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Rod Stewart Scraps Weekend Shows

August 22nd, 2009 10:00am EDT Post a comment 2 comments Add to My News

Rod Stewart has become the latest rocker to scrap U.S. shows - a throat infection has rendered him voiceless.

The rocker was back in Los Angeles with his wife Penny Lancaster on Friday seeking medical attention after scrapping a date on his One Rockin' Night tour in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday night. Stewart's August 22nd show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a concert scheduled for Sunday at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Virginia Beach have previously been scrapped, due to scheduling conflicts.

A spokesperson for the star tells WENN, "Rod Stewart has a throat infection and went to the doctor who prescribed antibiotics and four days of complete vocal rest. Ignoring the doctor's advice, he attempted to go through his normal warm-ups on Thursday but it was impossible. Particularly frustrating is that he had to cancel the last show of a 16-date run."

The Sailing singer underwent surgery in 2000, to remove a growth on his thyroid and admitted he feared the operation had stolen his famous rasp. He said, "I woke in hospital and the doctor said, 'Don't worry, your voice will be back in six months'. Six months came up and no voice. Seven months, no voice. Eight months, no voice. I could talk but not sing. It only came back to its former glory... nine months after the operation."

Spotted visiting a Beverly Hills doctor on Friday morning, Stewart looked "visibly sick" and "sounded awful" according to a fan who approached him and his wife on the street outside. Stewart was forced to cancel a show in Victoria, British Columbia on August 12th due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts.

He joins a growing list of big-name rockers who have been forced to scrap concerts this summer because of illness and accidents - Tommy Lee had to sit out of Motley Crue shows after burning his left hand and Aerosmith have been forced to cancel summer dates with ZZ Top after singer Steven Tyler smashed his collarbone in a stage fall.

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