Singer Leaving Rock Band After 20 Years, Replacement Announced for 2026 Anniversary Tour

RED have announced that longtime vocalist Michael Barnes will be exiting the band after one final performance later this spring.

Co-founding members Randy and Anthony Armstrong confirmed Barnes' exit and how they plan to address that with a new tour announced in a video message. Meanwhile, Barnes has also seemed to indicate his next musical move in a new social media posting as well.

What Was Said About Michael Barnes' Exit From Red?

In a join video statement shred by RED's sibling guitarist and bassist Randy and Anthony Anderson, it's revealed that the group will be moving forward without the services of Michael Barnes.

"You've all been wondering what's going on. We've been getting your messages and your emails and I just want to thank you guys for your love and support. I can tell you we're all happy and healthy and that's the good news," starts the message.

"The bad news is about a year ago now Mike Barnes, our lead singer, approached us and said that he'd like to step away from RED permanently to focus on his family. And after 19 years, going on 20 years this year, it's something that we completely understand. We've given up a lot to be out there on the road doing what we love, but our families have also sacrificed and given up so much to allow us to be on the road, so it's something that we completely understand and we will honor and respect his decision," they continue.

"We had an amazing 19 year run together and we've been friends since we were in third grade so we love Mike very much and we look forward to what he does next. We'll love and cherish him forever. These moments we've made on the road with Michael are countless. There's just so many things we've done in the last 20 years. So we love Michael so much and we're gonna miss him," add the brothers.

As for what this means for their future, the brothers share, "Losing a lead singer is difficult. We did a lot os soul searching and we are not going anywhere guys. Anthony and I have decided that we're going to continue without him and I can tell you some more awesome news. Dan Johnson is back on drums after a four year hiatus and while we're looking for a new lead singer, for the time being AJ Reingardt of the band OHKAYA is filling in on vocals."

They add, "We're gonna come out and do the 20th anniversary of End of Silence tour this May and June. And some more awesome news is Mike's gonna come back and do one last show Friday night June 5th in Dallas, Texas. We're gonna play through End of Silence and all the other songs that you guys love and you've got one more chance to see all of us together. We're gonna celebrate that night and say farewell to Michael and be in one of our favorite cities in the country to tour in and just have an awesome night."

What's Next for Michael Barnes?

Though Barnes did not specifically address his exit from RED, he did note in an Instagram post that the band Red had a tour coming up and that fans should get tickets before posting a screenshot of an image of a man holding a gun and the caption noting "The Redeemers Coming Soon."

Is this Barnes' next musical project? We'll soon find out.

Though the Armstrong brothers referenced 20 years together with Barnes, that's in relation to their debut album End of Silence. The band actually goes back to 2002 when Barnes and the Amrstrong brothers co-founded the group together.

The singer appeared on all eight of their studio albums, with the most recent bing 2023's Rated R.

Where Can I See Red in 2026?

The band will be putting on a 20th anniversary tour in celebration of their End of Silence album. Special guests on the run include Ra, Kingdom Collapse and Twist It.

The trek kicks off May 9 in Daytona Beach, Fla and continues through June 7 in Houston, Texas. All dates can be viewed below.

May 9 - Daytona Beach, Fla. @ Welcome to Rockville
May 11 - Fort Myers, Fla. @ The Ranch
May 12 - Savannah, Ga. @ Victory North
May 14 - Greenville, S.C. @ The Radio Room
May 16 - Reading, Pa. @ Reverb
May 18 - Asbury Park, N.J. @ House of Independents
May 20 - Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Jergel's Rhythm Grille
May 22 - Leesburg, Va. @ Tally Ho Theater
May 23 - Columbus, Ohio @ King of Clubs
May 24 - Lakewood, Ohio @ Mercury Music Lounge
May 26 - Joliet, Ill. @ The Forge
May 27 - Racine, Wis. @ Route 20
May 29 - Flint, Mich. @ The Machine Shop
May 30 - Ringle, Wis. @ Q&Z Expo Center
May 31 - Sioux Falls, S.D. @ Bob's Bar
June 2 - Lincoln, Neb. @ Bourbon Theatre
June 4 - San Antonio, Texas @ The Rock Box
June 5 - Dallas, Texas @ The Bomb Factory
June 7 - Houston, TExas @ Scout Bar