story at the time. “I really thought I’d be able to take the stage and it kills me to deliver this so close to showtime, but my voice is shot and I am unable to sing.”
Following the cancellation, one fan filed a lawsuit against Wallen on behalf of ticket buyers and sought compensatory damages for a possible class-action lawsuit. The suit was voluntarily withdrawn the following day.
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A viral TikTok clip featuring a security guard who worked at the venue suggested Wallen canceled the show because he was too drunk to perform. He said Wallen’s cancellation due to vocal issues was “bullc—” and that an ambulance was needed to pick up the “Chasin’ You” singer, but Big Loud CEO Seth England refuted those claims in a social media post.
Wallen kicked off his “One Night at a Time” tour in Indianapolis April 4, and he is scheduled to perform throughout the country with Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith and Lauren Watkins opening.
Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Jon Pardi are just a few country stars who will join Wallen on tour this summer.
Despite last year’s difficulties and the recent alleged chair-throwing incident in Nashville, Wallen’s Ole Miss stop on his “One Night at a Time” tour is still full steam ahead.
Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter told Fox News Digital, “We are aware of the situation, but no changes have been relayed to us yet. We are obviously monitoring everything very closely.”
