The Mother Church of Country Music witnessed a star-making moment on the night of May 21 as breakout country sensation Tucker Wetmore took the Ryman Auditorium stage for his first-ever headlining show.
Not only did the young hitmaker sell out the iconic venue, but he also delivered a career-defining performance that left no doubt he’s country’s next major player. From the opening chords of “Break First,” Wetmore commanded the stage with the confidence of a seasoned headliner, blending radio-ready anthems, raw ballads, and down-home charm in a set that had the packed house on its feet from start to finish. Fan favorites like the driving “Wine Into Whiskey” and the heartbreak-heavy “Bad Habit” proved crowd-pleasers, while newer tracks from his debut album What Not To felt like instant classics.
One of the evening’s most striking moments came midway through the set when Wetmore sat down at a grand piano for a stripped-down, soul-stirring rendition of “What Not To.” In a venue famed for moments like this, Wetmore rose to the occasion, his voice quivering with honesty as he sang: “What not to do when your heart’s breaking / What not to say when it’s too late to change it / I wrote the book on mistakes, and babe, your name’s on every page.” The emotion in the room was palpable — an early-career milestone for an artist whose storytelling already carries weight beyond his years.
If the Ryman crowd thought the night couldn’t get any better, Wetmore had one more surprise up his sleeve. Introducing “a guy whose music made me want to be a songwriter,” he welcomed Gavin DeGraw to the stage for a raucous, note-perfect duet of DeGraw’s smash hit “I Don’t Wanna Be.” The crowd erupted, singing along to every word as the two artists traded verses and harmonized to close out the performance — a cross-genre collaboration that felt both unexpected and inevitable.
Before closing out the evening, Wetmore’s label team from Mercury and MCA joined him on stage to present two landmark accolades: a plaque commemorating 1 billion career streams in just over a year and an RIAA 2x Platinum certification for his breakout hit “Wind Up Missin’ You.” The crowd’s ovation was deafening — not just in recognition of his achievements, but in appreciation for an artist who has earned his success with authenticity and heart. Wetmore, visibly emotional, addressed the crowd:
“I didn’t know what I was doing when I moved to Nashville. Truth is, I still don’t half the time. But y’all show up for me, and you change my life every single day. Thank you for that.”
Wetmore’s setlist struck a perfect balance of hits, deep cuts, and new favorites. This headlining debut capped off a whirlwind release month for Wetmore following the drop of his critically acclaimed debut album What Not To — now the biggest country debut of 2025, landing at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. Critics from The Tennessean to GRAMMY.com have praised his ability to mix vulnerability with mainstream hooks, calling him a storyteller built differently.
Next up, Wetmore hits the road as direct support for Thomas Rhett’s BETTER IN BOOTS Tour, a 33-date run that seems poised to cement his status as country’s next arena headliner. If his Ryman debut was any indication, it won’t be long before he’s the one topping those bills. Tickets to the tour are available here.
2025 Tour Dates
JUN 5 – Walmart AMP (Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion), Rogers, AR (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUN 6 – BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove, Southaven, MS (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUN 7 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis, MO (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUN 12 – Broadview Stage at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUN 14 – Ruoff Music Center, Indianapolis, IN (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUN 15 – Tailgate N’ Tallboys Bloomington, Bloomington, IL
JUN 26 – Credit One Stadium, Charleston, SC (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUN 28 – The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUL 10 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUL 11 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUL 12 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUL 17 – Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUL 18 – Clearfield County Fair, Clearfield, PA
JUL 19 – Fenway Park, Boston, MA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
JUL 26 – Headwaters Country Jam, Three Forks, MT
JUL 28 – Montana State Fair, Great Falls, MT
JUL 31 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 1 – PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 2 – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 7 – Darien Lake Amphitheater, Buffalo, NY (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 8 – Pine Knob Music Theatre, Detroit, MI (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 9 – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 15 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 16 – Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, Canada
AUG 21 – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse, NY (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 22 – Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 23 – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
AUG 29 – Highland Farms Country Fest, Elizabethtown, KY
SEP 4 – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, FL (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 5 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 6 – Enmarket Arena, Savannah, GA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 18 – Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, WA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 19 – Ford Idaho Center Arena, Boise, ID (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 20 – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City, UT (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 25 – White River Amphitheater, Auburn, WA
SEP 26 – Cascades Amphitheater, Ridgefield, WA (Supporting Thomas Rhett)
SEP 27 – Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
OCT 4 – Country Calling Festival, Ocean City, MD
OCT 25 – Round Rock AMP, Round Rock, TX
OCT 26 – Floore’s Country Store – Outdoor, Helotes, TX
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