Overview
- He will launch a farewell arena run from March through September 2026, calling it his last large-scale tour but leaving the door open for occasional future performances.
- On his birthday, he says he intends to speak with his family about end-of-life matters and voices particular concern about not leaving his wife Donnice alone.
- Over a six-decade career he has sold more than 65 million records, rejects the Schlager label for himself, and emphasizes his role as an entertainer.
- He has publicly detailed a deep depression after financial losses and gambling; his son Wayne urged him into clinical treatment, and his wife later overcame alcoholism, with the couple now describing their relationship as their happiest.
- Reports of multiple sclerosis remain contested by doctors, and recent surgeries and rehab inform his decision to avoid long arena circuits, with a jubilee album featuring newly recorded classics planned.