Little Big Town announced Wednesday that their summer Pain Killer Tour has been postponed so member Jimi Westbrook can have vocal surgery. All dates through July 30 have been either cancelled or postponed, so Westbrook can have a polyp removed from his vocal chord. He lost his voice earlier in the week, causing the group to cancel their show scheduled in Reno, Nevada.
Fellow band members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, and Phillip Sweet tweeted well wishes for Jimi as he headed to the doctor on Tuesday.
Sending @JimiWestbrook prayers and love as he heads out of town to the voice doc. K, K & P pic.twitter.com/IstZNghXRy
— Little Big Town (@littlebigtown) June 16, 2015
Little Big Town issued a heartfelt statement on their website, explaining Westbrook will require complete vocal rest as he heals from surgery before the tour can resume.
“With heavy hearts we want to let you guys know that Jimi will have to undergo surgery next week to remove a polyp on his vocal cord. As a result, doctors have ordered him to rest his voice and completely recuperate before we continue touring. All shows through July 30th will be cancelled or rescheduled.”
They go on to express their sorrow for disappointing their fans, but point out their band member’s health is the priority at this time. Thankfully, Jimi is expected to make a full recovery following his prescribed rest and treatment.
“It breaks our hearts to let you guys down, but Jimi’s health is the most important thing and he is expected to make a full recovery with rest and treatment. We will keep everyone updated on Jimi’s progress. Thanks for your understanding and support.”
Little Big Town made an appearance this past weekend at the 2015 CMA Music Festival in Nashville, where they sang their hit song, “Girl Crush,” and performed “Elvira” with the Oakridge Boys. They also filmed segments for the CMA Fest music special, which they will host and will air August 4 on ABC, according to Rolling Stone Country .
https://instagram.com/p/3nnrd4DvGI/?taken-by=taylorswift
In June, Little Big Town joined Taylor Swift on stage for a surprise performance in Pittsburgh during her 1989 Tour. Swift went back to her country roots for a sultry performance of LBT’s mega-hit, “Pontoon.” She seems to have a big crush on the band, as she introduced them as “one of the nicest bands and one of the most talented” she’s encountered throughout her music career.
Swift went on to say, “They’ve been putting out some of the best music, consistently, for the past ten years,” before asking her audience if they ever go out on a pontoon boat, as Little Big Town hit the stage. She later posted a fun video of herself dancing to her special guests performing “Girl Crush” in her dressing room.
Check Little Big Town’s website for updates on Jimi Westbrook and the group’s tour dates.
[Image by Rick Diamond / Getty Images]
