Rod Stewart Cancels Concert Suddenly, Voice Has Not Improved

Rod Stewart was forced to cancel his concert in Chula Vista, California, just hours before taking the stage. The 81-year-old rock singer had arrived at the location, but the doctor asked him not to perform because of an acute upper respiratory tract infection that triggered laryngitis.

Citing The Mirror, Saturday, June 13, the concert was part of the One Last Time tour. Rod's team announced the cancellation via Instagram and said the singer had tried to perform.

"Rod Stewart is very sorry to have to cancel his show tonight in Chula Vista, California. He has come to the location and made every effort to perform," said his team.

However, after being diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory tract infection that caused laryngitis, Rod was declared unable to take the stage. Laryngitis is inflammation of the vocal cords that can make the voice hoarse or disappear.

Rod then shared a photo of himself on stage as the crew began to dismantle the concert equipment. He said his condition had improved after treatment, but his voice had not returned.

"This is me in beautiful Chula Vista, as the stage is being dismantled around me. After undergoing treatment, I feel much better, but my voice has not recovered," said Rod.

He also apologized to fans who had been waiting for the concert.

"I am very disappointed and sincerely apologize for this inconvenience to the fans. I have done everything I can to keep the show tonight going, but unfortunately it is not possible," he said.

Rod said he would try to reschedule the concert. The next schedule is a concert at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Colorado, on June 15, so he still has a few days to recover.

According to The Mirror, the One Last Time tour has been running since 2024 and includes Rod's appearance in the Legends slot at the Glastonbury Festival.

The singer of Maggie May had previously insisted several times that he did not want to retire. However, Rod also said he would end a large-scale world tour.

In an Instagram post in 2024, he wrote that the big tour would be the last, but that didn't mean he was quitting music.

"I love what I do, and I do what I love," Rod wrote.

He also joked about his condition. At the age of 79, Rod admitted that he was still fit, his hair was still full, and he could run 100 meters in 18 seconds.

Rod said he wanted to move on to the Great American Songbook and Swing Fever tour in a smaller and more intimate place. Even so, he still left open the possibility of changing his mind.

Rod is also known to have been teasing Elton John about his retirement plans. In 2018, he criticized Elton's farewell tour as a "ticket-selling" move. Rod himself once said that if he retired one day, he would not make a big announcement and choose to slowly disappear from the stage.