Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott, the band’s two remaining early-’60s members, have announced their retirement from the stage.
The Hollies’ touring life has ended after more than six decades. The Manchester group, formed in 1962, announced on Instagram that guitarist Tony Hicks is no longer able to tour because of health issues, and that drummer Bobby Elliott is stepping away in solidarity. Both had been in the band since the early 1960s.
The statement is direct. “Due to health reasons, Tony has decided to step away from touring,” it reads. “Out of respect for Tony and everything they have shared throughout their remarkable journey together, Bobby has also decided to retire from touring.” It closes with gratitude to fans around the world.
The Hollies leave behind a catalog that shaped British pop’s reach across the 1960s and 1970s, from “Bus Stop” and “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” to “Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)” and “The Air That I Breathe.” Graham Nash fronted the band before departing in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Their final performance took place in January in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was a four-song set, and the first time the band had returned to the stage since a 2023 tour.
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The collective voice behind ROMBO Magazine’s news, reviews, features, and cultural coverage.
