Southside Johnny retires from touring; New Year’s show cancelled

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SOUTH SIDE JOHNNY LYON

After half a century of being one of the leading figures on the New Jersey rock scene, Southside Johnny Lyon has announced that he is retiring from touring, citing health reasons.

A message on Facebook, posted by The Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank (where Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes were scheduled to perform on Christmas Eve), reads:

After a hugely successful 50-year run with his band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, touring non-stop across the US and abroad, ‘Southside Johnny’ Lyon has made the decision to retire from touring to deal with ongoing health issues.

Our New Year’s Eve show at the Count Basie Center is unfortunately cancelled. Tickets will be refunded via original points of purchase.

Johnny Lyon and the Asbury Jukes are an integral part of the history of the Basie Center and the history of music here at the Jersey Shore. 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 he and his bandmates created on our stages.

We love you, Johnny!

The band also had some shows planned for March and April.

No further details are known at this time.

Southside Johnny turned 76 on December 4th. On December 14, he left the stage after just a handful of songs at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, and The Asbury Jukes finished the rest of the sold-out show without him.

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes formed in 1975 and released their first album, I don’t want to go homein 1976.