Freedom Fest Lineup Has A Last-Minute Shift After Performer Loses Father

Freedom Fest has just had a major last-minute change.

Just two days before the thrilling two-day festival in Little Falls,  Zach John King, one of the newest rising performers on the country music scene, who was scheduled for Saturday at 6 pm, announced that he would not be able to perform at Freedom Fest as planned, after the shocking and sudden death of his father.

OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO ZACH JOHN KING AND HIS FAMILY

Before I say anything else about the lineup change, I want to say that my heart truly goes out to Zach and his family. A festival performance can be rescheduled. There are some moments in life when family simply has to come first, and I think country music fans in central Minnesota will understand that.

Zach shared the news himself on Facebook.

'Friday, my dad suddenly went home to Jesus. He was our family’s rock. My best friend. The greatest man I will ever know. John King was the kind of husband, father, grandfather, friend, and follower of Jesus you’ll only find once in a lifetime. Those that knew him knew his eyes were never fixed on this weary world. It used to frustrate me how joyful he could be even in the worst moments of life. In his own words, that joy came from “the hope I have in Jesus”. In the literal blink of an eye Friday, he was home with Jesus where his soul longed to be. We wanted 25 more years with him and that pain will cut deep for the rest of my life. However, if there were ever a moment to be sure my dad is waiting for me in the very place all of our souls long for, it would be now. I am cancelling the next two weeks of shows to grieve with my family. After that, imma do what my dad would want me to do and get back to work. I’ll leave ya’ll with what he said every morning even when I didn’t want to hear it… “today is the day the has made I will rejoice and be glad in it”. I love you dad. I’ll see you soon.'

FREEDOM FEST MUST GO ON

Freedom Fest is happening this Friday and Saturday, July 17th and 18th, at the Morrison County Fairgrounds in Little Falls, and many of us have been looking forward to this festival for a LONG time.

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Who in the world do you find to fill an open spot on a major country music festival lineup with only a couple of days to spare?

If you're lucky enough...you might just find newcomer Chandler Walters, and that's exactly what has happened.

MEET RISING STAR CHANDLER WALTERS

If the name Chandler Walters does not immediately ring a bell, don't let that fool you. You may already know his work, and you have almost certainly heard some of the artists he has been working with.

Chandler Walters is a singer, songwriter, and steel guitar player ((Oh Steel My Heart!) who has been making some serious noise in Nashville. He was one of the songwriters behind the massive Post Malone and Morgan Wallen hit “I Had Some Help.”

Yes. THAT song.

The song was one of the biggest country hits in recent years, and Chandler Walters helped write it.

But here is what makes this last-minute addition to Freedom Fest so exciting to me.

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HE'S MORE THAN A PRETTY FACE

Chandler is not only a songwriter sitting behind the scenes writing songs for other people. He is an artist himself, and from everything I have heard, this guy can SING.

I LOVE A STEEL GUITAR

He is also a talented steel guitar player, which immediately gets my attention. There is something about hearing a great steel guitar in country music that just feels right.

Chandler has been building his own career with songs including “Worth The Trouble,” “Come On Whiskey,” and “Break Your Heart,” while also establishing himself as a songwriter in a country music world filled with some of today's biggest stars.

And now, because of a completely unexpected last-minute change, we get the chance to see him perform. He agreed to fill in...and that says something about Chandler's character as well, because you never know how people will react to change.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE...

Sometimes you buy a ticket because you already know every word to every song an artist sings. You have been waiting months, or maybe even years, to finally see them live.

But every once in a while, you discover someone you were not expecting.

An artist walks onto the stage, starts singing, and suddenly you find yourself asking the person next to you, “Who IS this guy?”

Then, a year or two later, you hear that same artist on country radio. Maybe you see them accepting an award. Maybe they are suddenly headlining their own tour.

And you get to say, “I saw him before everybody knew his name.”

Could Chandler Walters be one of those artists?

I certainly think it is possible.

Freedom Fest fans are going to get that chance to find out for themselves this weekend.

ADDED EXCITEMENT

Of course, Chandler Walters is only one part of a huge weekend of music in Little Falls.

The Freedom Fest lineup includes:

• LOCASH
• SCOTTY MCCREERY
• Uncle Kracker
• Tyler Farr
• Allie Colleen
• Chandler Walters
• Cori Kennedy (Secondary Stage)
• Face For Radio (Secondary Stage)

That is one incredible lineup.

I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR CHANDLER

I have a deep respect for artists who can write songs, sing a great tune AND play an instrument. I want to see what happens when Chandler Walters walks onto that stage. I want to hear his songs. I want to hear that steel guitar. And I want to see if the crowd realizes that we might be watching someone who is on the verge of becoming country music's next big thing.

Most importantly, though, I hope Zach John King and his family know that Minnesota country music fans are thinking about them during what is obviously a difficult time.

We will miss Zach at Freedom Fest this weekend, and we hope we get another chance to see him perform here in the future.

In the meantime, we are going to do what central Minnesota country music fans do. We are going to welcome Chandler Walters to Freedom Fest. And who knows? This last-minute replacement might just turn out to be the biggest unexpected surprise of Freedom Fest 2026.

I can't wait to find out. Here's a little taste...