Joan Jett is out ... for now.
The classic rocker had to step back from her current tour due to back issues. The 67-year-old had surgery to address a fractured vertebrae and needs time to get back to full strength.
Rock stars ... they're just like us. And that's starting to hurt in more ways than one. It's a jagged little pill for fans to swallow, to paraphrase a somewhat younger star's song (Alanis Morissette is a spry 52).
We're all getting older, but watching the singers who provided the soundtracks to our lives join us isn't fun.
This has been a rough year for aging singers. Rod Stewart had to pause his current tour, dubbed the "One Last Time Farewell Tour," due to health woes. His June 12 concert in Chula Vista, California got scrapped after a bout with laryngitis brought on by an acute upper respiratory infection. He also needed oxygen during a tour stop in Utah.
He's back on tour now, but the 81-year-old has given longtime fans a few scares.
Lionel Richie, 77, got off on the wrong foot for his current tour. He had to cancel the first two shows in June after getting dizzy on stage. He's been touring with Earth Wind & Fire, another aging squad with health issues of its own.
An unidentified member of the group suffered a "cardiac event" Aug. 6, forcing the band to withdraw from the San Francisco stop on the tour. The event will be made up at a later date.
Why? The show must go on, of course.
We don't know precisely why a recent ZZ Top concert got shelved. The band blamed "unforeseen personnel matters" which could be just about anything in rock speak. It's another band with members in their 70s — at least the surviving rockers. Original bassist Dusty Hill passed in 2021.
Some stars decided to hang it up after getting the wrong diagnosis.
Deep Purple's Glenn Hughes, 74, called it quits due to upcoming open-heart surgery and related medical concerns. He left the door open on a comeback, but only by a crack.
Meanwhile, some rockers seem to defy age with every performance. The Rolling Stones just released a new album of original material, proving they can still create into their 80s.
Fellow '60s legends Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney have been touring this year without incident. Macca is 84 while Starr is a spry 86.
The Stones had planned to tour this year, but guitarist Keith Richards' arthritis screamed otherwise.
Meanwhile, AC/DC is rocking out across the country, with 78-year-old lead singer Brian Johnson acting like a kid while Angus Young (71) uncorks endless guitar solos.
The collective news is heartbreaking on more than a few levels. It's also inspiring. These rockers have all the money they could ever need. They don't need to impress us or shame the young generation. Their legends speak for themselves.
The rockers still want to entertain us, to remind audiences of their youth ... and ours. And, if it means taking a knee on a tour until they catch their breath, so be it.
