Ann Wilson, lead singer of rock band Heart, diagnosed with cancer
Nancy Wilson, left, and Ann Wilson of Heart perform on opening night of the Heartbreaker Tour at the Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Florida, June 17, 2013. Ann Wilson, lead singer of rock band Heart, says she has cancer. The band is postponing the remaining shows on its Royal Flush Tour. Wilson said in a statement Tuesday that she underwent a surgery to remove a cancerous growth and is recovering steadily, but that her doctors urged her to undergo preventive chemotherapy and take time off from performing. (Photo by Jeff Daly/Invision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES — Ann Wilson, lead singer of rock band Heart, says she has cancer and the band is postponing the remaining shows on its Royal Flush Tour while she undergoes treatment.
Wilson said in a statement Tuesday, July 2, that she underwent a surgery to remove a cancerous growth and is recovering steadily, but that her doctors urged her to undergo preventive chemotherapy and take time off from performing “in order to fully recover.” That meant the rest of the shows on the North American tour will be postponed to dates in 2025.
“To the ticket buyers, I really do wish we could do these gigs. Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025,” Wilson said in the statement. “My team is getting those details sorted & we’ll let you know the plan as soon as we can.”
All previously purchased tickets for the now-postponed shows will be honored. The rescheduled dates will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the release.
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“This is merely a pause. I’ve much more to sing,” Wilson continued in the statement before adding, “Respectfully, this is the last public statement l’d like to make on the matter.”
The rock group Heart, from left, Steve Fossen, Nancy Wilson, Michael Derosier, Ann Wilson and Howard Leese pose in Los Angeles on Feb. 19, 1980. Ann Wilson says she has cancer. The band is postponing the remaining shows on its Royal Flush Tour. (AP Photo, File)
Over 50 shows at stadium and arena venues in dozens of cities across the US and Canada are impacted by the postponement. Select shows were set to include performances from Def Leppard and Journey, and Heart has not announced whether those bands will accompany them at the rescheduled performances.
The band, led by Wilson and her sister Nancy Wilson on the guitar, canceled the European leg of their tour in May, citing that the singer had to have “a time-sensitive but routine procedure for which the minimum recovery time is six weeks.”
Wilson posted on Instagram at the time of the European shows’ cancellation, writing, “I’m okay! Please don’t worry. I do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. It’s certainly an inconvenience for me.”
The Wilson sisters, who made hits like “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone,” have made music together since the ’70s. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers were honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2023.
