UPDATE: The heaviness presumably extends well beyond the disappointment of not being able to play for fans: John’s mother-in-law, Gladys Furnish, mother of his husband David Furnish, died Thursday.
John acknowledged the death at his show in Toronto that night. Attendees say he told the crowd that the woman he called the matriarch of the Furnish family had died at 3 a.m., sending condolences to her other sons and her husband before dedicating “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” to her.
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Elton John is on the mend.
Hours before his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour concert in Indianapolis on Saturday, the singer, 72, announced he will be postponing the show due to illness.
“To my dear fans in Indianapolis, It is with the heaviest heart that I’m forced to deliver the news that I am extremely unwell and therefore unable to perform at @TheFieldhouse tonight,” John said in a statement on social media.
The Oct. 26 concert date has been moved to March 26, 2020. The show was originally scheduled for Oct. 25 but was changed due to NBA scheduling in Toronto.
“I absolutely hate to let my fans down, but I owe it to you to put on the best #EltonFarewellTour show possible and unfortunately that’s simply not possible. The date will be rearranged for March 2020, and I promise I will deliver the show you deserve. Thank you so much for your support and understanding,” the star concluded.
“We do apologize for any inconvenience caused by this necessary change. Bankers Life Fieldhouse looks forward to his performance in March and wishes Elton a speedy recovery,” the venue said in a statement.
John plans to stop touring in 2021.
Next, he is scheduled to perform in Nashville on Oct. 28 and Memphis on Oct. 30.