LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anna Wilsonlead singer of rock band Heart, says she has cancer and the band is postponing the remaining shows on its schedule Royal Flush tour while she undergoes treatment.
Wilson said in a statement Tuesday that she underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and is steadily recovering, but that her doctors have urged her to undergo preventive chemotherapy and take time off from performing “to make a full recovery.” That meant the rest of the shows on the North American tour were postponed to dates in 2025.
“To the ticket buyers: I really wish we could do these shows. Please know that I fully intend to return to the podium in 2025,” Wilson said in the statement. “My team is sorting out the details and we will let you know the plan as soon as possible.”
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.
“This is just a break. I have a lot 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 arenas in dozens of cities across the U.S. and Canada are affected by the postponement. Select shows were scheduled to feature performances from Def Leppard and Journey, and Heart has not announced whether those bands will accompany them for the rescheduled performances.
The band, led by Wilson and her sister Nancy Wilson on guitar, canceled the European leg of their tour in May, citing that the singer had to undergo “a time-sensitive but routine procedure for which the minimum recovery time is six weeks. ”
Wilson posted on Instagram at the time of the cancellation of the European shows, writing: “I’m doing great! Do not worry. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For me it is certainly an inconvenience.”
The Wilson sisters, who made hits like “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone,” formed the band in 1973. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2023.