Cat Stevens, born Yusuf Islam and the name he currently goes by, has announced his first tour in more than three decades – the Peace Train tour will make a number of North America stops, including Massey Hall in Toronto.
The musician, who rose to popularity in the 60s and 70s, left the spotlight to convert and pursue his study of Islam. He released 11 studio album as Cat Stevens, going on to release two more as Islam, with a third, Tell ‘Em I’m Gone, coming out next month. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, however Islam hasn’t been on tour since 1976.
“I’ve been a bit slow in coming around to the United States, but there were so many people asking me to do that, that I just felt an obligation,” he told The Associated Press during an interview from his current home in Dubai. He went on to say this about his hiatus from music and the outreach of fans asking him to return to the stage: “That’s something I ran away from a long time ago… But that’s not to say the music business is the same as making music. When I finally reconciled my questions about the issue – where it should be in my life – by that time, I had something to say. I wouldn’t be writing songs if I didn’t have something to say.”
Islam will play in Toronto on December 1st and will then appear in Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
Photo: Sakura/WENN.com
