In late May, Wilson "underwent an operation to remove something that, as it turns out, was cancerous."
Heart's Ann Wilson in the 'Alone' music video (Source: YouTube)
American rock band Heart have postponed the remainder of their Royal Flush tour dates for 2024 due to singer Ann Wilson requiring cancer treatment.
Heart will no longer perform in the UK and US for dates that spanned the remainder of this month into September and additional US dates from late September to December. They were set to tour with special guests Cheap Trick, Bachman-Turner Overdrive with Randy Bachman, and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening.
Wilson’s health was put into the spotlight on 30 May, when the band cancelled all their upcoming European tour dates after she underwent a “time-sensitive but routine medical procedure” in which the minimum recovery time was six weeks.
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In a new statement posted to Instagram today (3 July), Wilson revealed that she “underwent an operation to remove something that, as it turns out, was cancerous.
“The operation was successful, and I’m feeling great, but my doctors are now advising me to undergo a course of preventive chemotherapy, and I’ve decided to do it.”
She continued, “And so, my doctors are instructing me to take the rest of the year away from the stage in order to fully recover.
“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. My team is getting those details sorted, and we’ll let you know the plan as soon as we can.
“Thank you all for the support. This is merely a pause. I’ve much more to sing.”
Wilson ended her statement with the note, “Respectfully, this is the last public statement I’d like to make on the matter.”
Since Heart formed in the 1970s, Ann and her sister Nancy (rhythm guitar/vocals) have defined rock and roll and heavy metal, getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
They’ve been a mainstay on the radio since 1975 and have had multiple hits, including the #1 singles Alone (1987) and These Dreams (1986), and US Top 40 Singles, including Magic Man (1975), Barracuda (1977), All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You (1990), and more.
In 2011, Heart toured Australia for the first time as the support act for Def Leppard. During their sets, they performed a cover of John Farnham’s classic You’re The Voice.