I write this with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.

For two weeks I've been trying to write this. It's been difficult to come down to the realization of what is indeed happening, as well as bringing myself to tell everyone. I went to see my throat doc­tor two weeks ago, just for a regular visit before I head off to tour. A scope of my vocal cords revealed that gran­u­loma has been gradually growing. This is the worst possible news a singer can hear. Because of this, following the Spring 2012 theatre tour, I have no choice but to take an indef­i­nite break from performing live thereafter.

A gran­u­loma forms and con­tin­ues to grow because it is located at the spot where the vocal cords hit together and there's no way to give it a chance to heal with­out taking a long stretch of time and some pretty inten­sive treat­ment. This is the first time I've run into such a problem in my career, so I just need to do whatever it is the doctors tell me, their the best at what they do.

So just to give you a quick rundown of what is happening the next few months... Break in the Clouds will be released as scheduled, May 29th. I believe Break in the Clouds is the best album I've ever made. I'm disappointed that performing it for you all live will be a bit delayed, but I hope when you all get the chance to pick it up and enjoy it. I'm very proud of it. Even when I can't perform live, I'm going to begin to write the next album once I'm unable to speak and really unable to do anything else. I feel as I've reached a point as a writer where songs just pass through me, so I might as well begin writing the next project in the time I would have been touring the world in support of this next album. I'm only useful as a musician. A surgery is looming and a very long chemically-imposed period of silence, so I really need to choose the date for this to happen very carefully.

I wish I could give you a date for my return to performing live, yet it's all unspecific as of now. It could keep me out from anywhere between three months and a year. I'm pretty emotionally vulnerable right now. While going out and performing a 24-date concert tour isn't the best for my vocal chords, I wasn't going to back out from it. Last word is that all the shows have been sold out, which I can't thank you enough for that. I don't know how my vocals will hold up, and I don't blame you if you decide to ask for a refund now that you know about this. I understand.

I love this band you're going to hear, I love all the guys and girls who work with me, they've all seen me grow and I'm thankful they have stayed through thick and thin with me. The only thing that is keeping me from breaking down and crying right now is knowing that I'm thirty-four years old. There's a long life still ahead of me. And despite the acting, the record label ownership, there is no greater gift in the world than being able to create music for people to listen to. So this is not the end of the road. This is just life. A new obstacle I will overcome, and when this is all over I'll find some metaphysical reason to make this matter something. That's all.

Ryan