Luke Bryan was forced to make a difficult decision just as he was preparing to celebrate the release of his new single.
The country star was scheduled to perform two shows in Washington this weekend, but dangerous wildfire smoke caused him to postpone both concerts after triggering his asthma.
Bryan explained the situation in a video shared on social media, telling fans that his health had become a serious concern after his recent performance in Oregon.
Luke Bryan reveals his asthma was triggered by wildfire smoke
Bryan had been looking forward to releasing his new song “Signs” on August 7. Instead of celebrating the release with back-to-back shows in Washington, he had to change his plans.
The singer had performed in Bend, Oregon, the night before his scheduled Washington concerts. At first, everything appeared to be going well.
But as the concert continued, the heavy smoke from nearby wildfires began affecting his breathing.
“Stuff was going great,” Bryan explained before revealing that he had started struggling during the show.
The American Idol judge then shared something many fans may not have known about him.
“I have asthma, and a lot of people don’t really know that,” Bryan said. “Sometimes it gets the best of me, and it did last night.”
The wildfire smoke has created serious air quality concerns across parts of Washington and the Pacific Northwest this summer. With conditions still difficult in the area where Bryan was scheduled to perform, the singer decided it was safer to postpone the concerts rather than risk another performance while dealing with breathing problems.
“We just felt like it’d probably be best to come back and reschedule to where we know I’ll be 100%,” Bryan explained.
Bryan reschedules both Washington shows
Bryan also made sure to acknowledge the people dealing with the wildfires, including firefighters working in affected communities.
He said his team had spoken with people in the Spokane area about whether the concert should go ahead, but his experience in Bend changed his mind.
After seeing how much the smoke affected him during the Oregon show, Bryan decided that postponing the Washington dates was the safest option.
The August 7 Spokane concert has now been moved to October 11, while the August 8 show in the Seattle area will take place on October 10.
Bryan thanked fans for being patient and understanding as the dates were changed.
“I can’t wait to be back and see y’all soon,” he wrote in a follow-up update.
Fans tell Luke Bryan to put his health first
Many fans immediately supported Bryan’s decision.
One fan reminded him that performing in heavy smoke could be especially dangerous for someone with asthma and encouraged him to put his health ahead of the concerts.
People who attended his Bend show also shared their reactions online, with some saying they could see that Bryan was struggling during the performance.
One concertgoer said they had seen Bryan perform several times and noticed that the show was not his usual performance because of the difficult conditions.
Another fan said they and their wife could see his struggle almost immediately but praised Bryan for continuing to perform despite the circumstances.
The response from fans has made one thing clear: while they are disappointed about the postponed shows, they would rather see Bryan return when the air is safe and he is feeling healthy.
For now, the country star is focusing on getting back to full strength while continuing to support those affected by the wildfires.
And when October arrives, fans in Washington will finally get their chance to see Luke Bryan back on stage.