Rod Stewart Axes Gig Hours After Start Of Tour

The veteran rocker began the North American leg of his The Hits tour in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday (15Jul15) and he began suffering a throat condition shortly afterwards.

Doctors ordered him to cancel his performance in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Thursday (16Jul15) so he could rest his vocal cords and avoid axing further shows.

In a statement on the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater's Facebook.com page, Stewart says, "It breaks my heart to cancel knowing that so many people have made plans but I don't want to give my Tuscaloosa fans a performance that isn't my best."

Stewart is hoping to be back on stage in Toledo, Ohio on Saturday (18Jul15).