Heart’s Ann Wilson undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, band postpones tour
Ann Wilson, lead singer of the classic rock band Heart, is undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer.
Wilson shared the news Tuesday in a statement that also announced the band had postponed all remaining dates on the North American leg of its “Royal Flush Tour.”
“I underwent an operation to remove something that, as it turns out, was cancerous,” said Wilson, 74. “The operation was successful & I’m feeling great but my doctors are now advising me to undergo a course of preventive chemotherapy & I’ve decided to do it.”
The singer said her physicians have instructed her to “take the rest of the year away from the stage in order to fully recover.” She did not specify what form of cancer she had.
“To the ticket buyers, I really do wish we could do these gigs. Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025. My team is getting those details sorted & we’ll let you know the plan as soon as we can,” Wilson said before thanking fans for their support.
“This is merely a pause. I’ve much more to sing,” she added.
Wilson concluded, “Respectfully, this is the last public statement l’d like to make on the matter.”
Nancy Wilson and Ann Wilson of Heart perform on April 28 in New Orleans.Douglas Mason / WireImage
Preventive chemotherapy refers to treatment that is conducted after an initial treatment, like surgery, to prevent cancer from coming back, Dr. Ben Ho Park, director of precision oncology at Vanderbilt School of Medicine, told TODAY.com in March after Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared the news that she was undergoing “a course of preventive chemotherapy” to treat an unspecified form of cancer.
Wilson’s statement comes more than a month after the band, which also features Wilson’s sister Nancy Wilson, 70, canceled the European leg of its tour in May.
The band explained in a statement at the time that Ann Wilson had undergone a “time sensitive but routine medical procedure” which required a “minimum recovery time” of six weeks.
Heart kicked off its latest tour in the United States in April. The same month, the band performed its 1977 hit “Barracuda” on “The Tonight Show.”
Heart was scheduled to play multiple concert dates in Europe this summer before returning to the U.S. on July 30. The band was expected to continue performing in the U.S. and Canada through mid-December.
Wilson’s July 2 statement encouraged fans to hold onto their concert tickets, explaining that they would be honored on rescheduled dates.
Gina Vivinetto, TODAY
Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms.