Ailing Willie Nelson Reschedules Dates With Merle Haggard

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard were supposed to launch their co-bill tour tonight in Florence, S.C. Instead, this week’s shows have been pulled because the Red Headed Stranger is sick. Two of the gigs are being rescheduled.

The announcement from Nelson’s camp doesn’t specify what is ailing the singer. All we know is that “Willie has been feeling under the weather.”

Nelson and Haggard are touring in support of their latest joint album, Django & Jimmie, which was released in June. They’d previously collaborated on 1983’s Pancho & Lefty, 1987’s Walking the Line (with George Jones), 1987’s Seashores of Old Mexico and 2007’s Last of the Breed (with Ray Price).

The Florence, S.C., show has been moved to April. Folks in Roanoke, Va., won’t have to wait so long to see the outlaw country icons. That gig, which was supposed to take place Friday, is postponed to Monday. Unfortunately, the Oct. 17 concert in Reading, Pa., is canceled.

Here’s how the “Django & Jimmy” tour stands:

Oct. 19 – Roanoke, Va., Berglund Center Coliseum
Oct. 20 – Detroit, Mich., Fox Theatre
Oct. 21 – Bloomington, Ind., Indiana University Auditorium
Oct. 23 – Pikeville, Ky., Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center
Oct. 24 – Milwaukee, Wis., Milwaukee Theatre
Oct. 25 – Green Bay, Wis., Resch Center
April 6 – Florence, S.C., Florence Civic Center

All tickets will be honored for the new dates. Refunds are available at point of purchase for Reading and for fans who can’t make the new Florence and Roanoke shows.