Former Georgia Satellites frontman Dan Baird battling leukemia

Baird, 63, was recently sent home from the U.K., where Homemade Sin was playing at the Ramblin' Man Fair, and diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In a Facebook post, Baird described the illness as a blood condition that affects "older folks" that destroys red blood cells.

Baird is long associated with Atlanta even though he currently lives in Nashville.

Credit: Melissa Ruggieri

Credit: Melissa Ruggieri

He’s also hanging tough while facing the health battle, writing on Facebook, “Skip the … crying emoji, please. It makes me feel like a death sentence. It ain’t. One of the most addressable blood disorders.”

In another Facebook post on Tuesday (read it below), Baird noted that while he is convalescing, his bandmates Warner Hodges, Mauro Magellan and a new bass player (current bassist Micke Nilsson decided a few months ago that he wanted to spend more time with his family and was backing off the road the rest of the year) needed to continue to work.

“At this moment, I don't know exactly what the future holds for me, but I intend to beat this CLL crap and resume playing as soon as possible,” Baird said.

He urged fans to continue to support Homemade Sin at any live shows and his manager, Mick Brown, appealed to promoters and club owners in the U.S. and Europe who might want to book the band this fall.

Additionally, Baird and his musician friends plan to assemble a compilation CD as a “crowd funder” to help fill the financial holes left from any show cancellations.

With the Georgia Satellites, Baird nearly scaled the top of the charts with their 1986 breakthrough hit, “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.” The most recent album from Dan Baird & Homemade Sin, “Rollercoaster,” was released in March.

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