Rod Defends Cancelled Concert Case

Rod Stewart has appeared in a US court, saying he was there to defend his honour, in a breach-of-contract case filed by a Las Vegas resort.

The Rio hotel-casino, which is owned by gambling giant Harrah's Entertainment, sued after the veteran rocker cancelled a concert in 2000 while recovering from thyroid cancer surgery.

The company is seeking the return of $2 million (£1.1 million) paid to Stewart, 60, for the show, plus interest and legal fees.

"We don't hold his illness against him," Rio lawyer Stephen Morris said in his opening statements. "We only wish to hold him to his contract, which says if he is ill or incapacitated and can't perform, he will return the two million dollars."

A jury of four men and four women have been sworn in to hear the case, which is expected to last two weeks.

Stewart and Gary Loveman, Harrah's chief executive, are expected to testify.

Stewart's lawyer told reporters the singer had been willing to reschedule and had offered to perform two shows for the price of one.

"He is able and willing to do these concerts for them," said Louis "Skip" Miller, adding the singer had performed more than 200 concerts since the May 2000 surgery that removed two tumours from his thyroid. One was malignant, Miller said.

"It took him about 10 to 12 months to get his voice back," Miller said. "He's like an athlete, a vocal athlete. You have to heal.