Josh Abbott Band Cancel Concerts Following Abbott’s Father’s Stroke

The Josh Abbott Band have canceled two weeks of upcoming concerts to allow their lead singer and namesake, Josh Abbott, to be with his father following a recent stroke.

On Tuesday (Feb. 28), the Josh Abbott Band announced on social media that they were pulling out of all of their shows scheduled between March 1 and March 12. The band is in the middle of their 2017 Live It While You've Got It Tour and was scheduled to perform in Boston, Mass.; Clifton Park, N.Y.; Washington, DC; New York City; Warrendale, Pa.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Rootstown, Ohio, throughout the two-week time period.

"Unless a miracle occurs, we fear this will be [my dad's] last week here with us," Abbott explains. "Therefore, I need to be by his side, holding my mother's hand through it."

The Josh Abbott Band were sharing a bill with the Randy Rogers Band in Boston, DC and New York City, so RRB will play those dates as scheduled. Those shows were scheduled for March 1, March 3 and March 4, respectively.

"I know you all understand, and we truly appreciate the prayers and kind comments you have all left," Abbott writes. "PLEASE go see [the Randy Rogers Band] and sing loud for me."

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Abbott's father suffered his stroke on Feb. 9, but, the singer shared about a week later, "the effects were delayed and hit hard [on Feb. 11]." On Feb. 17, Abbott shared that his father "has shown some positive signs today and yesterday, although he's still critical in ICU;" he posted a lengthy thank-you note to those who have expressed their love and support, and helped him and his family out in their time of need, on Feb. 20.

The Josh Abbott Band's newest album, Front Row Seat, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Independent Albums chart and nabbed a Top 10 spot on the Top Country Albums chart (No. 9) following its release in November of 2015.

“We feel like we made an album that, in my opinion, I don’t know that we’ll ever make a better one,” Abbott says. “We’ll make great albums, but it’ll be hard to beat the concept and just the overall feel of this record. It will be really hard for us to top that, I think.”