Canadian Cowboy Colter Wall announced on social media yesterday that he will be taking an “indefinite hiatus” from live music.
After thanking his fans for unbridled support, Colter stated that his mental state is unwell. That he has pushed himself to continue with touring which has not helped his mental state over time.
The road is a hard place to be:
As a former touring member myself, I can attest to the hardships that are endured while on the road. Different cities, hotel rooms, countless miles, and repetitiveness takes a toll on the body, mind, and the ones you love.
There are great times on the road, but they can sometimes be overshadowed by the stress of life away from home. Major tours can sometimes feel like “Groundhog Day.” Waking up on the bus in a new city, loading in, soundcheck, hoping that catering is decent wherever you’re playing, showtime, load out, back on the bus. This routine gets repetitive and can get old over time.
Sobriety:
One of the hardest things to do is maintaining some level of sobriety while on a tour schedule. Long travel hours with nothing else to do, meet and greets, and shots brought to stage. Relative sobriety is key to keeping yourself healthy on the road, and it certainly is not an easy thing to keep under control, especially with the accessibility of free booze in any city, at any time.
Family:
One of the hardest things I found while being on the road was being away from loved ones. Facetime and phone calls aren’t sufficient for keeping up appearances. Life goes on while you’re on the road and that can be a hard fact to face.
The road is not an easy place to be, The Ranch stands with and completely understands Colter Wall. We hope he can find a mental oasis with time away from touring.
