Brad Paisley, a three-time Grammy Award winner, has long been a staple in country music. As per the latest news, he will be performing the pre-race show at next year’s Coca-Cola 600. But there’s a chatter among his fans about his health not being okay. What could be wrong with someone who’s always seemed to be high on energy?

Plus, Paisley’s deep ties to the racing world add more layers to the curiosity. Yet, as details emerge, it’s clear that this surrounding story about his sickness got all tangled up because of someone very close to him, his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley.

Clearing up the confusion

As it turns out, Brad Paisley is healthy and ready to rock the Coca-Cola 600 next season. But the real concern stems from his wife and American actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who’s faced back-to-back health hurdles. Last year, in December, she revealed that she experienced muscle tension dysphonia, a voice disorder due to which she couldn’t speak for about two years.

It’s a condition where the neck muscles become extra tense and do not allow the vocal cords to function correctly. The problem started two years ago when she revealed that she lost her voice while on stage at her annual Alzheimer’s fundraiser in Nashville. Last year, in August, she underwent laryngoplasty surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to fix it.

“It was embarrassing & scary & it never quite came back…It’s been a challenging couple of years, but we finally got to the bottom of it. I have damage to my laryngeal nerve,” she said that time.

She opened up about the fear that hit when her voice vanished mid-event, honoring her late mom, who battled dementia. Kimberly first thought it was because of strain, but the issue dragged on despite therapy and rest. The fix? A three-hour procedure to reposition the cord, leaving her with a “badass scar” and an unpleasant tone after long chats.

Just last Saturday, she broke her foot, sharing a lighthearted update on Instagram to keep spirits high, writing, “I fell and broke my foot last Saturday. But look, I’m walking around! So it’s not too bad. No sympathy, please!”

Her updates show she has a fighter’s spirit, but because she’s a singer’s wife, so any voice-related issue is directly linked to her husband Brad instead of her. And that’s why fans often mistook Brad for suffering from any vocal issues. Speaking of him, he’s doing well and isn’t suffering from any disease or sickness.

He’s all set for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24, 2026, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he will perform a free pre-race show for ticket holders. And this event carries extra weight because it will be a heartfelt tribute to America’s 250th birthday and the U.S. Armed Forces, with ceremonies that will fire the patriotism to the max.

“It’s an honor to be part of such a meaningful weekend at America’s Home for Racing. The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the most patriotic events in sports, and this year’s 250th celebration makes it even more special,” Brad shared. He’s performed there before, but this ties his love for the sport and American patriotism.

With Brad excited about that show, let’s look back to an event of 2017 where he honored someone who’s a legend in the sport.

Paisley rocks Dale Jr.’s farewell at Charlotte

Back in 2017, Brad Paisley cranked up the emotion for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final full-time Charlotte race. He headlined the JR Nation Appreci88ion Tour concert at zMAX Dragway the night before the Bank of America 500. It was a fan-only event open to race ticket holders only.

It was all about celebrating JR Nation, Dale’s loyal crew, with two-adult packs at $88 and $10 tickets for kids under 13. That event was a salute to Earnhardt’s final race, where he finished twelfth.

Paisley turned the stage into a rocking thank-you event, blending his guitar riffs with the drag racing vibe. Dale himself hopped onstage to introduce the set and chat during a live NASCAR.com segment, making it personal for the hometown hero wrapping up his Hendrick Motorsports run.

That event captured Dale’s legacy, who was a fan magnet like his own dad, Dale Earnhardt Sr., while Paisley’s vibe amped the energy, proving his spot in racing’s inner circle.