Country Legend Merle Haggard Back In Hospital With Pneumonia: Rep

staff@people.com (George Stark)
Updated

Merle Haggard with Willie Nelson (Photo: L. Cohen/WireImage)

Country legend Merle Haggard is currently being treated for a recurring bout of double pneumonia, his rep has confirmed.

Merle is in a hospital in California and has been forced to postpone his March concert tour dates, his rep tells the Associated Press in statement.

According to the statement, the 78-year-old musician also cancelled dates last week as he was still suffering from his last bout of pneumonia in both lungs.

Haggard has been told by doctors to rest and recover for a least one more month without performing.

In 2009, Haggard told People how he was doing “better every day” after undergoing lung cancer surgery.

The singer was a heavy cigarette smoker until he gave up his Camels in 1992, but insists his cancer wasn’t caused by smoking.