Country music star Zach Jon King is mourning the sudden death of his father.
On Tuesday, the 29-year-old artist shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram.
“On Friday, my father suddenly went home to Jesus,” he wrote, along with a series of photos of him and his father. “He was the rock of our family. He was my best friend. He is the greatest man I will ever know. John King was a once-in-a-lifetime husband, father, grandfather, friend, and follower of Jesus. I knew his eyes were never on this tired world. I was frustrated that he could be so happy even in the worst moments of his life. In his own words, that joy came from ‘the hope he had in Jesus.’
“On Friday, literally in the blink of an eye, he went home to Jesus, the place his soul had been waiting for,” he continued. “We would have loved to have had him for another 25 years, and the pain will be etched deeply into my heart for the rest of my life. But if there was ever a moment when I could be sure that my father was waiting for me in the very place that all our souls had longed for, it would be now.”
“I am canceling the next two weeks of my shows as I grieve with my family,” he added. “Then I’ll do what my father wants me to do and get back to work. I leave you with what my father said every morning, even when I didn’t want to hear it: ‘Today is the day the Lord has appointed, and I will rejoice and rejoice in it.'”
“Dad, I love you. I’ll see you soon.”
Close friends and fans were quick to pay their respects.
“I’m so sorry Zach… I’m praying for you and your family,” Ella Langley said in a statement.
“Wow, I’m so sorry. I know you’ve got an army around you, but Lake is also giving you energy. What a wonderful thing to be able to say about your father. To be able to leave a legacy,” Christian songwriter Brandon Lake added.
King toured with Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Riley Greene and Thomas Rhett this summer, and is preparing to headline this fall’s Get to Drinkin’ Tour.
The Georgia native is one of several artists who recently canceled scheduled performances due to personal circumstances.
Last year, country star Cody Johnson canceled all remaining tour dates for 2025 after doctors discovered a ruptured eardrum that required emergency surgery.
“It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you that we will not be able to perform the remainder of this year’s concerts,” Johnson said in a statement shared on Instagram. “While battling severe upper respiratory infections and sinus infections, my eardrum ruptured. The rupture was severe enough that I had to undergo immediate surgery.”
Johnson said it would be “impossible” to continue acting.
“Healing will take weeks and I won’t be able to sing during that time. Without surgery, the downtime could be months,” he added. “I am praying for a full recovery so I can get back to doing what I love. I am and forever grateful to COJO Nation for their love and support.”
