Sharon Jones, Cancer: Soul Singer Postpones 2013 Dap-Kings Album and Tour Dates Due to Diagnosis

Sharon Jones has canceled all of her summer concert dates and pushed back indefinitely the release of her sixth album, Give the People What They Want, which was to have come out on August 6, 2013, due to her recent cancer diagnosis. The 57-year-old soul singer recently rose to acclaimed fame along with her backing band The Dap-Kings, leading somewhat of a funk/soul revival for a new generation of listeners. Jones is set to undergo surgery in order to get rid of the cancer.

On the band's website, Jones addressed the situation with a personal message to her 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!"

The announcement, which was made on Monday, also stated the reasons why the album and the tour dates were canceled/postponed:

"It is expected that the immediate proposed surgical solution will lead to a full recovery, but because of its invasive and complex nature, will necessitate a rather lengthy convalescence."