Crooner Andy Williams has admitted he is suffering from bladder cancer, making the announcement from the stage on Saturday – but the Moon River singer has sworn to "get through this thing", returning for more gigs next autumn.
The 83-year-old was the surprise guest at his own show on Saturday, at the Moon River theatre in Branson, Missouri. Williams hadn't performed for months, cancelling a series of gigs due to an unspecified illness, and organisers had warned that he "might not" perform at the annual Andy Williams Christmas Show. When he appeared, he was met with a standing ovation.
"I do have cancer of the bladder," Williams told the crowd. "[But] people with cancer are ... kicking it, and they're winning more and more every year. And I'm going to be one of them." He then performed Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, promising to celebrate his singing career's 75th anniversary next year. "I really have missed this an awful lot," he said.
Williams is reportedly undergoing chemotherapy treatment and is considering moving to Malibu, where he will be closer to "top-flight cancer treatment".
Famous for his versions of Music to Watch Girls By and Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Williams was also an Emmy-winning variety show host. Besides 18 hit singles at home in the US, the singer has seen considerable success in the UK, racking up 14 top-25 singles including two hit reissues in the past 15 years.
