Wheeler Walker Jr. has announced his retirement.
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The "Drop 'Em Out" artist shared the news in a press release today, June 8.
"I can't do this anymore," said Walker. "Every song in Nashville is written by twelve idiots named Chase about trucks they don't own and farms they never worked on. I really don't wanna be around when country music becomes fully AI, which sadly will be better than most of the crap they're putting out now."
Wheeler Walker Jr. Isn't Going Out Quietly
Walker has dubbed himself "country music's last real outlaw." He is releasing one more album before he rides off "into the sunset, flipping double birds at Music Row the entire way out."
He will release his sixth and final album, the appropriately and provocatively named Pullin' Out, on Sep. 26. He will also head out on the road one last time to support it.
Walker describes his swan song, which will be produced by Grammy Award-winner Dave Cobb, as "a loud, filthy, bourbon-soaked middle finger aimed directly at the soulless machine of modern Nashville." Pullin' Out will be a return to form after venturing into rock with 2023's Ram.
Walker Suspects "At Least Three Songs" Will "Get Banned"
Walker is the country music alter ego of comedian Ben Hoffman. He made history back in 2016 with his debut, the wildly inappropriate Redneck S***. He became the first artist to debut on both Billboard's Top Comedy Albums chart and Top Country Albums chart.
Walker says he isn't dialing down the dirty for his farewell album, either.
He says, "Packed with savage commentary, gloriously offensive honesty, heartbreak, hangovers, and at least three songs that'll probably get banned before release day, the record promises to remind fans what country music sounded like before the algorithms."
Want to catch Walker before he hangs up his cowboy hat and guitar? His tour kicks off in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Oct. 15. He'll then close out his career in Nashville on May 15, 2027, at the Ryman Auditorium. You can check out all the dates here.
