Concern Grows For Dr Feelgood Guitarist

Wilko Johnson has cancelled six dates on his Going Back Home Tour. The former Dr Feelgood guitarist and songwriter defied the odds during his battle with pancreatic cancer to go on the tour.

The ailing star also released hit album Going Back Home, a collaboration with the Who frontman Roger Daltrey, and played gigs in Japan. Swedish gigs in Stockholm and Malmo on April 29 and 30, and a show in Gothenburg on May 1 have been cancelled.

A tour date at the Belfast Arts Festival on May 3 has also been cancelled, along with those at the Yeovil Blues Festival on May 10 and the St Ives Blues Festival on May 11. However, tickets for the Croydon Blues Festival on May 17 are still available.

At the beginning of April, the music legend confirmed he was “honoured” to be on the billing for Glastonbury in June.

Last month, the former Westcliff High School for Boys pupil met fans at Fives Records on Leigh Broadway to promote his album. The store’s 150 CDs and 75 vinyl copies of the album sold out well before Wilko left the store.

Manager Sandra Bennett said the cancellations would leave hundreds of fans disappointed. She said: “The amount of people who came here when they heard he was visiting was amazing. I had people down from Leeds. It was a massive event. He was due to come for two hours but he had to leave 15 minutes early as he was feeling unwell. There will be so many disappointed fans.”

After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2012, the Westcliff guitarist, originally from Canvey, was given months to live, but he has battled on against the odds.

Mrs Bennett added: “I think his music has kept him going. He has struggled, but when he is on stage he is a different person.

“He has gone on for much longer because of it.”

A spokesman for Wilko said: Tthe dates were cancelled under doctors orders as Wilko has been advised to rest.”