Just over two months ago, Dallas singer-songwriter Joshua Ray Walker sat inside the Kessler Theater and delivered some grim news to those gathered for the latest installment of his monthly residency.
“I’ve been dealing with my own battle of cancer, and I need to give y’all an update. … I got all of my follow-up tests done, and the news isn’t what we’d hoped. I’m going to keep doing what the doctors tell me,” Walker told the room in September. “The cancer has moved into my lungs; I’ll be getting a biopsy next week, and probably starting radiation treatment soon.”
He launched a GoFundMe campaign the following morning, with the intention of helping defray his medical bills and help him cover living expenses while undergoing treatment and being unable to perform.
Walker will again take the Kessler Theater stage on Nov. 27, although circumstances have radically changed since the last time he performed there.
In an Oct. 25 social media post, Walker shared a startling update: He was cancer free.
His initial pre-surgery diagnosis, it turned out, was incorrect, and additional scans revealed Walker to have no “discernible amount of cancer anywhere in [his] body.”
“I’ve beat the odds and to everyone’s complete surprise, my lungs are cancer free,” he wrote. “As far as my doctors can tell, there is no discernible amount of cancer anywhere in my body at the moment. I am ecstatic, and I couldn’t have done it without y’all’s love and support.”
Walker is part of the fifth annual Friendsgiving concert, an event which feature a headlining performance by beloved country-punk collective Vandoliers, as well as John Pedigo (celebrating his birthday Wednesday), who has teased a new band debuting at the showcase.
The 5th annual Friendsgiving at Kessler Theater, Dallas. 8 p.m. Nov. 27. Tickets are $26.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
