Morgan Wallen Misses ACM Awards Due to Vocal Injury as Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean Cover His Commitments

Morgan Wallen announced earlier this week that he's putting his tour on hold for six weeks

With Morgan Wallen sidelined due to damaged vocal cords, country stars Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean are stepping in to help honor his commitments.

Wallen, 29, announced earlier this week that he's putting his tour on hold for six weeks as he recovers from vocal fold trauma — meaning that he also had to pull out of scheduled performances at the ACM Awards pre-show and a pair of festivals.

Though he still wound up being a big winner at the ACMs on Thursday (he took home the prize for male artist of the year), he did not attend the show. Instead, Aldean stepped in to take his pre-show performance spot.

"I texted with him a little bit yesterday, and obviously everybody knows what's going on with him and his voice, and ACM Lifting Lives had a show that Morgan was supposed to headline, and it just so happened we were in town," Aldean, 46, explained to Entertainment Tonight. "I didn't really have much to do yesterday, so we were able to go in, fill in for him, help him out. He texted me last night and thanked me for that."

Meanwhile, Wallen was also slated to headline Gulf Coast Jam in Florida on June 3, and the Carolina Country Music Fest the next weekend in South Carolina. With the "You Proof" singer down for the count, Chesney has now filled the slots.

RELATED VIDEO: Morgan Wallen Cancels Mississippi Concert Minutes Before Start Time After Losing His Voice

"It's like an extra little bit of something. We love playing those great big stages, and I think everyone knows that," Chesney, 55, said in a statement. "But this year, in these venues, has been unlike anything we've done in years — so much fun, so great, spur of the moment — and I wouldn't change a thing."

He continued: "I can't lie, though. I was missing those big stages just a bit. And now, me and the road family get to have our cake and eat it, too. When we got the call, even though we were basically done, I thought it over, and of course we wanted to be there for the fans. They're the reason we do this - and the opportunity to step in and let even more people see how white hot and awesome these players are is awesome. Funny how life has a way of stepping in!"

Wallen first drew criticism after he called off a show in Oxford, Mississippi just minutes before he was set to take the stage on April 23. He told fans he'd lost his voice, and went on to cancel a second show and postpone three more before halting his entire tour for six weeks. He announced Friday that the canceled shows will be rescheduled for various dates between August 2023 and June 2024.

Related:Morgan Wallen Reveals 'Vocal Fold Trauma,' Delays Tour for 6 Weeks to Not 'Permanently Damage' Voice

In a video posted to Instagram Tuesday, the "Last Night" singer said he has "vocal fold trauma," which "is caused by excessive and improper use of the voice," per the National Institute of Health.

"I'm just gonna go ahead and get straight to it. I got some bad news from my doctors at the Vanderbilt voice center yesterday. After taking 10 days of vocal rest, I performed three shows last weekend in Florida and by the third one I felt terrible," Wallen, 29, said in the video.

He added, "So I went in and got scoped yesterday, and they told me that I injured my vocal cords and that I have vocal fold trauma. Their advice is that I go on vocal rest for six weeks, so that's what I'm going to do. They don't want me to talk at all, but they said that if I need to it's okay for something like this."

Related:Morgan Wallen Shares Health Update Ahead of Return to Stage: 'Wouldn't Say I'm 100% but I'm Better'

In addition to his vocal cord strain, the "Whiskey Glasses" performer said that he recently tore his LAT muscle.

"[The doctors] told me that if I do this the right way that I'll get back to 100 percent. They also said that if I don't listen and I keep singing, I'll permanently damage my voice. So for the longevity of my career, this is the choice I had to make. I hate it but I love you guys," Wallen said.

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