Legendary Rockers Forced To Postpone Tour as Band Member “Requires an Essential Operation”

With a legacy dating back to the 1960s, the rock band Yes took its love for music way beyond the streets of London. Thanks to hit songs like “Changes,” “Heart of the Sunrise,” and “Roundabout,” Yes spent five decades touring the world. Just last year, Steve Howe, Jon Davison, Geoff Downs, Billy Sherwood, and Jay Schellen hit the road with The Album Series Tour. Preparing for the UK leg of their 2026 Fragile Tour, the band sadly announced it needed to postpone due to Howe’s health. 

Videos by American Songwriter

For fans hoping to see the band perform “Soon”, they only had less than a month to go before Yes kicked off the tour. The group scheduled the tour from April 22 to May 4 and even teased additional dates. But that all changed when Howe released the following statement. 

“Yes and management extend their sincere gratitude for the understanding, patience, and continued support from their fans shown during this time, and they look forward to returning to the U.K. in 2027 for an unforgettable run of shows.”

View this post on Instagram

Postponing a concert even a few weeks or months is never easy – but to move it an entire year wasn’t the news fans wanted to hear. But for Yes, making sure that Howe’s health would allow him to continue performing was the top priority.

[RELATED: Steve Howe Brings the Past to the Present With a New Book, Album]

Yes Still Hoping To Perform In US And Japan

As of now, Yes isn’t taking 2026 off. With the band also scheduling shows in Japan and the United States, the group is working with venues to move the concerts to a later date. 

Much like the name of the tour suggested, the concert series focused on the success of the 1971 album Fragile. Among the classic hits produced by the album was “Roundabout”, which happened to be written by Jon Anderson and Howe. It was one of the songs for which Howe received writing credit during his career with Yes. 

When released, Fragile quickly climbed the charts, finishing at No. 7 on the UK Albums chart. While landing in the Top 10 is an achievement, Yes climbed to No. 4 on the US Billboard 200. Crossing the gap between London and the US, the band proved their sound could resonate far beyond their roots.

Now, decades later, that same legacy is what keeps fans anxiously waiting for Yes to return. While the delay may hurt, if Yes proved one thing over the years – it will be more than worth the wait.

(Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images)