Brian Setzer’s guitar work has been at the forefront of two major musical revivals. First, he and the Stray Cats helped to revitalize ‘50s-style rockabilly in the ‘80s. Then, the Brian Setzer Orchestra spearheaded the big band revival of the ‘90s.
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Last year, the Stray Cats completed a three-week summer tour. Unfortunately, it will likely be the last time fans see Setzer behind a guitar while on stage. He took to social media yesterday (February 13) to let his fans and followers know that he can no longer play guitar due to an autoimmune disease.
[RELATED: Did You Know These 5 Fascinating Facts About the Stray Cats’ Brian Setzer?]
Hi everybody,
— Brian Setzer (@briansetzer59) February 13, 2025
I just wanted to check in with you all. Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my hands were cramping up. I’ve since discovered that I have an auto-immune disease. I cannot play guitar. There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of… pic.twitter.com/hjwexSXGcW
Brian Setzer Delivers Bad News
“I just wanted to check in with you all,” Brian Setzer began. “Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour, I noticed that my hands were cramping up. I’ve since discovered that I have an autoimmune disease. I cannot play guitar,” he revealed.
While the autoimmune disease is getting between Setzer and his instrument at the moment, the multi-talented musician is staying optimistic. “There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play. I have seen some progress in that I can hold a pen and tie my shoes. I know this sounds ridiculous but I was at a point where I couldn’t even do that,” he explained.
“Luckily, I have the best hospital in the world down the block from me. It’s called the Mayo Clinic. I know I will beat this, it will just take some time,” he said, keeping his chin up in the face of the disease. He concluded the post by sending his love to his fans and supporters.
Time will tell if the autoimmune disease will be the end of Setzer’s guitar-playing days or if he will, indeed, beat it and return to the instrument. Until then, fans can enjoy a vast catalog of music from multiple projects including the Stray Cats, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and his solo releases. His most recent solo album, The Devil Always Collects dropped in the summer of 2023.
Featured Image by Terry Wyatt/FilmMagic
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