Ray Stevens to announce shock retirement from music?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

Stevens created a stir on Friday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.
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Sad news for Stevens fans. Speculation had been rife that the American singer best known for hit songs like The Streak or Everything Is Beautiful, is about to announce his retirement from music, at age 86, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 10/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a singer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a singer-songwriter-comedian 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.

#ThankYouRay

For a little while on Friday evening, #ThankYouRay 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.

“Ray Stevens was unlike any other singer we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouRay”
— @universalObserver, 9 Jan 2026
“Stevens wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 9 Jan 2026

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