Joe Perry is a loyal band mate who's apparently been playing on a bum knee.
The Aerosmith guitarist has been forced to cancel an upcoming solo show so that he can recuperate from years-in-the-making surgery, according to rep Marcee Rondan.
"For the past two years, Joe Perry has put off much-needed knee surgery so that he could fulfill Aerosmith's live commitments and perform for fans," read a statement released Monday. "During this time, the condition of his knee worsened and the pain became chronic.
"His knee finally gave out on him [a week ago] after completing two shows with TAB the Band [featuring sons Adrian and Tony]. Joe was subsequently seen by his orthopedic surgeon, who has scheduled Joe for surgery Tuesday, March 18. Because of the necessary recovery time, Joe has had to cancel an upcoming solo show."
A gig scheduled for Apr. 5 at the Seneca Allegany Events Center in upstate New York had to be sacrificed.
"He wants to apologize to fans who’ve been inconvenienced and thanks them for their longtime support," Rondan stated. "If there’s one thing Joe Perry doesn’t like, it’s missing a show."
The 57-year-old musician and songwriter has been Steven Tyler's right-hand man for nearly 38 years. Aerosmith, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, continues to tour. The band's most recent album was 2004's cover-heavy Honkin' on Bobo.
Perry released his first solo album, a self-titled effort recorded at his home studio in Boston, in May 2005 scoring a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental for the track "Mercy."
In addition to the occasional concert, his other solo pursuits in recent years have included the launch of his own line of Rock Your World hot sauces and various TV appearances, including a duet with Sanjaya on last year's American Idol finale and a more enjoyable performance with Joss Stone and Tom Jones at the memorial Concert for Diana.