US rock band cancel UK tour as vocalist suffers ‘medical emergency'
The group issued the shock statement on Instagram, uploading an image of their colourful tour poster with the word 'cancelled' emblazoned in yellow text over the top.
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In their caption, The Georgia Thunderbolts wrote they had made their decision with "heavy hearts."
The Stand Up hitmakers put: "Good day friends and fans of The Georgia Thunderbolts.
"It is with heavy hearts we have to announce the cancellation of our first ever UK tour.
"We have had our sights set on touring the UK since our band's infancy.
"We were so looking forward to playing your stages and making new friends that we could share our live music with."
The Take It Slow singers were due to kick off their tour in Newcastle on July 12, wrapping up in Maidstone on July 19.
In between, they were set to play sets in Wakefield, Bilston, Southampton and London.
Yet in their post they explained how vocalist TJ had suffered a stroke.
They added: "On Thursday, June 19th, while operating heavy construction equipment for his father, our lead singer, T.J. Lyle, suffered a mild stroke.
"T.J. is recovering the best, but his medical team feels he should rest up a bit, not get too hot and avoid flying for a while.
"A huge thank you to all for prayers and everyone pulling for T.J.
We promise we will be coming to your shores soon.
"Full Steam Ahead…Damn the Torpedoes!! The Georgia Thunderbolts."
The Georgia-founded band's loyal fans were hugely understanding, and one took to the comments section to write: "Health first always."
A second put: "All the best, T.J."
What are the symptoms of stroke?
The FAST method – which stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time – is the easiest way to remember the most common symptoms of stroke:
F = Face drooping - if one side of a person's face is dropped or numb then ask them to smile, if it's uneven then you should seek help.
A = Arm weakness - if one arm is weak or numb then you should ask the person to raise both arms. If one arm drifts downwards then you might need to get help
S = Speech difficulty - if a person's speech is slurred then this could be a sign of a stroke
T = Time to call 999 - if a person has the signs above then you need to call 999 in the UK or 911 in the US for emergency care.
Other symptoms include:
sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
difficulty finding words
sudden blurred vision or loss of sight
sudden confusion, dizziness or unsteadiness
a sudden and severe headache
difficulty understanding what others are saying
difficulty swallowing
A third mused: "Get well soon TJ! You are in our thoughts and prayers!"
One then added: "TJ's health is the most important. I'll be there for your next UK tour. Love you TJ. Big hugs from Paris to all of you GTB."
It came after the group pulled out of their scheduled gig at The Hub in Bremen, Georgia, due to the medical issue - but did not at the time state what it was.
They first announced their UK tour last month.
In an excited Instagram post the group, which formed in 2015 but did not release their debut album Can We Get A Witness until 2021, wrote: "The time has come!! We are excited to announce we're headed to the UK this summer!!
"Mark your calendars and get those tickets…on sale now in bio…"
"We can't wait to meet you all!! Let's Rock!!!"
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They've taken it out because of some ill-conceived notion that someone might be upset by its presence. That's not a good enough reason for me.' Graham added: 'This is not about taking one side or the other on the trans debate. It's about the principles of open debate and free speech, which to the national library should be sacrosanct. 'It isn't too late to redeem the situation. But if there is not a change of heart, I feel I will have no choice but to publicly dissociate myself from the exhibition and the campaign that surrounds it. 'This stupid escapade does not undo the very good work the library does, but it should never have happened. 'I couldn't say definitely that I will not donate any more money if they stick to their guns on this, but it has certainly given me pause for thought. That makes me incredibly sad.' 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