D’Angelo Cancels Performance at Bill Withers Tribute Show

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D'Angelo canceled his upcoming performance at the Bill Withers tribute concert at Carnegie Hall because of unspecified "doctor's orders."Credit Zackary Canepari for The New York Times

When a tribute to Bill Withers takes over Carnegie Hall on Thursday, it will go on without one of its star attractions, the R&B singer D’Angelo.

According to a statement released Wednesday from RCA Records, D’Angelo’s label, he has withdrawn “following doctor’s orders,” although neither the label nor a statement from D’Angelo’s doctor, Ronald Primas, specified the problem. Dr. Primas, referring to D’Angelo by his given name, Michael Archer, said he had treated him on Tuesday and advised him “to refrain from any strenuous activity for the next two weeks.”

RCA said that D’Angelo was “disappointed at missing an opportunity to pay homage to Mr. Withers, who he considers ‘a true legend and inspiration to me and my entire generation of artists.’”

In a statement, Mr. Withers said: “Aw man, hope D’Angelo recovers quickly from whatever malady has befallen on him. I will miss his version of ‘Use Me.’ I was so looking forward to seeing him throw down with the super band that Greg Phillinganes put together for this event. Come on, D’Angelo! Get well, buddy!”

The concert, which will recreate Mr. Withers’s 1973 album “Live at Carnegie Hall” and include other material from Mr. Withers’s career, will also feature Ed Sheeran, Michael McDonald, Branford Marsalis, Amos Lee, Gregory Porter, Kathy Mattea, Dr. John, Valerie Simpson and Mr. Withers’s daughter, Kori.

According to RCA, D’Angelo has also withdrawn from performing at the Afropunk festival in Atlanta on Sunday.