Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, 74, has entered rehab after relapsing on pain pills following foot surgery, forcing the group to cancel its Park MGM residency concerts scheduled for June-July in Las Vegas.
Steven Tyler enters rehab
Steven Tyler, singer of the legendary rock group Aerosmith, has voluntarily checked entered a treatment program to “concentrate on his health and recovery.” This comes after a relapse spurred on by foot surgery and its subsequent pain management, as an official statement released by the group on Tuesday said.
“As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years,” the statement posted by Aerosmith on Instagram read. “After foot, surgery to prepare for the stage and the necessity of pain management during the process, he has recently relapsed and voluntarily entered a treatment program to concentrate on his health and recovery.”
Aerosmith cancels summer Vegas concerts, expects to return in early fall
Aerosmith was scheduled to perform a series of dates beginning in June at Park MGM, where the group held a series of summer residency concerts. The group has been forced to hit the pause button to allow Tyler to focus on his “health and recovery.”
Aerosmith also apologized to fans, TMZ reported.
“We are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows.”
However, the group said it remains hopeful they’ll be able to return to the stage during the second leg of shows which are scheduled to kick off in September.
History of substance abuse battles for Tyler
Tyler, 74, has been open about his long battle to balance sobriety within the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle that surrounds the world of music. Not only has the singer had his own battle, but substance abuse has been a challenge for other members of Aerosmith.
Drug addictions, as well as internal conflict, led to the departure of guitarists Steve Perry in 1979 and Brad Whitford in 1981.
In one of the most publicized struggles, Tyler’s bandmates and management staged an intervention in 1988, People reported.
Reenergized by sobriety, Tyler and Aerosmith released its tenth and arguably most successful album ever in 1989, Pump, with four singles reaching the top 40 and winning a Grammy for the song “Janie’s Got a Gun.” Pump has since been certified seven times platinum by 1995.
Tyler had another relapse in 2009, struggling with prescription painkiller abuse that had resulted from ten years of performance energies, which included “severe chronic pain” will require additional surgeries on his knees and feet, according to his orthopedic physician, CNN reported at the time.
