The American duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White, who shot to fame in 2011 with their debut album Barton Hollow, were due to complete a European tour and had planned dates for a 2013 Australia/New Zealand tour.

In an email sent to fans of the group, The Civil Wars stated, "We sincerely apologize for the canceling of all of our tour dates. It is something we deeply regret. However, due to internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition we are unable to continue as a touring entity at this time. We thank each and every one of you for your amazing love & support. Our sincere hope is to have new music for you in 2013."

The language used in the email has led many fans to speculate that the duo is splitting up despite the expressed wish to put out new music.

The group also advised fans who had already incurred costs, such as travel reservations, for the now-canceled tour to email info@thecivilwars.com with scans of receipts.