“I cannot play guitar… it feels like I’m wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play”: Rockabilly legend Brian Setzer reveals he’s unable to play after shocking health news
Brian Setzer, the rockabilly legend behind the Stray Cats, reveals that an autoimmune disease has stripped him of the ability to play guitar.
In a candid post on his Instagram account, Setzer shared that he first noticed cramping in his hands during the final stretch of the band’s 2024 US tour. What began as a simple discomfort soon escalated, leaving him unable to tie his shoes or hold his guitar.
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“I just wanted to check in with you all. Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my hands were cramping up,” the guitarist explains. “I’ve since discovered that I have an autoimmune disease. I cannot play guitar. There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play.”
Though the news is understandably heartbreaking, Setzer remains optimistic: “I have seen some progress in that I can hold a pen and tie my shoes,” he writes.
“I know this sounds ridiculous, but I was at a point where I couldn’t even do that. Luckily, I have the best hospital in the world down the block from me. It’s called the Mayo Clinic. I know I will beat this, it will just take some time.”
Setzer formed the Stray Cats in 1979, alongside double bassist Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom. The trio from Long Island brought rockabilly back into the mainstream, mixing it with elements of punk rock and attracting a new generation of fans. Though the group broke up in 1984, they reunited occasionally and have been active again since 2019.
The band’s latest album, 40, was released in 2019. It is their first studio record in 26 years since 1993’s Original Cool.
Hi everybody, I just wanted to check in with you all. Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my…
Posted by Brian Setzer on Thursday, February 13, 2025
The post “I cannot play guitar… it feels like I’m wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play”: Rockabilly legend Brian Setzer reveals he’s unable to play after shocking health news appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
