JONATHAN CAIN On JOURNEY's Upcoming 'Final Frontier' Farewell Tour: 'It Just Seems Like A Good Time To Get Off'

During an appearance on this past Tuesday's (December 16) episode of 700 Club, the flagship television program of the Christian Broadcasting Network, JOURNEY keyboardist Jonathan Cain spoke about the band's upcoming "Final Frontier" North American tour. JOURNEY announced the trek in early November, describing the run as a "heartfelt goodbye to the fans who've been with us." Kicking off on February 28, 2026 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Cain and his bandmates will play 60 shows throughout the United States and Canada on the tour, which is scheduled to wrap on July 2 in Laredo, Texas. The trek will feature Cain alongside founding guitarist Neal Schon, lead vocalist Arnel Pineda, keyboardist and vocalist Jason Derlatka, drummer and vocalist Deen Castronovo and bassist Todd Jensen.

The 75-year-old Cain told 700 Club about JOURNEY's upcoming tour: "Yeah, it's actually gonna be two years. It's time for me, at my age. I wanna live my life, and the road just is so consuming and it just seems like a good time to get off, for me. And I just love our fans, and I wanna do it in a proper farewell, to say goodbye. So it should be a lot of fun. We're starting up in Pennsylvania, going to Canada and around. And, of course, we have another year. So it'll be spread out over two years. I think they added Japan; we're going to Japan. And there's a Hawaii run. But we'll get to see the fans one more time and I'll get to say thank you and I'm grateful."

This past October, Cain shot down reports that he was leaving JOURNEY, telling "Nashville's Morning News": "Well, that was kind of misinformation. What [I] really said … was that I was gonna do these next two tours [with JOURNEY] and just kind of wrap it up. 'Cause I felt like I didn't wanna die on the road in my sleep at 80 years old, like John Lodge did, of THE MOODY BLUES. I was very, very disturbed when I saw that [John had recently died]. But it just feels like a good time to enjoy my grandkids and my family. I've given a lot. I've given enough."

He added: "I would never, ever duck out on my fans without saying goodbye, because I'm grateful for them and I always, always planned on doing one last hurrah. So this is gonna be it for me."

Asked if that means that his next run of shows with JOURNEY will be his last, Cain said: "Well, it'll be two years... So two different tours will be [my last run with JOURNEY], yeah. I don't know what Neal is planning. I think Neal said he wants to go on and go on. And that's not me."

The initial confusion about the exact details of Cain's departure stemmed from a social media post by Schon, who wrote on October 9: "Jonathan Cain announced his farewell to JOURNEY tonight. I'm nowhere near done! JOURNEY has so much more life ahead! I'm sure we will have a great tour!"

Schon later shared another post clarifying that Cain would be touring with the band "all through" 2026 and 2027 "celebrating the music we've created."

Cain's spokesperson also released a statement, saying: "Jonathan Cain remains an active member of JOURNEY, and any reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate. He is fully dedicated to touring with the band over the next couple of years and has only expressed plans to retire at a later time."

Cain previously hinted at his exit from JOURNEY earlier in October during an appearance on "Strang Report" podcast, where he was promoting his tribute song to right-wing American activist and influencer Charlie Kirk. After indicating that he would release a solo EP before the end of the year, he said: "Then, of course, we go on the JOURNEY tour in 2026. On our farewell JOURNEY tour. So I'll be saying goodbye to that. And I'll probably move into ministry and worship; I feel a calling there."

Cain is a devout born-again Christian whose minister wife Paula White-Cain became the first female clergy member to pray at a presidential inauguration following U.S. president Donald Trump's latest victory and now serves as the first female primary spiritual adviser to a U.S. president.

Jonathan embraced faith-based music with 2016's "What God Wants To Hear" and released a Christmas LP, "Unsung Noel", the following year.

In 1976, Cain released his first solo record, "Windy City Breakdown". Three years later, he joined the band THE BABYS, and in 1980 became a member of JOURNEY, rounding out the songwriting genius behind the defining album "Escape".

Schon and Cain have publicly feuded over several issues, including Neal allegedly causing over $1 million in personal expenses to be charged to the band's shared American Express card and Schon demanding that Cain stop playing events for Trump.

Earlier in October, Schon said that "everything" was "cool" between him and Cain, adding that he has "had some great conversations with Jonathan lately and some great meetings with him for the first time in many years."

Back in December 2022, Schon blasted Cain as a "hypocrite" after the JOURNEY keyboardist performed the band's 1981 hit song "Don't Stop Believin'" at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property. Cain played the track with a backup chorus of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump Jr.'s then-fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle and former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

In the past, Schon has also publicly voiced his opposition to having JOURNEY's music associated with political or religious causes. Back in 2017, he derided Cain on social media after the keyboardist, singer Arnel Pineda and then-bassist Ross Valory were photographed with Trump in the White House.

In a 2017 video interview conducted in the studios of the radio station ONE FM 91.3, Cain could be heard saying: "We're not political; we don't get into politics. We try to stay in our lane, and I just think that's the best answer we can give you."

When JOURNEY's farewell tour was announced last month, Schon said in a statement: "This tour is our heartfelt thank you to the fans who've been with us every step of the way — through every song, every era, every high and low. We're pulling out all the stops with a brand-new production — the hits, the deep cuts, the energy, the spectacle. It's a full-circle celebration of the music that's brought us all together."

He continued: "As its founding member, I carry the JOURNEY torch to this day, wherever I go. The sentiment and spirit of the band will always remain."

"While this marks a farewell to one powerful chapter of the JOURNEY we've shared, I want everyone to know I'm not done," Neal added. "Music is still burning strong inside me, and there are new creative horizons ahead. This tour is both a thank you and the beginning of what's next."

Press photo courtesy of Rick Hoganson of Hoganson Media Relations