Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings have postponed their upcoming tourdates and their impending release following lead singer Sharon Jones' recent cancer diagnosis. Sharon Jones has been diagnosed with stage 1 bile duct cancer and will be taking a hiatus to undergo treatment for the disease, which affects the liver, gallbladder and small intestine. Though her illness was discovered early and is expected to be cured, the nature of the disease will require Sharon Jones to be away from the band for a relatively lengthy period of time. Sharon Jones has issued a statement on her health in a message to fans:
"Over the last few weeks I haven't felt good and I didn't know what was going on. We sadly had to cancel shows while I went through a series of tests and short hospital stays. We just found out that I have a stage-one tumor on my bile duct. Luckily we caught it really early and fast and the doctors say it's operable and curable! I will be having surgery very soon and will have to rest and recover. I'll be staying in touch and keeping my fans and friends updated on my progress. I'm looking forward to getting back on the road to give the people what they want!"-Sharon Jones
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings' forthcoming LP Give The People What They Want will not be released on August 6th, but the band promises to be back soon with a new release date and tour schedule. Sharon Jones is reportedly anxious to get back on her feet and Dap-Kings fans everywhere are probably just as invested in seeing the fiery front woman make a full recovery.
