Cancellations & Postponements: Gregg Allman, Blues Traveler, Fifth Harmony

An ailing Gregg Allman nixes the next 10 weeks of tour dates … Blues Traveler’s John Popper reveals the band is being forced to postpone gigs so he can undergo “immediate surgery” … Fifth Harmony cancels the last four gigs of its North American tour.

After canceling his July 29 appearance in Wilmington, N.C., Gregg Allman has axed more than two dozen additional dates.

Today’s announcement from his PR rep doesn’t give many details about Allman’s condition other than saying the cancellation is “due to serious health issues.” The musician is “under his doctor’s care at the Mayo Clinic” in Rochester, Minn.

The cancellations begin with The Peach Music Festival in Moosic, Pa., Aug. 12 and run through Oct. 16 at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday in Clearwater, Fla. The date span includes Allman’s long list of gigs with ZZ Top. Allman is set to return to the stage Oct. 29 for his Laid Back Festival in Atlanta.

“I want to thank my fans and family for supporting me while I rest up and focus on getting better and back on the road as soon as I can,” Allman said. “I’ve been working hard with my band, my pride and joy, to play our music for everyone. We’ll see ya’ll in October.”

Visit GreggAllman.com for more information.

Blues Traveler’s John Popper has been struggling with his own health issues.

A lengthy Facebook post from Popper says he suffered a “busted leg” in early 2016 that resulted in two months using a wheelchair, as well a stress fracture on the other leg and two months on crutches.

“Well it seems there was another problem coming to a head that these leg issues had been concealing,” Popper posted Thursday. “A problem w/my spine in my neck that likely had been building for years now… I noticed at the end of last year that I was beginning to have profound weakness in my right arm & if U’ve watched our shows this year U’d notice my inability to hold the mic right handed w/out some help from the left…or even holding onto the vox stand or even holding drinks…I may have seemed more tipsey than I was…&wobbly…”

Photo: Rob Grabowski / ConcertLivewire.com
Lollapalooza 2010, Grant Park, Chicago, Ill.

An MRA found three vertebrae in Popper’s neck had collapsed and were “drastically impinging” on his spinal cord. He adds that if he had continued to ignore the problem he could have faced “total and permanent paralysis. It’s creepy to think about frankly… But immediate surgery is required & there is nothing else for it.”

Saying he was “so sorry to do this now,” Popper notes that half of Blues Traveler’s tour with The Wallflowers and G. Love & Special Sauce is being postponed. The shows will be rescheduled following the previously announced conclusion of the tour.

Complete details about the rescheduled dates are expected to be announced soon. So far, the following shows have been postponed:   

Sept. 27 – Moorehead, Minn., Bluestem Center For The Arts (originally scheduled Aug. 9)
Sept. 28 – Des Moines, Iowa, Brenton Skating Plaza (originally scheduled Aug. 10)
Oct. 21 – Southaven, Miss., BankPlus Amphitheater At Snowden Grove (originally scheduled Aug. 12)

Festival appearances in Makato, Minn., and Chicago, as well as the band’s Aug. 18 show at the Leach Amphitheatre in Oshkosh, Wis., have been canceled.  

Popper says that if he does his part and “the doctors do theirs … I will be up & running & back on tour by 8/24.” Blues Traveler is scheduled to play the Servpro Richmond Pavilion in Glen Allen, Va., that day with The Wallflowers. 

Visit BluesTraveler.com for more information.

News of Fifth Harmony’s cancellations was confirmed earlier this week while rumors abound that the ladies are feuding and may be on the verge of a breakup.

A reason wasn’t given for the nixed dates, which no longer appear on the group’s website and are listed as canceled on Ticketmaster.

Photo: Chris McKay / WireImage.com
"Power 96.1 Jingle Ball," Philips Arena, Atlanta, Ga.

Fifth Harmony member Normani Kordei took to Twitter Thursday to address the rumored strife within the group.

“It is a shame that after four years together as a group I have to address foolishness manufactured by those who have no idea what goes on. … I have love and respect for all four of my bandmates whether you choose to believe it or not,” Kordei tweeted. “My conscious and spirit are clear. For those of you who enjoy speculating and creating drama that doesn’t exist, please keep in mind that myself and the other girls in the group are PEOPLE, we feel hurt and sadness just like everybody else.”

She added, “The smartest thing you can do is recognize that making assumptions and passing judgement on others is wrong. I am here to offer great music and performances along with my girls. This is our story so let us write it our way, instead of you trying to write it for us.”

The group has a slew of dates scheduled across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. The shows span from August to November.

Canceled dates are listed below:

Sept. 13 – Auburn, Wash., White River Amphitheatre
Sept. 14 – Ridgefield, Wash., Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre
Sept. 16 – San Diego, Calif., Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Sept. 17 – Las Vegas, Nev., The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel / Casino

Visit FifthHarmony.com for updates.