It has been a tough year for country music fans.

A number of performers have sadly passed away, and a handful of others have either had to step away from performing or have made the decision to wind down their careers on stage.

John Michael Montgomery performs during the CMA Festival on June 12, 2016, in Nashville, Tennessee. The country music singer recently announced his farewell tour.Beth Gwinn/Getty Images

The following is a quick look at some of the artists who fans may not see — or at least will have a tougher time seeing — when 2024 is through:

Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall

Oak Ridge Boys singer Joe Bonsall had a heartbreaking farewell as he announced to start the year that a debilitating medical condition is forcing him to retire from touring.

The 75-year-old has reportedly been battling a neuromuscular disorder which prompted him to announce last week that he was retiring from touring.

“I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road,” he reportedly said. “It has just gotten too difficult. It has been a great 50 years, and I am thankful to all the Oak Ridge Boys band crew and staff for the constant love and support shown to me through it all. I will never forget, and for those of you have been constantly holding me up in prayer, I think you and ask for you to keep on praying.”

While Bonsall steps away the group will reportedly continue its Farewell Tour with 27-year-old Ben James taking his spot.

“There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement,” Bosnall reportedly said in his statement. “His sound is different than mine, but he brings a ton of talent to the table! The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!” The tour is slated for a stop in Lancaster on March 16 and March 17 at the American Music Theater.

John Michael Montgomery

John Michael Montgomery got a jump on 2024 by taking to Facebook to let his fans know that he was heading out on a farewell tour.

“I have decided to wind down my touring career over this year and 2025,” the 58-year-old wrote. “It’s been a wonderful run for me from the beginning over 30 years ago in 1992 when my first song ‘Life’s A Dance’ was released to radio.”

The singer’s first three albums, 1992′s “Life’s A Dance,” 1994′s “Kickin’ It Up,” and 1995′s “John Michael Montgomery,” were all reportedly mutli-platinum selling albums. And he has reportedly sold more than 16 million albums in his career.

His Billboard number-one hits include: “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “I Swear,” and “I Can Love You Like That.”

Good news for fans of the artist is that while it sounds as though he is all but wrapping up his time on the road, he reportedly hasn’t ruled out the occasional appearance and it doesn’t sound like he is completely walking away from making music.

“I’m sure there will be some situations where I just need to do a show here and there because I’ll miss that too much,” he reportedly said in a statement. “But I just feel the time has come to say goodbye to the road life.”

The singer said in his Facebook post that he has been “fortunate and blessed to be able to do what I love for so many years.”

“Please join me on my journey as I say goodbye to the road life,” he wrote. “And thanks so much for your support for the last 3 decades, it’s meant so much to me.”

His farewell tour has already kicked off.

There are five other dates scheduled, and you can see those here. For folks in Pennsylvania, the closest the tour currently brings him to the Keystone State will come May 31 when he plays in Xenia, Ohio.

Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens announced in January that he is ready to slow down and smell the roses.

Not exactly a surprise because the guy is 85, but you still hate to see him go.

The Country Music Hall of Famer is planning to make 2024 his last full year of performing live. He will reportedly get the farewell tour going on March 16.

It’s not being called a farewell or a full stepping away, but instead in a story in The Tennessean it is being referred to as a slow-down.

“I’ve always been in the music business, since I was 15-years-old, and I’ve traveled all over the world, played shows, written, and recorded a lot of successful records,” Stevens told The Tennessean. “And so I was tired.”

Stevens has been performing at his West Nashville CabaRay Showroom, which he opened in 2018. That venue will reportedly stay open with other performers taking his place after he steps away.

Stevens said he is prioritizing recording when he steps away from the full slate of live performances.

The comedic songwriter and singer has been performing since 1957.

“I’m looking forward to this final year, it’s going to be a good year,” he told The Tennessean. “I’d like to see everybody come out if they can and see the show.”

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

The legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band announced a farewell tour, but the good news is you still might be able to catch them some after that wraps up.

In a social media post the band announced that it is embarking on a farewell tour, entitled “All The Good Times,” with the first show slatted for March 21.

For fans of the band, though, there is still hope to see them.

“This isn’t goodbye forever,” the band’s post on X, former Twitter, stated in closing. “But it will be the last fans see of multi-city runs and long bus rides.”

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has been performing and touring for nearly six decades.

The three-time Grammy-winning band formed in 1966. The current iteration of the band includes Bob Carpenter, Jimmie Fadden, Jaime Hanna, Jeff Hanna, Ross Holmes and Jim Photoglo.

Jeff Hanna and Fadden have been with the band since the beginning. No surprise considering its longevity, there is a long list of past members as well.

The band’s first big break came in 1970 with “Mr. Bojangles,” and they have produced 25 albums through the years.

“‘All The Good Times’ perfectly describes our career,” the band said in a statement on its website. “Playing our music for Dirt band fans all over the world has been an incredible experience for us. The most important part of that has been the connection to our audience — that beautiful communal give and take is like nothing else. That’s the very spirit we’ll be celebrating as we head into our farewell tour. We’re really looking forward to seeing you folks. Good times will be had by all!”

Tickets for the tour went on sale on Jan. 19.