Cat Stevens has announced the cancellation of his 2020 tour, due to the threat posed by the Covid-19 virus. In a June 9 post on his Facebook post, the musician wrote, “I’m disappointed to be taking this step, however, it’s my responsibility to guarantee the safety of my brilliant band, crew, team, and of course you my loyal fans.”
Refunds are available at point of purchase. Stevens added, “I have every intention of touring in the near future, and am already working on the plans. I hope to be able to include many of the same cities at that time and am looking forward to being with you once again in more positive times.” That would likely be a 2021 tour.
Throughout the winter, the singer-songwriter had continued to add to his schedule, which he said were the first of “many more” to come. In a March 16 post indicating that the dates are “now on amber,” he indicated that North American and Australasian dates were to have been announced in March.
“Many people have already lost their lives to this terrible virus, and many more are expected to catch it,” he wrote in March. “I do not want to put fans, festival goers and the welfare of my tour crew at any risk.”
The dates were first revealed on Nov. 6, and includes dates in Ireland, the U.K. and numerous European countries. The tour was to be a celebration of the 50th anniversary of his Tea For the Tillerman album.
On May 28, Stevens announced a “reimagined” edition of his 1970 album, Tea For the Tillerman, with a new recording of the classic. Tea for the Tillerman² arrives on Sept. 18 via UMe, 50 years after the original, multi-platinum selling, era-defining album that made him a superstar.
Stevens hasn’t toured since his well-received “A Cat’s Attic: 50 Year Anniversary” acoustic tours of the U.S. and U.K. in 2016 and South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand of 2017. In 2019, he hired a new talent agency.
He turns 72 on July 21.
While Stevens earned early acclaim in his native England, it would be several more years before his skill as a songwriter developed and he began to achieve success elsewhere with such breakout 1970s singles as “Wild World,” “Moonshadow” and “Peace Train.”
Tea For the Tillerman, released on November 23, 1970, was Stevens’ fourth studio album. Although he had charted with earlier singles in other territories, the album’s “Wild World” became his first U.S. hit, paving the way for even more worldwide success.
Watch Stevens perform “Wild World” in 2015
Tillerman also includes “Father and Son” and “Where Do the Children Play?” Follow-up albums Teaser and the Firecat and Catch Bull at Four were huge sellers as well, the latter reaching #1 on the Billboard charts.
Cat Stevens 2020 Tour – Canceled (Tickets for future tours will be available here)
Jun 24 – Cork, Ireland – Live at the Marquee
Jun 28 – Paris, FR – Olympia
Jun 29 – Paris, FR – Olympia
Jul 04 – Lisbon, Portugal – Jardins do Marques
Jul 06 – Barcelona, Spain – Festival Jardin Pedralbes
Jul 16 – Stuttgart, Germany – Jazz Open (with Van Morrison)
Jul 18 – Lucca, IT – Piazza Napoleone
Jul 20 – Rome, IT – Teatro delle Terme di Caracalla
Jul 24 – Berlin, Germany – Citadel
Jul 26 – Hamburg, Germany – City Park
Jul 28 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Liseberg
Jul 30 – Trondheim, Norway – Olavsfest
Aug 02 – Cambridge, UK – Cambridge Folk Festival
Aug 05 – Glasgow, UK – Kelvingrove Park
Related: Our 2016 review of Stevens’ first NYC concert in 40 years
Stevens’ life and career went through a sudden and dramatic transformation at the end of 1977 when he converted to Islam, changing his name to Yusuf and leaving the music business. He continued to create music at times for the Muslim community but courted widespread controversy in 1989 by making comments that appeared to show him supporting a fatwa against author Salman Rushdie over the latter’s publication of a book seen as anti-Islam by some adherents of the religion.
Related: Listings for 100s of classic rock tours
Stevens, as Yusuf Islam, made a tentative return to secular music more than 10 years ago, dropping his surname from his album cover art. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Watch Stevens perform “Where Do the Children Play?” from Tea For the Tillerman in 1976
When Stevens made the seemingly shocking decision to abandon the rock star lifestyle and walk away, rather than leaving his legions of fans empty handed, he instead wrote his final album, Back to Earth, as a parting farewell, using tracks such as “Last Love Song” and “Just Another Night” to help explain his decision to depart. The album has been remastered for late 2019 release.
10 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationPraying he comes near NYC!
Will Cat Stevens return to the US. for concerts?
Thank you for the updates. Germany-Berlin nearly sold out. Lucky me, I‘m in.
Come to Los Angeles!!!!
My husband gave me this fabulous gift of seeing Cat Stevens in 2020 but I’m having a terrible time buying tickets in Rome and Norway since I don’t understand the language on the ticketing pages. Any advice?
Try using a translation app.
My parents divorced when I was 4 or 5 (1975 or 1976). My mom listened to Cat Stevens. My dad won custody of me in nasty smearing campaign against my mom.
I went through high school secretly listening to Tea for the Tillerman in my bedroom on headphones trying not to be caught. I was raised listening to only Christian label music and the exploration of finding our own way through life was not embraced in my household. This might be my “desert island album”. I would love nothing more than to see him perform in Charlotte, NC.
Please come back to Nz we love you
Reardon family
Please come to Vancouver sir
Dave Holyoak
Please come to the US. I’ve followed you since the early 70’s and you are on my list!!!