Singer Jerry Stamp says illness has brought an end to musical career

A long-time singer-songwriter says he's putting down his guitar for good, due to an increasingly difficult medical condition.

Jerry Stamp, whohas been playing music for about 23 year,this weekendplayed a gig at the Bull and Barrel with his band King Nancy.

However, Stamp said that show was likely his farewell concert: he sayshe's quitting music due to his psoriatic arthritis.

• Making a fist a big deal for prolific musician Jerry Stamp

"It affects your joints, muscles, tendons, skin, eyes, throat, everything, so pretty much everything's affected and it's becoming more and more difficult to perform live regularly," he said.

Now I'm on stage and I'm playing and all of a sudden one finger just says no I don't want to do that.- Jerry Stamp

Stamp said even if there are new medical treatments available in the future, he doesn't expect to ever be able to return to music full time and this break is likely permanent.

"I'd like to say it's temporary. It will be a lengthy break, I think, at least a year or more, maybe even two or longer, but I don't know if I'll be able to get back to music as a full-time career anymore," said Stamp.

It's been a gradually worsening condition for Stamp, who said it's become increasingly difficult to play live shows.

"The last year I've been finding it a lot harder. Now I'm on stage and I'm playing and all of a sudden one finger just says no I don't want to do that, so then you're on stage and I have to go OK, how am I going to do a four-finger cord when I've only got three fingers that work?"

'No back-up plan for something like this'

Stamp said the show was emotional for him, but added has has received plenty of positive support from friends, family, fans and fellow musicians, some of whom were surprised to hear how serious his condition is.

"I do hope that someday we'll find the right medical situation and get back to playing at least even in part, just occasionally doing the few gigs here and there, but for now it definitely has to stop altogether."

As for what he's going to do now, Stampsaid it's been a frustrating process.

"There is no back-up plan for something like this because really no matter what my back-up plan would have been, I have to figure out what I can do now without being able [to]do a lot of things that other people can do," he said.

Stamp is currently studying graphic design at College of the North Atlantic and is hoping to move into that as a career.