Frankie Valli, Rod Stewart forced to cancel concerts amid health battles

Two legendary singers have been forced to cancel upcoming tour dates due to health reasons, with one pulling all future concerts entirely.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons have officially scrapped the remainder of their tour so the 92-year-old singer can focus on his health. The shock cancellation comes as rock veteran Rod Stewart, 81, was also forced to pull the plug on his weekend concert just two hours before showtime following strict doctor’s orders.

Valli, who turned 92 in May, said in a statement: “I’m so sorry to disappoint the folks who have purchased tickets to my shows, but I have decided to take the rest of the year off from touring to focus on my health.

“I’m looking forward to getting healthy and seeing you all again soon. Thank you for all your good wishes.”

Meanwhile, Stewart said in a statement: “My apologies to my family of fans. I am on vocal rest as I recover from a sinus infection. I look forward to seeing you at a future show at Caesars Palace or on tour this summer.”

Valli, one of the founding members of the 60’s group The Four Seasons, had been playing the group’s farewell run The Last Encores Tour since 2023.

Its popularity meant it had extended through to 2026, with a string of dates scheduled through September and November.

Valli’s rep Victoria Varela in a statement to Variety that the decision was to keep fans out of “limbo” instead of rescheduling future dates.

“Promoters want to prolong things and not give people their money back, but he needs to not keep rescheduling these shows,” she said.

“He realised he needed to take a break and get his health in order, and that is the true issue – he wants to get better without prolonging, through the rescheduling process, the pain of people who’ve bought these tickets.” 

Valli recently spoke out about his decision to continue touring so far into his career, telling Tucson, Arizona’s 94.9 MIX FM: “Be loyal to what you’re doing and love what you’re doing. If you’re doing it out of fame or with the hope of becoming famous. it’s really the wrong approach.

“You should be doing it out of the fact that you love and it and it’s the most important thing in your life. If I had not become successful I’d probably still be working in some little bar. I love music that much.”

Stewart, meanwhile, was due to perform at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on May 29 and 30, but the event was pulled before doors even opened.

A representative for Stewart told Las Vegas Review, “Following his doctor’s advice, Rod Stewart has regretfully cancelled his performances at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on May 29 and 30, but is scheduled to return with shows beginning June 2.”

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Stewart has no plans to give up music or touring, but he did confirm in 2024 that he would no longer be embarking on large-scale tours like he used to.

“This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire,” he shared in a statement on social media.

“I love what I do, and I do what I love.”

He continued, “I’m fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79.”