Photo of Brian Setzer by Marcos C. (CC BY 3.0)
Due to a bad case of tinnitus, Brian Setzer announced that he is cancelling his upcoming Christmas Rocks! tour.
Tinnitus is a condition that causes people to hear incessant noise or ringing in their ears. Often, it is linked with injuries to the inner ear or with hearing loss associated with age.
Setzer’s 16th annual Christmas tour was scheduled to commence on November 15 in Minneapolis and would have featured his 19-piece orchestra. It was to include more than 20 cities, such as Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, DC, Nashville, Denver, Phoenix and Seattle before finishing in Los Angeles in December.
Fans can receive ticket refunds at the point of purchase.
While Setzer has gone on a Christmas tour for many years now, this one would have been special, as last month the singer-guitarist released a Christmas-themed album called Rockin’ Rudolph. In addition to two versions of his “Yabba-Dabba Yuletide,” the album includes Christmas classics such as “Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
Setzer issued the following statement in conjunction with the announcement:
“It’s heartbreaking to disappoint my fans who have shared my Christmas seasons with me for over fifteen years. I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience this has caused all of the amazing people who make my tour happen and to my unbelievably loyal and devoted fans. I hate to let you down and I hope you’ll understand.”
Setzer rose to fame in the early 1980s with the rockabilly group Stray Cats. A decade later, he also found success with his swing-revival band The Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Earlier in the year, Setzer reunited with his Stray Cats bandmates for their 40th anniversary. They not only went out on tour together but also released an album as well.
So sorry to hear of Brian’s tinnitus. Young performers/musicians would be well-advised to wear hearing protection to avoid that in later years . . . but it’s all about loud, right? And when you’re young, you’re also invincible . . . ‘that’ll never happen to me’! Protect your hearing.