Southside Johnny has announced his immediate retirement from touring, citing unspecified health issues.
According to NJArts, Southside Johnny left the stage after performing just a few songs at the band’s most recent show, Dec. 14 at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. His longtime backing band the Asbury Jukes finished the show without him.
The 76 year-old singer, considered the “grandfather of the New Jersey sound,” was scheduled to perform at the Count Basie Center in Red Bank, New Jersey on New Year’s Eve. That performance and a handful of previously announced 2025 dates have all been cancelled.
“After a hugely successful 50-year run with his band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, touring non-stop throughout the U.S and overseas, ‘Southside Johnny’ Lyon has made the decision to retire from touring in order to manage ongoing health issues,” read the statement on his Facebook page.
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“Johnny Lyon and the Asbury Jukes are an integral part of the Basie Center’s history and the history of music here at the Jersey Shore,” read a tribute from the Basie Center’s Facebook page. “While we’re sad we won’t be seeing them this New Year’s Eve, everyone at the Count Basie Center is forever grateful for the hundreds of moments that he and his bandmates have created on our stages. We love you, Johnny!”
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