George Thorogood and The Destroyers have canceled a run of shows on their Bad All Over the World – 50 Years of Rock Tour due to the singer’s undisclosed “very serious medical condition.”
Videos by American Songwriter
“With great sadness, we must announce the cancellation of our Canadian and U.S. tour dates from April 27, 2023, through May 21, 2023,” read a statement on his social media pages. “George has been diagnosed with a very serious medical condition that will require immediate surgery and quite a few weeks of recuperation and healing.”
The statement continued, “You, our fans, mean the world to us, and we know this news is not want you wanted to hear, but rest assured George Thorogood and The Destroyers will be back. We’ll keep you updated as we know more.”
Following the announcement, the 73-year-old rocker had to cancel 18 shows on the North American tour. Already scheduled for a tour break from May through July, if Thorogood’s recovery is on track, he may be well enough to pick up where he left off and perform at their upcoming show in Jefferson, Wisconsin on July 14.
Thorogood played his first show with Destroyers on Dec. 1, 1973, performing some of their classics like “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” and “Madison Blues.” At first, the band left the audience unimpressed, according to drummer Jeff Simon, the only remaining founding member of the band.
“It was like someone flipped a switch,” said Simon. By the second set, the dance floor was packed. “After the gig,” Thorogood added, “Jeff and I thought, ‘Maybe we’re onto something.’”
Kicking off in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Feb. 13, the tour was scheduled to hit 15 cities before initially concluding in mid-May, marking Thorogood’s first dates in Canada in three years. Backed by long-time Destroyers Bill Blough, Jim Suhler, and Buddy Leach, the Bad All Over The World Tour is a celebration of 8,000 live shows, and 15 million records sold.
“From that very first show, we’ve stayed true to ourselves and the music we love,” said Thorogood, who released his most recent album with The Destroyers, 2120 South Michigan Ave in 2011 and his debut solo album, Party of One, in 2017. “We’ve decided to celebrate our first half-century by throwing the biggest and baddest rock party ever.”
Photo: Mat Hayward/Getty Images
