Support pours in as Elvis Costello recovers from cancer surgery

by Mike Usinger on July 10th, 2018 at 12:45 PM

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Social media tributes are pouring in to Elvis Costello, who released a note to fans on his website last week announcing that he was battling cancer, but the prospects looked promising.

Despite fears that he had cancelled the rest of his European tour last week due to aggressive cancer, Costello is saying he's succeeding in the battle.

Apologizing to his fans, the musician, who lives part-time in Vancouver with his Nanaimo-born wife, jazz star Diana Krall, said:

Six weeks ago my specialist called me and said, 'You should start playing the Lotto'. He had rarely, if ever, seen such a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy that could be defeated by a single surgery.
"I was elated and relieved that our European summer tour could go ahead.
"Post-surgical guidelines for such surgery, recommend three weeks to four weeks recovery depending on whether you are returning to a desk job or an occupation that involves physical work or travel.

The man born Declan McManus goes on to say he was overly optimistic, and that the rigors of playing 90-minute-to-two-hour-plus shows each night was starting to take a toll on his health and he had to stop to fully recover from his surgery.

Costello did give fans some positive news:

"To leave you with some more optimistic news, The Imposters and I - together with several of our other friends - have made a magnificent new record of which we are truly proud. It will be issued in October, I believe. We will return at the soonest opportunity to play that music and your favourite songs that still make sense to us all."

Though he didn't reveal the kind of cancer he had, he hinted in his statement that it was a "men's" cancer

"Take very good care of your loved ones but Gentleman, do talk to you friends - you'll find you are not alone - seek your doctor's advice if you are in doubt or when it is timely and act as swiftly as you may in these matters. It may save your life. Believe me, it is better than playing roulette."

Costello married Krall in 2003, and had twin sons, Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James, with her in 2006 in New York City.

Here are some of the tweets that have been pouring out, including one from singer Billy Bragg: