Widespread Panic Cancel Tour Dates After Jimmy Herring’s Tonsil Cancer Diagnosis ArticlePure

Widespread Panic is pressing pause on their tour.

On Monday, July 22, the rock band announced that they were “sad to report” lead guitarist Jimmy Herring has been diagnosed with Stage 1 tonsil cancer. As a result, they’ve canceled their upcoming shows in Asheville, North Carolina — which were scheduled for July 25-27 — and are expected to make changes to the remainder of their tour schedule while Herring recovers.

“He will begin treatment immediately and is expected to make a full recovery. That part we’re happy to report,” Widespread Panic shared in an Instagram post, adding that they “will have a clearer picture of our future concert schedule in the next few days.”

According to the band, ticketholders for the Asheville concerts will automatically receive refunds, but it’s unclear if or when those shows will be rescheduled.

In the meantime, Widespread Panic thanks “everyone for their concern and Blessings as Jimmy and his Family go through this healing process,” the band concluded in their announcement. “Let the Healing begin.”

Herring, 62, has been an official member of Widespread Panic since joining the band in 2006, following the death of guitarist Mike Houser. The North Carolina native made his debut with the group at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall that fall. 

According to Herring’s website, he’s been playing the guitar for nearly 40 years, first emerging onto the national music scene as a founding member of jazz fusion band Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit in the late 1980s. The veteran musician has played with several other bands, too, including Frogwings, Jazz Is Dead and The Other Ones — a project comprised of former Grateful Dead band members. 

Over the course of his career, Herring has only released two studio albums under his own name but has been featured on more than 20 records, his bio states.

Up until recently, he’s remained busy with Widespread Panic during the band’s 2024 run of shows across North America. After their trio of concerts scheduled in North Carolina, the group was slated to next play in Boston Aug. 22-24 followed by performances in Las Vegas in late September.