Tragically Hip Singer Diagnosed With Terminal Brain Cancer

Gord Downie of rock band The Tragically Hip, has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, the band announced on Facebook Tuesday.

The band announced their plan to perform a series of concerts they are calling the “final tour.” Downie is slated to sing.

“[H]e’s endured a lot of difficult times, and he has been fighting hard. In privacy along with his family, and through all of this, we’ve been standing by him,” the band wrote. “This feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us,” they wrote. “What we in the Hip receive, each time we play together, is a connection; with each other; with music and it’s magic; and during the shows, a special connection with all of you, our incredible fans. So, we’re going to dig deep, and try to make this our best tour yet.” h/t latimes

The band said it would announce dates and cities later this week. The group, which formed in 1984, has had nine No. 1 albums in Canada and won 14 Juno awards, their equivalent of the Grammys.