LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ann WilsonThe lead singer of the rock band Heart said she has cancer, and the band is postponing the remaining shows on her album. Royal Flash Tour While she was receiving treatment.
Wilson said in a statement Tuesday that she had undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and was making a steadily improving recovery, but her doctors urged her to undergo preventive chemotherapy and stop performing “in order to fully recover.” That means the rest of the North American tour will be pushed back to dates in 2025.
“To ticket buyers, I truly hope we can hold these concerts. Please know that I plan to return to the stage in 2025,” Wilson said in the statement. “My team is working on these details and we will update you with the plan as soon as we can.”
All previously purchased tickets for the postponed shows will now be accepted. Rescheduled dates will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the statement.
“This is just a moment of silence. I have much more to sing,” Wilson continued in the statement before adding, “With all due respect, this is the last public statement I wish to make on this matter.”
More than 50 shows at stadiums and venues in dozens of cities across the United States and Canada have been affected by the postponement. Select shows were scheduled to include performances by Def Leppard and Journey, and Heart has not announced whether those bands will accompany them on the rescheduled shows.
The band, led by Wilson and her sister Nancy Wilson on guitar, cancelled the European leg of its tour in May, stating that the singer had to undergo “a time-sensitive but routine procedure where the minimum recovery time is six weeks.”
Wilson posted on Instagram at the time of the European shows’ cancellation, writing: “I’m fine! Please don’t worry. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. It’s definitely an inconvenience for me.”
The Wilson sisters, who have produced hits like “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone,” have been making music together since the 1970s. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members were honored with the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
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