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John Driskell Hopkins’ ALS Diagnosis: What He Has Shared About Touring and Music

John Driskell Hopkins was diagnosed with ALS in December 2021 and announced it in May 2022. In a July 2026 interview, he said he was still touring with Zac Brown Band.
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John Driskell Hopkins, a founding member of Zac Brown Band, was diagnosed with ALS in December 2021 and announced it publicly in May 2022. In a July 30, 2026 interview, Hopkins said he was still touring with the band. The available reports do not identify a specific new statement from Zac Brown, so the clearest update comes from Hopkins himself.

What is the latest update on Hopkins?

Hopkins told Fox News in an interview published July 30, 2026: “I’m still on tour with Zac Brown Band right now. You know, my fingers work. My voice works, it’s been compromised, but most of the set, no one would notice.” His comments describe his condition and touring at that time; they are not a statement from Zac Brown.

Earlier reporting also described Hopkins continuing to perform. WBUR reported in January 2026 that he was still performing, while noting that its segment revisited a conversation recorded in June 2025. These accounts establish his activity on those dates, not an undated guarantee about future touring.

When was John Driskell Hopkins diagnosed with ALS?

Hopkins received his diagnosis in December 2021, according to a June 2022 interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He publicly announced it in May 2022. The distinction matters: December 2021 was the reported diagnosis date; May 2022 was when he shared the news publicly.

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Contemporaneous coverage by the Los Angeles Times reported that Hopkins intended to continue performing. CBS Mornings later aired a segment about his diagnosis, touring, and efforts to raise awareness on October 26, 2022.

How has ALS affected his music?

Hopkins said in the July 2026 Fox News interview that ALS had compromised his voice, while his fingers and voice still worked. He described being able to perform most of the set without an audience necessarily noticing a difference. That is his account of performing at the time of the interview, rather than a clinical assessment of his condition.

Music has also remained part of his work outside the stage. In a June 23, 2025 WBUR Here & Now interview, Hopkins discussed “I Love You Forever,” a song inspired by his diagnosis, alongside his continued music activity.

What is Hop On A Cure?

Hop On A Cure is the ALS research organization Hopkins and his wife founded in May 2022, according to Hopkins’ first-person account published by Relix on September 20, 2025. In that article, he said the organization had granted more than $4 million for ALS research by then. That is a figure reported for the time of his 2025 article, not a current cumulative total.

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Hopkins has described the organization as part of his advocacy following his diagnosis. WBUR’s 2025 interview also covered the foundation and his efforts to support ALS research.

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Did Zac Brown give this update?

The dated reports cited here provide updates from Hopkins and coverage about him, but do not establish a specific direct statement by Zac Brown matching the headline’s framing. Hopkins’ July 2026 comments should therefore be attributed to Hopkins, not to Brown. A separate Brown statement cannot be confirmed from these reports.

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