‘It’s finally caught up with me’: Health concerns see Jimmy Barnes pull out of Aussie tour for urgent surgery

Rock legend Jimmy Barnes has been forced to cancel his upcoming Australian tour following doctors’ orders the star needs urgent surgery amidst growing health issues.

Barnes said despite cancelling a show being “against my religion”, the 66-year-old’s hip and back pain have left him in constant agony.

The Working Class Man singer attributed his health woes to a lifetime of jumping around on stage but is adamant to get the issues fixed in order to continue rocking out with fans.

“I’ve been jumping off PA’s and stomping around stages for nearly 50 years, but it’s finally caught up with me”, Barnes said on social media.

“I’ve had niggling back and hip issues for years, but things suddenly got a lot worse over the last few weeks and I’m now in constant and severe pain.

“As everybody knows, it’s against my religion to blow out gigs but the Doctors tell me I need an operation as soon as possible and it will really limit my movement for a few months.

“As much as it kills me to inconvenience everyone, I have to get this fixed so I can jump around onstage for another 50 years.”

Fans took to social media to wish Barnes a “steady recovery”.

Wishing you all the very best Jimmy, hope all goes well, take care & get well soon
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— ????Bee???????? (@BelindaJones68) November 29, 2022

Health always comes first. Hope the surgery goes well and you have a speedy recovery.

— Annette P (@accidentalbirdo) November 28, 2022

I can see the distress on your face.???? Your health must come first. Wishing you all the best for the surgery and recovery. ❤️????

— Clr Robin Cook (@CookClr) November 29, 2022

However, in the spirit of rock, Barnes was able to find a replacement for three of his bigger gigs in Woollongong, Torquay and Rochford Wines, announcing the Hoodoo Gurus will be headlining in his place.

“I’m very grateful that the Gurus have agreed to headline these three big gigs in my absence”, Barnes said.

“We played some great shows together last summer so I know audiences will be in good hands.

“Their addition to the top of the Wollongong, Torquay and Rochford line-ups also means that the other bands on the bill, like The Living End, Wolfmother and Noiseworks, will still get their chance to rock.

“That’s important for everyone after all the disrupted touring over recent years so I strongly encourage people to #keepyourticket and support some of our finest Aussie artists at these shows.”

The rock ‘n’ roll icon’s essential surgery means he will no longer be able to appear at Summernats 35 in Canberra in January 2023, but the star’s good friends Jon Stevens, Daryl Braithwaite, and Diesel have come together to fill his spot on the roster.

Barnes’ devastating cancellations come as the veteran entertainer is promoting his first-ever Christmas album, Blue Christmas, saying the album will have an Australian twist on the Christmas classics we all know and love.

The ‘Blue Christmas’ vinyl has arrived and lucky I had Dylan and Rosie to help me get them all signed.

You can pre-order your signed copy from https://t.co/BouPLof3W6 pic.twitter.com/F00kimnMIF

— Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) November 3, 2022

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the Scottish-born rock star said the cover art for the album was specifically chosen to represent an Aussie Christmas.

“I love the Elvis song obviously but the reason I called the record Blue Christmas is because we’re not surrounded by snow in Australia, it’s normally blue skies and sea,” Barnes said.

“And you don’t get more Australian than a V8 Monaro. I had the license plate flown in; it’s the serial number for Elvis’s Blue Christmas.”