Bruce Springsteen's fellow bandmate, Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band, has shared that The Boss is "all good" amid his battle with peptic ulcer disease.
The musician shared the update, saying that the band will "come back stronger than ever in March," while discussing Springsteen's diagnosis, which Van Zandt admitted was a surprise.
"I got to tell you the truth, we had no idea how much pain [Springsteen] was in," Van Zandt told USA Today at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Friday. "We were just as surprised as everyone else to learn the extent of his illness."
Springsteen and the E Street Band staged three concerts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and two at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts earlier this year, but they delayed their tour to allow the frontman time to recuperate until next year.
"It was remarkable when we found out that he had been in pain for five shows at least, he is just a tough guy," Van Zandt said.
The guitarist suggested that Springsteen's motivation to continue performing was likely influenced by the audience's energy.
"The adrenaline, I'm sure helps, and the enthusiasm of the audience helps. But many came to me after those shows (and said) they were the best shows they've ever seen," Van Zandt said.
In October, Springsteen opened up about his health during his SiriusXM E Street Radio show "From My Home to Yours."
Introducing himself as "your favorite rock star with a b***h of a bellyache," the rocker went on to apologize to fans for having to cancel shows.
"Let me take a moment and thank my fans affected by our postponed shows for their understanding," he said, according to the New York Post. "I am deeply sorry but this belly thing, despite my ability to laugh at it, has been a monster and is still, unfortunately, rocking my internal world."
Sixteen shows have been rescheduled for 2024, when Springsteen and his band perform all over North America from March through September, the Post reported.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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