Natalie Cole to resume singing tour after surgery
Singer Natalie Cole performs at the First Ladies of Africa Health Summit gala in Beverly Hills, California April 21, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy-winner Natalie Cole on Tuesday said she will return to singing in September following a recent kidney transplant, and she set her first performance in the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Cole, the 59-year-old daughter of legendary singer Nat "King" Cole who revealed last year she suffered from Hepatitis C, underwent kidney transplant surgery in May.
In a statement, Cole thanked her fans for their support and said she was looking forward to getting back to work.
"My family and I want to express our extreme appreciation for the outpouring of kindness we have received from all over the country," Cole said.
She also noted the death of her sister on May 19, by saying that "in the midst of sorrow I am still able to celebrate my new lease on life. There is always a silver lining."
Cole will spend the rest of the summer recuperating before resuming concert appearances, beginning with the September 9 show at the Hollywood Bowl. She is rescheduling other dates she had postponed for her tour promoting the Grammy-winning album "Still Unforgettable."
Cole has won nine Grammys in her 30-year career, which has included "Unforgettable ... With Love," featuring a duet with her late father performed by using electronic technology.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that can cause inflammation of the liver and sometimes liver cancer.
(Reporting by Laura Isensee, editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
