The Stray Cats have cancelled their fall American tour due to singer/guitarist Brian Setzer's “serious illness,” the band announced on social media today.
“I’m heartbroken to share, due to serious illness, I am unable to perform and very regrettably have to cancel our Stray Cats tour,” Setzer wrote in a statement shared on both the band's and his own Instagram pages.
“I know this affects so many people and I am devastated to have to deliver this news. I’ve been trying everything I can to go on and do these shows, but it is just not possible.
“I’ve been looking forward so much to being on stage with my band mates again and playing for all of our amazing fans, and I’m gutted.”
Just days ago, the beloved rockabilly trio were forced to cancel the opening show of their tour – scheduled for Saturday, October 25, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan – due to Setzer's illness.
In February 2025, the Gretsch-wielding guitar icon revealed that he had contracted an autoimmune disease that had robbed him of the ability to play guitar.
“I cannot play guitar,” he wrote in a social media post. “There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play.”
The following month, Setzer issued a positive update to fans, saying that he was “getting better day by day.”
The Stray Cats recently released two new tracks – Stampede and a cover of Eddie Cochran’s Teenage Heaven. The recordings were the band's first in six years.
