Sir Rod Stewart has confirmed plans to retire from touring following recent health concerns, marking the end of a live performance career that has spanned over 60 years.
The 81-year-old vocalist announced that his upcoming concert dates next year will be his last, telling fans that the moment has arrived to step back from life on the road.
The Final Encore tour dates
His farewell series of shows, titled The Final Encore, will see him tour across the UK and Europe. The final leg commences at Dublin's 3Arena on 23 April, featuring dates in London, Amsterdam, and Berlin, before wrapping up at the ZAG Arena in Hannover on July 24.
"After more than six decades, The Final Encore will most definitely be my last," Rod confirmed.
"I’ve been singing the music I love since I was 19 years old, and I’ve had the privilege of taking it around the world to all of you. It has given me a life beyond anything I could ever have imagined, and I hope I’ve given you some fond memories in return.
"So, may I take this opportunity to thank you for making this extraordinary life possible. I hope you’ll join me so I can thank you the best way I know how… with the music and one hell of a show. See you there."
Health update from wife Penny Lancaster
Earlier this month, Rod gave fans a health update after needing to pull out of a number of shows over the summer. During one concert, he had to stop mid-show in the US as a team of backstage assistants ushered him to the side of the stage where he was seen taking several puffs on an oxygen tank.
His wife, Penny Lancaster, revealed the star had been suffering from an "underlying heart issue". She told Vanessa Feltz's YouTube series At Home With Vanessa: "He'd gone through a couple of incidents where he had an upper respiratory infection and then he was at a concert where there was a very high altitude so it would affect anybody but what we didn't know was there was an underlying heart issue."
"I mean he's like one of the fittest guys I know. Forget being fit for 80 odd, he's fit for someone my age in their fifties you get young kids collapsing with heart issues unknown to them."
"Fortunately, it was at the right time in the right place and they detected a slight blockage which needed a stent which according to a lot of research, it appears that most people over the age of 65 will often need and require a stent."
Penny added: "As one gets older, most likely over the age of 65, 75, to get heart disease or to get prostate cancer. And my husband's had both."
"But when people say they die of natural causes that's what they mean. They die of heart disease or cancer because that's naturally...we're living longer. We're going to die of something."
She revealed that the issue was found in plenty of time and Sir Rod was eager to be back performing.
