LA, Oct 17: Pop superstar Elton John has abruptly backed out of a charity concert he was to co-headline on Thursday with former Beach Boy Brian Wilson, citing unspecified personal reasons for the cancellation. The fifth annual benefit, called "An Evening with Friends of Brian Wilson," expects to raise about $500,000 for a foundation established in memory of Wilson's late brother and bandmate, Carl, who died of cancer in 1998.

The Carl Wilson Foundation funnels money to various cancer charities and a program that provides assistance to musicians struggling with drug addiction.
Sir Elton, 56, had been slated to share the bill with Brian Wilson, Sugar Ray, the fledgling band In Bloom (formed by Wilson's nephew Justyn) and two other Wilsons unrelated to the Beach Boys, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.

But the British rock icon informed concert organizers days ago that he would be unable to appear, said Jill Eisenstadt, a spokeswoman for the benefit. She said the show would go on as planned Thursday night at the University of California, Los Angeles, but no marquee act had been found to replace John.

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"It was a huge blow for us," she said. "We found out, for all intents and purposes, on Monday," adding that no specific reason was given by his representatives. "They said he pulled out with regrets, it was personal and if it wasn't important, he wouldn't have canceled."
John's publicist, Fran Curtis, confirmed that the performer canceled his performance, and a separate appearance slated for Thursday in Anaheim, California, due to "personal reasons."
She declined to elaborate but denied a Las Vegas Sun report that he had backed out because of throat problems and that a doctor had diagnosed the entertainer as having had a recurrence of throat polyps. The singer underwent surgery in 1987 to have polyps removed.

"It is nothing throat-oriented in any way, shape or form," Curtis said. "That's 100 percent not true."
Bureau Report