Joe Walsh Cancels Veterans’ Benefit Concert, Citing ‘Circumstances Beyond Organizers’ Control’

Joe Walsh‘s upcoming VetsAid benefit concert at Belmont Park’s UBS Arena has been canceled, Walsh announced on Friday, citing “circumstances beyond organizers’ control.” While the concert won’t take place, VetsAid — the non-profit that Walsh founded in 2017 — will still be dispersing $400,000 in grants, Walsh said.

“The wellbeing of our veterans and their families remains my foremost concern and the primary mission of VetsAid,” Walsh shared in a statement on Friday. “While I am disappointed in the cancellation of this year’s event and apologize for any inconvenience to our fans, I am thrilled to share that VetsAid will provide $400,000 in grants to these fine organizations who will focus these funds on the ground in New York and New Jersey to veterans who have sacrificed so much and asked for so little in return.“

Those who purchased tickets will get instructions from Ticketmaster about refunds.

VetsAid was originally slated to take place on Nov. 11, with performances from Walsh as well as Post Malone, Eric Church, Toto, and Kool & The Gang. It would have been the eighth annual VetsAid concert, with Ringo Starr, Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crow, and James Taylor among the artists who have performed at the concerts in the past.

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Walsh, whose father served and died in the military, told Rolling Stone earlier this week that he started the non-profit to give more resources to veterans who he says aren’t currently getting enough support.

“I just firmly feel that they don’t get enough help after they put themselves in harm’s way,” Walsh said. “And I wanted to make a difference in that. I mean, a homeless veteran drives me nuts. That’s why I decided that this was a place where I could make a difference.”