“Heart” singer Ann Wilson announces cancer diagnosis and postpones tour

Associated Press and Marc Sternfield

10 hours ago

LOS ANGELES – Ann Wilson, lead singer of the rock band Heart, announces that she has cancer and the band is postponing the remaining shows of their Royal Flush Tour while she undergoes treatment.

Wilson said in a statement Tuesday that she underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and is slowly recovering, but that her doctors have advised her to undergo preventative chemotherapy and take a break from performing “to fully recover.” This means the remaining shows on the North American tour will have to be postponed to dates in 2025.

“To ticket buyers: I really wish we could do these concerts. Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025,” Wilson said in the statement. “My team is sorting out those details and we will let you know the plan as soon as possible.”

Heart was scheduled to perform with Cheap Trick at the Crypto.com Arena in LA on September 28, the Mechanic Bank Arena in Bakersfield on December 12, and the Pechanga Arena in San Diego on December 13.

All previously purchased tickets for the now postponed shows remain valid. The new dates will be announced in the coming weeks, the press release states.

“This is just a break. I have a lot more singing to do,” Wilson continued in the statement, before adding, “With all due respect, this is the last public statement I wish to make on this matter.”

The postponement affects over 50 concerts in stadiums and arenas in dozens of cities across the U.S. and Canada. Select concerts were scheduled to feature performances by Def Leppard and Journey, and Heart has not yet announced whether those bands will join her 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 the singer’s need 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: “I’m fine! Please don’t worry. I apologize for any inconvenience. They are certainly inconvenient for me.”

The Wilson sisters, who made hits such as “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone,” formed the band in 1973. The members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Recording Academy in 2023.