Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr announced the cancellation of the remaining dates of his U.S. spring/summer tour due to two All Starr Band members testing positive for the COVID virus. Earlier this week Starr, 81, had said the tour would continue after Edgar Winter, 75, tested positive, but when Steve Lukather, 64, also tested positive Starr announced the tour was cancelled with the remaining twelve shows to be rescheduled in September when the band was already set for the second leg of the tour with shows in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The first leg began in Ontario, Canada on May 27 and was scheduled to play tonight in Providence, Rhode Island before the cancellation. This leg of the tour was scheduled to end with a show in Clearwater, Florida on June 26. Starr, who turns 82 on July 7, said last year he had received two doses of the COVID vaccine. There are no reports that Starr himself has tested positive.
From left to right: Warren Ham, Edgar Winter, Colin Hay, Ringo Starr, Hamish Stuart, Gregg Bissonette, Steve Lukather. Ringo Starr 2022 tour promo photo by Mike Colucci.
Starr’s tour announcement on Edgar Winter from June 7:
Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Beacon Theater, New York, NY – Tonight as Ringo and His All Starr Band prepared to play their second in a run of three sold out shows at the Beacon, and their 8th on their newly launched tour, they had to do so without Edgar Winter, who tested positive for Covid.
During the show Ringo said, as he pointed towards the keyboards, “you might have noticed there are a lot of keyboards where Edgar was supposed to play, but he’s come down with Covid – Peace and Love to Edgar.”
Ringo also assured the audience the band, and the shows ahead, will go on while Edgar recovers.
Follow-up statement on tour dates cancelled:
RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL STARR BAND ANNOUNCE THAT TWO BAND MEMBERS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID
AND POSTPONE REMAINING 12 DATES, WHICH WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 2022
CHECK WEBSITE FOR DETAILS
Saturday, June 11, 2022 – Today Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band – Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Warren Ham, Gregg Bissonette, Hamish Stuart and Edgar Winter – announced that two members have tested positive for Covid. These shows were initially planned for 2020, and Ringo and the All Starr Band were eager to finally get back out on the road. Almost halfway through the 22 show run, which kicked off May 27 from Casino Rama in Ontario, Ringo let audiences know on Tuesday June 7, during the second of three sold out shows at New York’s Beacon theater, that Edgar Winter had Covid, but the All Starrs would play on. However today Steve Lukather has also tested positive for Covid, forcing the group to reschedule the remaining 12 dates, and adding them to the September tour.
“We are so sorry to let the fans down. It’s been wonderful to be back out on the road and we have been having such a great time playing for you all. But as we all know, Covid is still here and despite being careful these things happen. I want to thank the fans for their patience, I send you all peace and love, and we can’t wait to be back in the Fall,” said Ringo.
In the meantime, friends and fans from around the world will join Ringo on July 7, for his annual Peace and Love birthday celebration, where he invites everyone everywhere to say, post or even just think Peace and Love at Noon their local time. Starting in Australia, New Zealand and Asia and ending in Hawaii, people help Ringo wrap the Earth in a wave of peace and love. Fans are already organizing local events around the world, and details and live streams from the events will soon be available on Ringo’s Facebook page.
Click here for tour schedule and updates.
Promo video previewing the tour featuring Ringo and the band at rehearsals before opening night.
Ringo singing his first solo hit song It Don’t Come Easy on May 30.