Hot Country Knights' April Tour Postponed for Coronavirus

Even the Hot Country Knights are taking the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic seriously: Dierks Bentley's '90s country band has postponed its April One Knight Stand Tour in light of continued concern over the spread of the virus.

The Knights' 2020 One Knight Stand Tour was due to begin on April 7 in San Diego, Calif., and last throughout most of the month. Refunds for all shows are available at fans' point of purchase.

"Although we are pretty familiar with all types of viruses, we realize that our fans may not have the same immunity built up,” says Doug Douglason (Bentley's alter ego) in a press release. “Don’t worry though, if history has proven anything it’s that nothing -- not even a worldwide pandemic -- can keep the Knights down for long. We’ll be baaaaaaack!”

The Hot Country Knights will, however, still release their first album this spring. The K Is Silent is due out on May 1.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (March 11) officially declared coronavirus a pandemic. According to the WHO, more than 167,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in more than 110 countries and territories; a total of 6,440 deaths have been reported worldwide as of Sunday night (March 15). In Tennessee specifically, there are 39 confirmed cases, including 17 in Davidson County, as of Sunday.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a travel ban that went into effect on Friday (March 13) at midnight. The ban only applies for foreign nationals, NBC News explains, not U.S. citizens, green card holders or the families of U.S. citizens. Additionally, Ireland and the U.K. are exempt from the travel ban, which applies only to people, not foreign goods or trade.

During his Wednesday night address, Trump also urged Americans to be cautious with their health: to wash their hands and stay home if they're feeling ill, and to get tested for coronavirus if they think they may have it.

Within country music, artists are doing their part by either postponing or canceling both concerts and entire tours, while festival organizers are both rescheduling and canceling springtime events. Among others, the annual Stagecoach festival, usually held in April, will now take place in October, while Zac Brown Band have chosen to delay the remainder of their springtime tour dates. On Sunday, the Academy of Country Music announced the postponement of the 2020 ACM Awards.

Coronavirus Pandemic: What Country Music Events Are Postponed or Canceled (or Not)?