The Indigo Girls have experienced an unexpected setback to their tour after their "beloved" tour bus driver died in a highway crash.
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, who are currently performing North American shows with special guest Linda Perry, announced in an Oct. 9 social media post that they are "devastated by the sudden loss of our beloved bus driver, Kirk, in a fatal collision early this morning." As a result, their Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, concert was canceled "out of respect for Kirk's memory and in light of the grief and logistical challenges we are currently facing."
The Grammy-winning "Closer To Fine" musicians described Kirk as "an integral part of our life on the road" who "shepherded us safely across thousands of miles, through
every season and all kinds of weather."
"He was a joyful constant in our lives, and we will miss him dearly," they said.
A motor coach struck an unoccupied tractor-trailer that had broken down on Interstate 20 in a fatal crash that happened around 6 a.m. on Oct. 9, WLTX News19 reported, citing the South Carolina Highway Patrol. The coach driver was reportedly the only person involved in the crash, which is under investigation.
USA TODAY reached out to the SCHP for comment.
Indigo Girls postpone concert, vow to return 'as soon as we are ready'
The folk-rock singers' Oct. 11 performance in Wilmington, North Carolina, has been rescheduled. Plans for their upcoming shows in Ponte Vedra, Florida, (Oct. 13), and Sugar Land, Texas (Oct. 15), will be shared at a later date.
"We do not make these decisions lightly and understand the inconvenience this may cause. The tour will resume as soon as we are ready and able," the duo's statement said. "For now, we ask that you take a moment to say a prayer or send your love to Kirk, who helped bring Indigo Girls' music to you every night on tour."
The Indigo Girls' fall tour has been beset with postponements due to health issues in recent weeks. Saliers was "battling the flu" at the end of September, causing the activists and singers to reschedule shows in Memphis, their hometown of Atlanta, and Raleigh, North Carolina.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Indigo Girls cancel show after tour bus driver dies in highway crash
