Vocal woes silence show

'I am extremely sad to announce that we have to cancel our performance. We will make it up to you, I promise.'

- Simple Plan, August 12

It's common for singers to use voice problems as a reason, or an excuse, to end a show early, call off a meet-and-greet or even cancel a tour. (Although it's funny you never hear drummers complaining about back pain, do you?)

Only last week, Canadian rock band Simple Plan announced that they were cancelling their gig in Hong Kong (and a couple of others in Asia) as their lead singer, Pierre Bouvier, was prescribed two weeks of vocal rest to prevent permanent damage to his voice.

Bouvier's case is not unheard of. Other singers, of all genres of music, have had vocal problems before due to busy tour schedules. What do vocalists Hayley Williams, Whitney Houston, Chester Bennington and Julie Andrews have in common? They've all had their fair share of laryngitis/ pharyngitis/ I-have-to-cancel-a-few-shows-igitis.

Cancelling shows can be potentially devastating to a band, their recording label and their fan base - after all, no artist wants to disappoint their fans. But while you or I may be relaxed about having a sore throat, for professional musicians it's a serious matter: the voice is the tool of their trade, their craft, their ... everything. Voices are insured by record labels.