Kenny Loggins taken ill after Manila concert; cancels Singapore date

STRANDED IN MANILA. Kenny Loggins, shown here during his concert at the SMX Convention Center last Sunday, has cancelled his Singapore performance, scheduled on Tuesday, after feeling ill.

MANILA, Philippines—Kenny Loggins couldn’t help laughing near the end of his concert Sunday night at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay. The singer-songwriter apparently flubbed his lines while singing his 1985 hit single “Forever” with a special guest, Filipino pop balladeer Martin Nievera.

“We had a plan. We were supposed to switch parts in the lyrics, but he forgot, so we were laughing,” Nievera told the Philippine Daily Inquirer during a media gathering on Monday afternoon for the launch of his new CD with PolyEast Records, “Himig ng Damdamin.”

What the public didn’t know, Nievera revealed, was that Loggins has been on medication for a back ailment. “There is a lump on his spine and I felt it when we hugged after our duet,” said Nievera.

Nievera said Loggins was probably in pain throughout the show and that he was just trying his best to carry on. The backstage crew, Nievera said, felt sorry for Loggins because knowing him, they thought “he gives a lot more than what he gave that night.”

Nievera first met Loggins when the latter performed at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila in the 1990s. Nievera, known for having recorded the songs of Loggins, bonded with the American pop-rock artist, driving him around town and inviting him as a house guest. “He was my god, next to Jesus,” recalled Nievera.

After his SMX concert, Loggins’ condition was said to have bothered him so much that his handlers had no choice but to cancel his next gig, scheduled for Tuesday at the Singapore Expo.

His performance at SMX, which lasted for almost two hours, was warmly received, even if in some instances he seemed to be having difficulty moving onstage.

At age 63, Loggins is still active as a recording and performing artist.