Minnesota rocker Brian Setzer sidelined by autoimmune disease: ‘I can’t play guitar’

After becoming one of the Twin Cities’ most high-profile rockers when he moved here 20 years ago, Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats is now turning to one of Minnesota’s best-known institutions to get him back on the road: Rochester’s Mayo Clinic.

The Grammy-winning rockabilly revivalist of “Rock This Town” fame revealed in social media posts this week that he has been under treatment at Mayo for an autoimmune disease, which causes his hands to cramp up bad enough to sideline him from performing.

“I cannot play guitar,” Setzer, 65, wrote. “There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play.”

He did not further specify the disease or treatment. The condition began bothering him while touring with the reformed Stray Cats last year.

“Luckily, I have the best hospital in the world down the block from me,” the singer/guitarist added. “It’s called the Mayo Clinic. I know I will beat this, it will just take some time.”

Setzer had just returned to the road with the Stray Cats last year after battling tinnitus for several years, which forced him to cancel his popular Brian Setzer Orchestra holiday tour in 2019 ahead of the pandemic.

During his downtime, Setzer released a couple well-received solo albums recorded at the Terrarium in his adopted hometown of Minneapolis. He relocated to the Twin Cities from California in 2005 after marrying a Minnesotan, Julie Reiten.

Here’s the full transcription of Setzer’s post:

“Hi everybody,

I just wanted to check in with you all. Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my hands were cramping up. I’ve since discovered that I have an auto-immune disease. I cannot play guitar. There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play. I have seen some progress in that I can hold a pen and tie my shoes. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I was at a point where I couldn’t even do that. Luckily, I have the best hospital in the world down the block from me. It’s called the Mayo Clinic. I know I will beat this, it will just take some time.

I love you all,

Brian"