Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer's autoimmune disease has left him unable to play guitar

Fox News

17-02-2025

Brian Setzer, the guitarist and singer for the Stray Cats and the Brian Setzer Orchestra, has revealed he has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
In a recent post to Instagram, Setzer shared close-up pictures of his hands playing guitar, explaining, "Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my hands were cramping up. I've since discovered that I have an auto-immune disease. I cannot play guitar."
He continued, "There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play. I have seen some progress in that I can hold a pen and tie my shoes. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I was at a point where I couldn't even do that."
Setzer thanked the Mayo Clinic for working with him on treatment, writing, "Luckily, I have the best hospital in the world down the block from me."
"I know I will beat this, it will just take some time. I love you all," he concluded.
Fox News Digital reached out to Setzer for comment.
Setzer, 65, rose to fame in the 1980s with his band, The Stray Cats, playing 1950s-inspired rockabilly.
Their debut album, "Stray Cats," featured two hit singles, "Stray Cat Strut" and "Rock This Town."
After the group disbanded in 1984, Setzer went solo and later formed the Brian Setzer Orchestra in the 1990s, a 17-piece big band ensemble.
The group scored a hit with a cover of "Jump, Jive an' Wail," winning a Grammy for best pop performance by a duo or group. The song "Sleep Walk," from the same album, "The Dirty Boogie," also won a Grammy for best pop instrumental performance.
His music has also been featured in the film "Elf," with a swing-inspired version of "The Nutcracker Suite," performed by the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Setzer has regularly toured over the years, completing a run of shows last summer, and last released a solo album in 2023, "The Devil Always Collects."