Charles Bradley’s Cancer Returns, Cancels Tour

Charles Bradley broke the news to fans today that he is canceling the rest of his 2017 tour plans because cancer has spread to his liver.

The 68-year-old funk/soul/R&B singer had returned to the stage this past spring after completing treatment for a cancerous tumor that was discovered in his stomach in October 2016. 

John Davisson – Charles Bradley
Charles Bradley is lost in the music when he and The Extraordinaires play the Forecastle Festival at Louisville Waterfront Park in Kentucky July 16.

Today’s announcement explains that Bradley had begun to “feel run down during recent tour dates and learned that his cancer spread to his liver, though hasn’t returned to his stomach.”

The “Screaming Eagle of Soul” has called off all upcoming performances to focus on treatment and recovery. His next show was scheduled at The Wolf Den in Uncasville, Conn., Sept. 8. Dates were booked through the end of the year, concluding with a New Year’s Eve appearance with My Morning Jacket at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colo.

Bradley and His Extraordinaires had already canceled a few appearances in late August, citing recovery from colitis.

“I love all of you out there that made my dreams come true,” Bradley said in a statement today. “When I come back, I’ll come back strong, with God’s love. With God’s will, I’ll be back soon.”

Bradley was featured on the cover of Pollstar in 2012, a spot reserved for rising stars. He began pursuing a career in the music business later in life after a childhood spent living on the streets and 17 years working as a chef.