Ann Wilson, the lead singer of Heart, a band known for its classic rock hits, including “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You,” and “Barracuda,” has revealed that she is undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with cancer.
Ms. Wilson, 74, issued the health update on Tuesday, writing on Instagram that she recently underwent surgery to remove a cancerous mass.
Ms. Wilson noted that her band will have to postpone the remainder of its North American tour dates while she recuperates. “My doctors are instructing me to take the rest of the year away from the stage in order to fully recover,” she explained.
“To the ticket buyers, I really do wish we could do these gigs,” she shared. “Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025. My team is getting those details sorted & we’ll let you know the plan as soon as we can.
“Thank you all for the support,” she continued. “This is merely a pause. I’ve much more to sing.”
Ms. Wilson did not elaborate on what type of cancer she was diagnosed with, concluding her message by telling her fans and followers that the update would be “the last public statement” that she makes about her illness and subsequent path of treatment.
Health Updates
Earlier this year, Ms. Wilson announced that Heart had canceled all of its upcoming European tour dates. According to the band’s website, Heart was slated to perform in Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and France, among other European countries, throughout the summer.In a statement shared to her Instagram on May 29, the singer said she is scheduled to undergo a “time-sensitive but routine medical procedure” in late May, which will require her to spend six weeks in recovery.
While on stage during a show in April, Ms. Wilson told concertgoers that she had undergone a knee replacement about three months earlier.
Heart
The female-fronted rock band was originally conceived by bassist Steve Fossen, guitarist Roger Fisher, and producer Mike Fisher in Seattle in the 1960s, per The Vogue. Ms. Wilson joined the group in 1970, and the band, initially known as Army and later, White Heart, changed its moniker to Heart a few years later.After Ms. Wilson’s sister joined the group, the band released its debut album, “Dreamboat Annie,” in September 1975, featuring tracks “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You,” and “Dreamboat Annie.” Heart went on to release over a dozen more studio albums throughout its nearly five-decade career, including “Little Queen” (1977), “Dog & Butterfly” (1978), “Heart” (1985), “Bad Animals” (1987), “Brigade” (1990), “Jupiters Darling” (2004), and “Fanatic” (2012).
The two sisters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2013, and three years later, they released their 16th studio album, “Beautiful Broken.”
Both sisters have also pursued solo careers. The Heart frontwoman released an album, “Another Door,” with the band Tripsitter in September 2023.
Heart’s “Royal Flush Tour,” which featured a handful of performances opening for some of Def Leppard and Journey’s shows, kicked off in Greenville, South Carolina, on April 20. Subsequent shows included performances in Savannah, Georgia; Tampa, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; and San Antonio, Texas, among others.
The “Royal Flush Tour” marked the first time Heart has hit the road in five years. The band’s last outing, 2019’s “Love Alive” cross-country summer tour, featured opener Elle King and was joined by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Sheryl Crow, and Brandi Carlile.
“I always wonder how a song like ‘Crazy On You’ hits the mind and soul of a 17-year-old in 2019...they seem to be as into it live as everyone else,” she said. “When I think of the connection we continue to have with our very diverse audience, I am deeply grateful and always amazed!”
