Sharon Jones Cancer Diagnosis Halts Tour and Album Release

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have halted their tour and album plans following the singer's cancer diagnosis.

The 57-year-old Jones released a statement on the group's website explaining the unexpected reason for her not feeling well "over the last few weeks."

"I didn't know what was going on. We sadly had to cancel shows while I went through a series of tests and short hospital stays," she said. "We just found out that I have a stage-one tumor on my bile duct. Luckily we caught it really early and fast and the doctors say it's operable and curable!"

"I will be having surgery very soon and will have to rest and recover. I'll be staying in touch and keeping my fans and friends updated on my progress. I'm looking forward to getting back on the road to give the people what they want!"

Jones will have surgery immediately for her cancer of the bile-duct.

The group was preparing for the Aug. 6 release of their sixth album, "Give the People What They Want."

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have been together for more than a decade, according to the group's site. They have performed at a variety of television shows, festivals and award shows. The group has sold out the Apollo Theater in Harlem for two consecutive nights, reports SXSW.com, and opened for Prince during his 2011 run of concerts in New York City, Paris and Ghent, Belgium.

Though the band has been labeled as a retro-revival act that blends soul and funk music, Jones told the Baltimore Sun their sound goes beyond a musical trend.

"I'm not trying to be a pop singer," she said. "I think it comes naturally. I just open my mouth, and it comes out. When people tell me, 'You're retro,' I'm like, 'Huh?' There's nothing retro about me. I just feel it. That's what soul music is. It's all about feeling," she said.