The familiar tones that fill arenas, led by songstress Ann Wilson, of beloved rock ensemble Heart, will miss a beat on this year’s planned Royal Flush Tour. Wilson revealed on Tuesday her earth-shaking diagnosis of cancer which has prompted an immediate hiatus from the stage to enable her necessary medical treatment.
She unveiled the sobering news with her fans, sharing that she had been through surgery to remove a malignant growth. She is recuperating steadily, though her physicians recommend she embark on a regimen of preventative chemotherapy to halt any further disease progression. This medical advice implies that the highly anticipated performances across North America will regrettably need to be rescheduled, with eyes set on the year 2025.
A note of assurance was struck by Wilson as she addressed her disappointed fans in an official public statement. “For those who have secured their spots in the audience, I truly wish we had the opportunity to perform for you. However, I fully intend to step back into the spotlights come 2025.” She further promised that any nitty-gritty details related to the rescheduled tour would be communicated as soon as possible.
Fans should hold on to their tickets, as they will be honored at the rescheduled events, the dates for which will be announced in the upcoming weeks. Wilson emphasized this as just a temporary break in their musical journey with her fans, promising that she still has “much more to sing.” Respectfully requesting privacy during her recovery, she declared it would be her last public address on her health issue.
The postponement casts a shadow over more than 50 performances scheduled to shake the foundations of stadium and arena stages in numerous cities across the United States and Canada. Notably, select shows were also going to feature iconic bands Def Leppard and Journey, though it is yet undetermined if they will be able to commit to the revised dates.
This comes on the heels of the band’s previous misfortune in May when a “time-sensitive but routine procedure” forced the Wilson sisters to cancel the European leg of their tour.
Heart, pulsating with raw energy led by Ann Wilson and sibling Nancy Wilson on guitar, has captured fans’ hearts since the ‘70s with hit records like “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone.” Recognized for their substantial contributions to music with their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the sister duo received another accolade in 2023 when the Recording Academy presented them with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Wilson concluded her Instagram post on a personal note, reassuring fans, “I’m okay! Please don’t worry. I do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. It’s certainly an inconvenience for me.”
