Marty Casey didn’t win the televised competition to become the new lead singer for INXS, but he’s still going on the rock band’s upcoming tour.
Casey was the runner-up to J.D. Fortune on CBS’ “Rock Star: INXS.” The band held the reality show competition to find a replacement for their former lead singer, Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide in 1997.
INXS announced Tuesday that Casey and his band, the Lovehammers, will open their “Switched On” tour, which is set to begin Jan. 18 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“Being the opening act is really the best possible scenario for me,” Casey said in a statement. “I’ve been with my band for 15 years and now I get the best of both worlds.”
Other stops on the INXS tour include Denver, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Detroit, Washington and Philadelphia.
Casey says he respects the band’s choice of Fortune, “and I have more admiration for INXS by giving Marty Casey and the Lovehammers a chance. People are going to be blown away.”