Country star steps away from music to focus on himself after fame took a toll

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Country star Jake Worthington is stepping away from the spotlight.
On Friday, the 30-year-old musician — who first rose to fame while competing on “The Voice” in 2014 — took to social media to announce his hiatus from country music.
“I live a life as my heroes did, but that life gotten ahold of me,” Worthington wrote on Instagram. “I love my family, my friends and my fans too much to let it take over me. I need to take some time to work on myself for my wife and daughter.”
“I promise I will come back even better,” Worthington concluded. “God bless country music.”
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Musician Jake Worthington announced his hiatus from country music on May 22. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
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Famous friends were quick to offer their support.
“This takes a lot of courage. Proud of you!” Carly Pearce commented.
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Sophie Worthington and Jake Worthington attend the 59th Annual CMA Awards at Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 19, 2025. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
“La you bro!” Dierks Bentley added.
“You’re a beautiful soul brother,” another fan quipped. “And your voice is forever. Do what you have to in order to sustain longevity. For yourself and your family. All of us will be here when you’re ready. Listening to the gifts you’ve already left us.”
Worthington isn’t the only country star to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the entertainment industry.
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Earlier this year, country star Chase Rice announced his plans to step away from tour life.
“Alright everybody, I wasn’t sure whether I was gonna talk about this or not but here we are. I’ve been touring for 13 years and I’ve lived a dream far greater than I could’ve ever expected,” Rice wrote in Instagram post in January.
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“This isn’t a goodbye thing or anything like that to be clear upfront, although it may feel like that, but I’m exhausted,” he said.
Chase Rice announced his break from country music earlier this year. (Catherine Powell/NBC via Getty Images)
“I haven’t been able to be myself on stage in quite a while and really enjoy music and why I got into it in the first place,” he wrote, adding, “I love songs, I love living them, hearing stories from other people, and figuring out how to put that life into music.”
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Rice admitted life on the road had taken a major toll on him — both physically and mentally.
“After 13 years it’s finally beat me up to the point where I need to step away for a while,” he admitted. “I need to go live life so that I have more real experiences to write down.”
He added, “I won’t be touring this year and it wasn’t even really a decision, it was something I know that I just have to do for myself,” he said, calling the hiatus a major moment in his personal life. “A lot of artists do this all the time, but it’s new for me so it’s kind of a big deal in my life.”



