Rod Stewart Sued For $2 million

Rod Stewart appeared on court yesterday in Las Vegas to "defend his honour" in a breach of contract lawsuit filed by one of the city's resorts, Harrah's Entertainment

Stewart, 60, cancelled a concert in 2000 which was supposed to take place at The Rio hotel-casino owned by gambling giant, while recovering from thyroid cancer surgery, after he pocketed more than US$2 million for it.

His lawyers told reporters that the singer had been willing to reschedule and play two shows for a price of one, saying he was "willing and able" to perform following his recovery from surgery.

"The man had cancer,' said Mr Skip Miller, Stewart's lawyer.

"He had to have surgery. His voice didn't recover in time. He's now fully recovered and is willing and able to perform. They won't let him."

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

The lawsuit is expected to last two weeks and both Stewart and Harrah's chairman, Gary Loveman will be called as witnesses at the trial.

Stewart who has sold more then 100 million records worldwide is widely recognized as among the best interpretive singers of all times.