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Keith Richards surfaces in the wake of 2026 tour cancellation

Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones performs during the final night of the Hackney Diamonds '24 Tour at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena on July 21, 2024 in Ridgedale, Missouri. (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)

Just a few days after the heartbreaking reports that The Rolling Stones have shelved their plans for a 2026 tour because of Keith Richards’ health concerns, the man himself is speaking out. “Keef” took to Instagram this week to break his silence...kinda...and while he didn’t explicitly mention the cancelled tour dates, he did offer a rare video message to the fans.

Sporting a bright yellow beanie and a silky orange jacket (because of course he owns a silky orange jacket), the 82-year-old legend looked to be in high spirits. He sat in front of a colorful Christmas tree and offered a classic Keef greeting:

Here we go again, another one...and I do bless you all and wish you all the best...you know...for the holidays.

—  Keith Richards via Instagram

The most interesting part? He signed off by saying, “I hope to see you here in the next one, you know, keep going. Bless you all. One love.” It wasn’t exactly a promise of a future concert, but it wasn’t a retirement speech either.

Reports from Variety and The Sun suggested the 2026 tour was called off because Keith didn’t feel he could commit to being on the road for four months straight. Honestly, at 82, he’s earned the right to hang out on his couch for a hot minute. We might not be getting a stadium show this year, but it is just good to see him smiling and “keeping going.”

Aaron Schachter

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