“I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you again soon”
Rod Stewart is recovering from successful heart surgery. The rock icon underwent a “routine” coronary stent procedure, and has canceled all of his current tour dates. The stent is used to improve blood flow through a narrowed or blocked coronary artery in the heart. As a result, his remaining scheduled dates through early September, including late-August performances in Las Vegas, have been canceled. The announcement finally provided more detail about the medical problem that had caused Stewart to postpone his August 9 concert at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati at the last minute, when fans were initially told only that he required an “unforeseen but minor medical procedure” needing prompt attention.
Sir Rod hopes to be back on stage in the near future.
“I’m already feeling much better and very much on the mend,” Stewart said in a statement. “I want to thank the doctors, nurses, and everyone who has taken such wonderful care of me. I’m deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down, but I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you again soon.”
Stewart’s management released a statement on social media detailing his procedure, and provided fans an update on his current tour dates.
“Following further medical evaluation, Sir Rod Stewart has successfully undergone a routine coronary stent procedure. Doctors are pleased with his recovery, and Rod is doing very well and has returned to his normal daily activities. On the advice of his doctors, he will take the next four weeks to recuperate and regain full fitness before returning to the stage. Unfortunately, this means he will be unable to continue his current tour dates. Information regarding affected performances will be communicated by the respective promoters and venues.”
Rod Stewart has faced a mounting series of health problems in recent months, with the 81-year-old rock legend experiencing illnesses, vocal difficulties and a frightening episode on stage. Now, his heart procedure follows an already difficult stretch for Stewart on the road. In late May, he canceled two performances at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas after developing a sinus infection and being ordered by doctors to go on vocal rest. He was able to return to the stage on June 2, but the problems resurfaced less than two weeks later. Stewart traveled to Chula Vista, California, for a June 12 concert and attempted to prepare for the show, only to cancel after doctors diagnosed him with an acute upper respiratory infection that had caused laryngitis. Stewart said afterward that treatment had made him feel physically better, but his voice had not recovered enough for him to sing. The illness continued to affect his schedule, and examinations at a Colorado voice clinic later revealed significant inflammation and strain of his vocal folds, prompting additional vocal rest rather than risking potentially longer-term damage.
Perhaps the most alarming incident occurred during Stewart’s June 19 concert in West Valley City, Utah. During the performance, Stewart appeared to become distressed and nearly fainted, forcing him to temporarily stop the show and use an oxygen tank. He later explained to the audience that he had almost passed out, while characteristically using humor to defuse the concern inside the venue. Reports from the concert showed Stewart doubled over at points during the set before receiving oxygen. He ultimately continued performing, but the incident took on greater significance in light of the respiratory problems that had already disrupted his tour and, more recently, the disclosure that he required a coronary stent procedure. There has been no official statement establishing that the Utah episode was caused by his heart condition, however, so the two should not be directly connected without further medical information.
Stewart nevertheless continued to perform between the setbacks, demonstrating that his health problems have not amounted to a continuous decline. He returned to the road after the June difficulties and delivered shows during July, including a July 31 performance in New York, before the latest round of cancellations began in August. After postponing Cincinnati, his August 11 Cleveland performance was canceled following further medical monitoring and doctors’ advice that he rest. His scheduled August 14 appearance at the Iowa State Fair was subsequently called off as well, before the announcement that he would step away from touring while recovering from the coronary stent procedure. Stewart’s representatives have emphasized that the procedure was successful and that his recovery is progressing well, offering reassurance amid understandable concern surrounding the string of cancellations.
The recent difficulties come against the backdrop of several major health battles Stewart has overcome during his career. He underwent surgery for thyroid cancer in 2000, an especially frightening diagnosis for a professional singer because the treatment threatened the voice that had made him famous. Stewart later had to work to regain his singing ability following the operation. Years later, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, a diagnosis he initially kept private before revealing in 2019 that treatment had been successful and that he had received the all-clear. Despite those experiences—and despite being well into his eighties—Stewart has remained remarkably active, continuing to record, tour and maintain demanding concert schedules.
For now, Stewart’s latest health scare represents a more substantial interruption than the respiratory and vocal problems that plagued him earlier this summer. His coronary stent procedure and the decision to clear several weeks from his schedule indicate that doctors are giving him time to recover rather than rushing him back onto the road. At the same time, there has been no indication from Stewart or his representatives that he intends to retire from performing altogether. His “One Last Time” tour has been presented as a move away from extensive large-scale touring rather than a farewell to music itself, and Stewart has repeatedly maintained that he wants to continue singing as long as he is able. After a summer marked by canceled concerts, vocal strain, a near-fainting episode requiring oxygen and now a heart procedure, however, the immediate priority is recovery before one of rock’s most enduring performers attempts another return to the stage.