Rock icon Joan Jett has cancelled two upcoming tour dates after suffering a fractured vertebra that required surgery. The 67-year-old I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll star announced she is stepping away from the stage to begin her ‘healing process’.
Tour cancellations and medical statement
Her band Joan Jett & the Blackhearts had been due to perform at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, California, on September 5 and at the Bourbon & Beyond festival in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 24. However, in a statement shared on Instagram, Joan’s team said: ‘Following a recent injury, Joan Jett has undergone orthopaedic surgery on a fractured vertebra and will begin the necessary healing process.’
‘In close consultation with her doctors, Joan will not be able to perform at her forthcoming September scheduled shows in Costa Mesa, CA on September 5 and in Louisville, KY on September 24.’ The statement added: ‘While Joan hates to disappoint fans, she will be taking this time to focus on physical therapy and healing. She’s looking forward to delivering tremendous concerts for many years to come.’ No further details about how the injury happened have been revealed.
Recent UK tour and band history
This comes after Joan Jett & the Blackhearts completed their first UK headline tour in 16 years. In a five-date tour, it included shows in Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Wolverhampton and London, as well as a support slot for My Chemical Romance at Wembley Stadium.
This also follows the death of Thommy Price, the drummer known for working with Joan Jett and Billy Idol, at the age of 68. The New York-born drummer played with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts from 1987 until 2017.
Tribute to Thommy Price
Taking to Instagram, Joan wrote along with a video montage of Thommy performing with the band: ‘We lost a member of the Blackheart family, the one of a kind Thommy Price.’ ‘Thommy was a legendary drummer who was a Blackheart for 4 decades. He was a drummer’s drummer and admired by so many. Our hearts are heavy. Sending love to his beautiful family. We love you Thommy.’
