Beach Boys frontman Mike Love is “facing serious health challenges,” longtime friend John Stamos revealed Sunday in a lengthy post on social media as he prepared to join the band for a Sunday concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
“We hope he’ll be doing what he loves for years to come, but we don’t know what the future holds,” Stamos said of Love, who he called in part his “father figure, musical hero and mentor” and admitted he was “struggling to put [his] feelings into words.”
“Mike is a fighter. Despite doctors, family and friends urging him to focus on his health, he insists on being on stage,” Stamos added on Instagram. “He says he needs his band, the audience, his friends and drummer surrounding him to lift him up. I’ve played with Mike for 41 years. I never imagined how deeply it would affect me to see someone larger than life face something so human and fragile.”
He tried to prepare fans, who had expressed concerns after seeing Love look weaker during a Cincinnati, Ohio show on Saturday, for the Nashville performance: “The Mike Love we see tonight may not be exactly the Mike we’ve always known. But he’s still every bit the Mike we love. His lyrics, optimism, unforgettable hooks and more than 7,000 concerts have brought joy to generations. What he’s given me personally is immeasurable.”
Stamos went on to talk about what Love had meant to him personally, as a friend, musician and entertainer and reflected on their 41-year bond. And he said he wanted to be “completely present” for his performance with Love and the band in Nashville. Stamos elaborated further in a longer post on Facebook.
The previous night, in Cincinnati, the Beach Boys‘ first show since July, apart from a private performance in Dana Point, California, Love appeared somewhat frail, according to a fan video. Stamos walked him to a chair at the beginning of the show where he remained seated for the performance, barely moving apart from a few hand gestures, before triumphantly being helped to stand, to the Rocky theme.
The group had canceled some dates before the Cincinnati concert amid Love’s health concerns.
Stamos addressed the crowd prior to the Cincinnati show, saying, according to a fan video, that while Love was there, he has “been going through some health issues.”
“He’s had to cancel some shows. But he would not miss tonight. We sort of said ‘stay home,’ but he was like, ‘No, I’m going to Cincinnati,'” Stamos said. “It’s what he loves the most. He loves the audience. He loves the music. He knows how important it is to all of you. We’re all here to support him and give him as much love as we can. So ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Beach Boys.”
Onstage in Nashville, according to reports, Love briefly mentioned that he had “been going through health challenges, but I had to make it to the Ryman.”
The Beach Boys’ next show is set for Nov. 11 at Disney World, followed by a Bristol, Virginia show on Nov. 13.