British musician and songwriter Alan Parsons' much awaited tour - the Alan Parsons Live Project - has been delayed due to rising coronavirus cases.

In a statement to the Rolling Stone magazine, Parsons says: "It is with huge disappointment that I have postponed our upcoming U.S. tour dates in August and September. Nothing is more important to me than the safety of my band, crew, the concert staff, and most importantly, of course, you — the fans.

"This has been a very difficult and devastating decision — we were so thrilled to be returning to the stage for the first time in over a year and a half. The world could use more music right now, however, it just isn't safe yet for us to come together indoors for events like concerts."

The tour was scheduled to begin on August 27 in Burbank, California, and end on September 22 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The tour was to cover states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, which are currently Delta variant hot spots.

Parsons added in the statement: "All shows should be rescheduled. If you already have tickets, please hang on to them — they will be honoured at the rescheduled dates, which will be announced shortly. Until we can safely join together again, please take care of yourselves and each other. 'I wanted you to know — you've always shared my deepest thoughts – you follow where I go.'"