Singer Huey Lewis has cancelled all of his shows with his band The News for the rest of 2018 after revealing that he has lost most of his hearing.
The 67-year-old told fans on social media on Friday night that doctors believe he has the inner ear disorder Meniere's disease, which causes progressive loss of hearing, vertigo and ringing in the ear (tinnitus).
"Two-and-a-half months ago, just before a show in Dallas, I lost most of my hearing," wrote Lewis.
"Although I can still hear a little, one on one, and on the phone, I can't hear music well enough to sing. The lower frequencies distort violently, making it impossible to find pitch."
"I've been to the House Ear Institute, the Stanford Ear Institute, and the Mayo Clinic, hoping to find an answer," he continued.
Huey Lewis and The News cancel all 2018 performances. See attached note from Huey. pic.twitter.com/FbWqDlGwnR
— Huey Lewis (@Huey_Lewis_News) April 13, 2018
"The doctors believe I have Meniere's disease and have agreed that I can't perform until I improve. Therefore the only prudent thing to do is to cancel all future shows.
"Needless to say, I feel horrible about this, and wish to sincerely apologize to all the fans who've already bought tickets and were planning to come see us. I'm going to concentrate on getting better, and hope that one day soon I'll be able to perform again."
Huey Lewis and The News have sold over 30m albums with hits including The Power of Love, Stuck with You and Hip to Be Square.
In February, Lewis announced he was working on an original musical, Heart of Rock and Roll, based on the band's songs.
