Alison Krauss halts Arcadia Tour following medical advice to rest voice
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Alison Krauss & Union Station have cancelled more than a dozen dates on their Arcadia Tour after doctors advised singer Alison Krauss to take a period of vocal rest. The band announced the decision on social media on 10 September, saying it was not made lightly given their commitment to fans, but that prioritising Krauss's health and vocal recovery was essential.
The cancellations begin with a show that had been due to take place in Davenport, Iowa, on 11 September, and include three nights at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium (18-20 September) plus dates across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Nevada and California into early October. Ticket holders will receive full refunds. The tour supported Arcadia, the group's first album in nearly 14 years, released last year; the band and several members are also nominated across multiple categories, including entertainer of the year, at October's IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards.
- Alison Krauss & Union Station cancel over a dozen Arcadia Tour dates.
- Krauss advised by doctors to rest her voice for full recovery.
- Affected shows, including three at Nashville's Ryman, will be fully refunded.
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Alison Krauss & Union Station is a bluegrass and country act fronted by singer Alison Krauss, one of the most decorated artists in the genre. The band was in the middle of the Arcadia Tour, promoting their album Arcadia, their first new record in almost fourteen years. Krauss's distinctive voice is central to the group's sound, which is why any issue affecting it directly affects their ability to perform live.
The tour had been due to run through multiple US states over the coming weeks, including a run of shows at Nashville's well-known Ryman Auditorium. Alison Krauss & Union Station and several of its members are also up for a number of awards, including entertainer of the year, at the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards in October, so the tour and the band's recent work have been drawing added attention this year.
Full account
Alison Krauss & Union Station have called off the remaining dates of their Arcadia tour, after the bluegrass singer was advised by doctors to rest her voice. The cancellation was confirmed in a statement posted to Krauss's social media on 10 September, which said: "It is with great regret that Alison Krauss and Union Station have announced the cancellation of our upcoming tour dates. After consulting with medical professionals, Alison has been advised to take a period of vocal rest to ensure a full and healthy recovery." The band added that the choice had not been taken lightly given their commitment to fans, but that safeguarding Krauss's health and vocal condition had to take priority, and expressed hope of returning to the affected cities before long.
More than a dozen concerts are caught up in the cancellations, starting with a show due to take place in Davenport, Iowa, on 11 September. Also scrapped is a three-night residency at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, pencilled in for 18–20 September, along with further stops across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Nevada and California that had been due to run into early October; individual reports additionally named St Louis, Austin, Las Vegas and San Francisco among the cities missing out. Anyone holding tickets has been told they will receive a full refund automatically, and has been directed to contact their original point of purchase with any queries.
The tour had been mounted in support of Arcadia, the first record Krauss has made with her long-standing acoustic outfit Union Station since 2011's Paper Airplane, ending a gap of close to fourteen years between albums from the pairing. Described as a set of songs offering contemporary reflections on history, the record features contributions from a number of outside writers, among them JD McPherson and Sarah Siskind. Krauss originally joined Union Station as a teenager, and the band has remained her primary vehicle for acoustic and bluegrass material across a long solo and collaborative career.
The disruption to the tour comes shortly before the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards next month, at which Union Station are nominated for entertainer of the year and vocal group of the year, with Krauss herself shortlisted for female vocalist of the year. Fellow band members are also up for individual honours: Barry Bales for bass player of the year, Jerry Douglas for resophonic guitar player of the year, Ron Block for banjo player of the year and Russell Moore for male vocalist of the year. No timetable has been given for when the postponed shows might be rescheduled.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 emphasises the album's background — its songwriters (JD McPherson, Sarah Siskind), its thematic framing as 'contemporary reflections on history', and its status as Krauss and Union Station's first record together since 2011's Paper Airplane — while giving fewer specifics on tour geography.
Source 2 focuses more on the practical scope of the cancellations, listing the specific US states affected and giving an exact date (10 September) for the announcement, alongside a fuller version of the closing quote about hoping to return to the affected cities.
Only Source 2 mentions the upcoming IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards nominations for the band and its individual members; Source 1 does not reference the awards at all.
The two sources list slightly different named cities (Source 1 cites St Louis, Austin, Las Vegas and San Francisco specifically; Source 2 instead lists the affected states in full without naming as many individual cities beyond Davenport and Nashville).
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