LEGENDARY GOODBYE: Just Now in Staunton, Virginia — Jimmy Fortune’s Wife Reveals the 2026 Tour Will Be His Final Gift to the Fans Who Never Let Go
The news came quietly, not from a press conference or a glossy social media post, but from the gentle, heartfelt words of Nina Fortune — the woman who has stood beside Jimmy through decades of music, miles of highways, and the weight of both triumphs and trials.
“Jimmy wanted this to be for them,” she said softly, her voice trembling just enough to betray the emotion behind the statement. “The people who kept listening, who kept showing up, even when the years got long and the nights got hard. This last tour… it’s his way of saying thank you.”
For over four decades, Jimmy Fortune’s voice has been a constant in country music — soaring high and clear with The Statler Brothers, and later carrying its own steady weight in his solo work. He’s sung to presidents and farmers, on the biggest stages and in the smallest churches, but no matter the venue, his songs have always felt like they were meant for just one person — the listener.
Now 2026’s “One Last Song” Tour will mark the final chapter of that journey. Beginning in the spring, Jimmy will take to the road one more time, tracing a path through the towns and cities that shaped his life. Staunton, Nashville, Branson, and beyond — each stop chosen with care, each setlist curated to hold both the hits and the hymns that defined his career.
“I don’t want to say goodbye,” Nina admitted, “but I know Jimmy’s ready to lay it down while his voice is still strong, while the music still feels alive. He wants the last memory to be full of joy, not decline.”
Fans are already calling it bittersweet — a celebration wrapped in farewell. Many remember when Jimmy first joined The Statler Brothers in 1982, filling the shoes of Lew DeWitt with humility and heart, quickly making the role his own. His songwriting brought the group fresh life, with hits like Elizabeth and Too Much on My Heart becoming instant classics.
Through it all, Jimmy has carried himself with the same gentle demeanor he brings to a backstage handshake or a front-porch conversation. “He’s never forgotten where he came from,” Nina said. “And he’s never once taken a standing ovation for granted.”
When the final night of the tour comes, there will be no encore that can change what it means — that an era will have closed. But as Nina reminds, “The music doesn’t really end. It just goes home with you, stays in your heart. That’s where Jimmy wants it to live.”
For the fans who have followed him through every season — from Statler Brothers harmonies to solo ballads sung under a single spotlight — 2026 will be a year to hold close. A year to listen, to remember, and to be part of the last miles of a journey that began with a dream and ends with a gift.
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