Styx bassist Ricky Phillips taking break from the road after two decades with the band

Styx is saying goodbye to their bassist Ricky Phillips, who’s been with them for 20 years.

The rocker announced on Facebook that after 50 years of being in the music business, touring with the likes of The Babys, Bad English, Belinda Carlisle and more, he’s decided to to get off the road for a while.

“l’m taking a breather,” he writes. “My last 20+ years of touring and recording with my friends in Styx has come to an end. I am taking a break from the road.” He adds, “I’m not retiring, just taking a break.”

“I will truly miss the wonderfully-crazy and faithful Styx fans…whose smiling faces I often saw more than my own family,” Phillips continues.

And it sounds like Styx will miss him as well. They responded to Ricky’s post, sharing, “It was a joy to spend two decades with Ricky Phillips in Styx and we wish him all the best in his next adventure. He’ll always be a part of the Styx family and we’ll miss his presence on our stage and in our touring lives.”

So far, there’s no word on who’ll be taking Phillips’ place. Styx is set to play Wallingford, Connecticut, on March 22 and will kick off the Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour with Foreigner on June 11 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A complete list of dates can be found at styxworld.com.