The Peace Train has derailed. Yusuf/Cat Stevens announced today that his scheduled upcoming North American tour has been postponed due to visa issues, and says future dates will be “some time away.”
“Sadly, my Cat on the Road to Findout Book Tour in the U.S. looks like it won’t go ahead as scheduled in October,” the singer/author said in a statement on Instagram.
“Waiting months for visa approvals, we held out as long as we could. However, at this point, the production logistics necessary for my show cannot be arranged in time.
“I am really upset! Not least for my fans who have bought tickets and made travel plans to see me perform.
“North American audiences may still get a chance to see the tour if visa approvals eventually come through. Those dates would be some time away because of other travel tour plans but, hopefully, fans will be able to hop on the Peace Train route at some time in the future.”
He added that “tour delays should not affect the book, which you’ll still be able to enjoy… the obvious benefit of it being — books don’t need visas!
Stevens did not say specifically what the visa issues involve.
The tour, announced in May, was scheduled to kick off Oct. 2 in Philadelphia and conclude Oct. 21 in Los Angeles. His new memoir, Cat on the Road to Findout, is set to be published Oct. 7. In the tour, Cat On The Road To Findout—An Evening Of Tales, Tunes, And Other Mysteries, Stevens planned to host in-depth conversations about his new memoir, which chronicles his evolution from chart-topping pop star to spiritual seeker, according to his website. The evening would also feature select acoustic performances of of his songs.