News

Ron Wood's Brother Dies of Cancer

Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood is flying back to England from America after learning that his older brother, Art, has died of cancer. Sources close to the band say Ron is "devastated," but he is expected to rejoin the band when they resume touring later this week.

Art Wood, 69, was a strong influence on his little brother Ron, encouraging him to learn guitar and eventually introducing the younger Wood to his first band, The Faces, with whom Art himself briefly played. More recently, Art worked as a successful commercial artist. He was diagnosed with cancer six months ago.

The death of Ron's brother is the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the Stones' Bigger Bang tour, leading some observers to refer to the tour as jinxed. The problems began with Keith Richards' now infamous headfirst fall from a coconut tree and continued when Ron Wood briefly checked himself into drug and alcohol rehab. Since then, Mick Jagger has lost his voice twice, forcing the band to reschedule dates in both Europe and the U.S.. And just last weekend, Jagger's father Joe, 95, was hospitalized after a fall with two broken ribs and a punctured lung.

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
11.07.06