Treat musicians with respect, even if they cancel a concert last minute

I was ready to see country music star Cody Johnson perform in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, Sept. 19 when he announced the day before that the concert would be rescheduled. 

The news was shared through his Instagram, with a post saying that his shows in Charlotte and Charleston that weekend would be canceled because of ongoing sickness. 

“Due to illness over the past several days, which has unfortunately resulted in a loss of voice, Cody Johnson’s shows in Charlotte and Charleston this weekend will be postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your understanding,” the post said.

Soon after, comments came flooding in, but not all in support.

“(Johnson's) starting to act like Hardy and (Morgan) Wallen cancel(ing) shows over here. How about more than a 48-hour heads up?” one commenter said. 

This reaction begs the question: Do we support our favorite artists the way they support us? 

Within our culture, some idolize our favorites in fame to the point of forgetting they are human. With each show comes expectations from every fan to feel like their show night is the first time he’s performed. They expect energy, a perfect voice, and especially crowd interaction.  

In Johnson’s case, performing 30 tour dates and traveling by bus from city to city put a strain on his body. When musicians get sick, some do try to push through. Even Johnson has tried to push through at times, as another fan states. 

 “CoJo (Johnson) performed this past Sunday at a festival and had a stomach bug. He was visibly gagging and miserable but pushing through for his fans on stage. This is no excuse. I believe he would perform if he could... Get well soon!” one fan commented under Johnson’s post.

If you’re commenting on posts saying that an artist is horrible for canceling a show due to illness, I don’t think you can be a true fan. I think that true fans of Johnsons would agree with this, especially since he teaches lessons of love and respect during his concerts. 

“Love them anyway. You know why you should? Because no matter what we disagree on, no matter what side you're told on social media to make everybody pissed off at each other, somewhere, before any of us came along, some man or woman gave their life for you to have a good time tonight,” said Johnson to the crowd at a concert in January 2023. 

When you look at the big picture, a concert being rescheduled might not be the biggest deal. With how many other things are happening around the world, I think we’re lucky to have any art at all. Music helps so many people through difficult times, so when an artist decides to share their gift we should treat them and their work with respect. 

So the next time you're upset about a concert being rescheduled, I challenge you to be a true fan, lift your favorite artist up and be there for them in their time of need out of respect for the music they’ve given you.