On December 22, 2016, Seger performed "Heartache Tonight" as the Kennedy Center honored the Eagles. A few weeks later, on January 18, 2017, Seger gave away the single "Glenn Song" on his website as a tribute marking the first anniversary of the death of Eagles founding member Glenn Frey, with whom Seger was close friends. Starting on August 24, 2017, Seger embarked on a 32-city Runaway Train tour that was originally scheduled to conclude on November 17, 2017, in Chicago. This tour included a show on September 22, 2017, at The Palace of Auburn Hills (Michigan), which was the last event to be held at that venue. The same day, Seger announced his new studio album, I Knew You When, and released "Busload of Faith", a cover of the Lou Reed song from the 1989 album New York, as the first single taken from the album. I Knew You When was released on November 17, 2017, which would have marked the last day of Seger's Runaway Train tour. However, due to "an urgent medical issue with his vertebrae", all concert dates starting September 30 had to be postponed. Of the 32 scheduled tour dates, Seger could complete 13 and had to postpone 19.
