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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Inga Parkel

Not a joker! Steve Miller Band cancels all upcoming tour dates due to weather

Steve Miller Band, fronted by original and founding member Steve Miller (pictured in 2024), have canceled their entire 2025 American tour - (Getty Images)

The Steve Miller Band have canceled the entirety of their 2025 American tour, citing extreme weather.

The five-piece rock band, consisting of founding frontman Steve Miller, bassist Kenny Lee Lewis, drummer Gordy Knudtson, keyboardist Joseph Wooten, and guitarist Jacob Petersen, were expected to kick off their 31-date tour next month.

However, the group, best known for hits like “Abracadabra,” “The Joker,” and “Fly Like an Eagle,” announced Wednesday that they will no longer be traveling the country.

“Dear Steve Miller Band fans, You make music with your instincts, you live by your insticts, always trust your instincts,” an Instagram statement read.

“The Steve Miller Band has cancelled all of our upcoming tour dates,” it continued. “The combination of extreme heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and massive forest fires make these risks for you our audience, the band and the crew unacceptable. So… You can blame it on the weather...The tour is cancelled.”

Steve Miller Band's founding frontman Steve Miller performing in 2019 (Getty Images for Mount Sinai Hea)

It added: “Don’t know where, don’t know when… We hope to see you all again. Wishing you all Peace, Love and Happiness, Please take care of each other.”

The band were initially scheduled to hit the road August 8 in Bethel, New York, followed by stops in other major cities including Saint Paul, Minnesota; Memphis, Tennessee; and Gary, Indiana, before concluding in Anaheim, California November 8.

Steve Miller Band were expected to kick off their 31-date tour next month in Bethel, New York (stevemillerband/Instagram)

Their decision to cancel all upcoming concert dates comes after several parts of the country have been hit by severe rainstorms.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, central Texas experienced deadly flooding that has left at least 134 dead, and around 100 people still missing.

Across the country, both New Jersey and New York states declared a state of emergency on Monday night as severe storms battered the region.

Meanwhile, Alaska issued a tsunami warning after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit south of Sand Point on Popof Island Wednesday. The warning has since been canceled.

Still, the Steve Miller Band are not taking any chances.

Formed in 1966 in San Francisco by lead vocalist Miller, 81, the group has released 18 studio albums, of which they have sold over 60 million copies worldwide.

Their most successful album, Greatest Hits 1974-78, was released as a compilation album in 1978 and has sold more than 15 million copies, earning a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In 1988, Miller released his debut solo album, Born 2 B Blue. The Grammy-winning vocalist and guitarist was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2016.

During his acceptance speech, Miller infamously criticized the Rock Hall, saying: “I encourage you to keep expanding your vision, to be more inclusive of women.”

Asked to expand on his criticisms in the press room backstage, he called the whole induction process “unpleasant” and said, “They need to respect the artists they say they’re honoring, which they don’t.”

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