Pat Metheny to announce shock retirement from music?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

Metheny created a stir on Thursday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.
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Sad news for Metheny fans. Speculation had been rife that the American guitarist best known for albums like Unity Band, Secret Story or Bright Size Life, will announce his retirement from music, at age 71, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 09/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a guitarist isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a guitarist just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouPat

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouPat was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouPat.”
— @DesireePlum, 8 Jan 2026
“Metheny wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 8 Jan 2026

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