Rising country singer Zach John King is stepping away from the stage after the sudden death of his father, Erick John King, on Friday, July 10.
The "Get to Drinkin'" singer shared the news on social media Tuesday, telling fans his father "suddenly went home to Jesus." He described his dad as "our family's rock" and "the greatest man I will ever know," crediting him with instilling both a love of music and a steady faith that shaped how he sees hard seasons of life.
"John King was the kind of husband, father, grandfather, friend, and follower of Jesus you'll only find once in a lifetime," King wrote, adding that his father's joy never wavered because it came from "the hope I have in Jesus."
King said he is canceling the next two weeks of tour dates to grieve privately with his family. The break affects two festival appearances in Wisconsin and a stop in Minnesota, including his previously scheduled slot at Freedom Fest, where Chandler Walters has since stepped in as a last-minute replacement. King is also slated to open select dates for Luke Bryan's Word on the Street Tour and later join Riley Green's Cowboy As It Gets Tour in August.
Despite the loss, King said he plans to return to work once the mourning period ends, believing it's what his father would have wanted. He closed his tribute with a line his father used to say each morning: "Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."
Fans and fellow artists have flooded King's page with condolences and prayers as he takes this time away from the road.
