'90s Hitmaker Hal Ketchum Announces Retirement Following Devastating Diagnosis

Apr 17, 2019 by apost team

Sad news from a country music superstar. Hal Ketchum is officially retiring. The singer-songwriter's wife posted a message on his Facebook page.

In the heartfelt post, Andrea revealed that Ketchum has Alzheimer's. Despite the fact that he's been performing, he's had the disease for a while. He continued taking the stage as long as he could for his fans, but it's no longer possible for him to do so.

Here's part of the heartbreaking message:

“Dear friends and fans of Hal, this is Andrea, Hal’s wife... Our family would like to share the cause for this. Unfortunately, Hal is suffering from Alzheimer’s/ Dementia. He has been battling this for some time now, but because of his love for his fans, he continued performing as long as it was possible. Dementia is an exhausting and confusing illness and now it’s time for Hal to stay home with loved ones.”

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Andrea went on to express her thanks to the fans for enjoying his music and performances. She assured them that she reads the comments to Hal and that they'll continue checking in on the fans when they can.

Hal took country music by storm with his debut album from Curb Records, "Past the Point of Rescue." The first single from it, "Small Town Saturday Night," hit Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart at number two in 1991.

He had a string of successes with songs like "Hearts Are Gonna Roll" and "Sure Love." This led to him becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Sadly, Alzheimer's isn't the only health struggle that Ketchum has faced. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which caused him to move back to Texas from Nashville. This didn't stop his love of music, though. He continued writing songs, many of which made it onto his 2014 album, "Troubadour."

Even though MS left him unable to fully use his left hand, Hal was still able to strum a guitar. He began touring again with his wife along as his manager. Kenny Grimes, a longtime touring guitarist for people like Wille Nelson and Hank Thompson, helped out.

This latest announcement has fans mourning both Hal's retirement and his health situation.

Do you have a favorite Hal Ketchum song? If so, help us celebrate his life and career by letting us know which one in the comments below - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!