Aretha Franklin pulled out of the Tony Bennett 90th birthday salute due to unspecified health issues earlier this week.
On Friday, Franklin went on to cancel more dates due to doctor’s orders. She said in a statement:
Regretfully, due to doctors’ orders I will have to cancel a few concerts for the next month or so. I’m especially disappointed because two of them are among my favorite cities, Washington D.C. and New York. I don’t want to miss any. I should continue the rest of my tour by November. I decided it was time to go home and take care of myself consistent with doctors’ orders.
The question at this point is which concerts are actually canceled. Aretha Franklin mentioned August 26 at the Filine Center in Washington, September 18 at the City Winery Open, Forest Hills, NY, and September 23 at Radio City Music Hall but that is where different sources diverge.
According to Aretha’s statement, she is taking off “the next month or so” and her website still lists an October 9 date in Grand Rapids, MI and October 22 in St. Louis, MO; however, tour industry source Pollstar does not show her next show until Friday, November 11 in Welch, MN.
Aretha Franklin has had many cancellations over the last few years for various medical problems. She famously does not fly, so all of her travel is by bus and she has complained about the exhaustion that comes from that type of travel.
Aretha Franklin in the 60sAretha Franklin has won 18 Grammy Awards and sold over 75 million records worldwide. She has been honored throughout her career including a 1987 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in which she became the first female performer to be inducted.
