Loretta Lynn Cancels All 2017 Tour Dates, Delays New Album

Photo: Brad Coolidge
Photo: Brad Coolidge

Country music legend Loretta Lynn has now canceled all of her remaining 2017 tour dates, and postponed the release of her upcoming album Wouldn’t It Be Great amid continuing health concerns due to a stroke she suffered earlier this year.

“Thank you so much for all of your prayers, love, and support,” Lynn said in a statement. “I’m happy to say that I’m at home with my family and getting better by the day! My main focus now is making a full recovery so that I can get back to putting all of me into what I love, sharing my music with all of you. My new album, ‘Wouldn’t It Be Great,’ was originally scheduled to come in August this year. I now want to wait to release it next year because this record is so special for me. It deserves me at my best and I can’t wait to share it.”

Loretta Lynn suffered what was characterized as a mild stroke on May 5th. On May 15th an update was given saying that Loretta had been moved from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility and was “doing great,” though she was advised by doctors to stay off the road while she was recuperating. Loretta has not made a public appearance since the stroke. She recently postponed additional tour dates, but kept appearances on August 24th and 25th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on the calendar to coincide with the release of her new album. Those appearances and all others have now been cancelled.

Loretta celebrated her 85th birthday on April 14th, and announced the new 13-song Wouldn’t It Be Great would be released via Sony’s Legacy Recordings on August 18th. It was recorded primarily at the Cash Cabin Studios in Hendersonville, TN, with producer (and Lynn’s daughter) Patsy Lynn Russell, and caretaker of the Cash Cabin Studios, John Carter Cash.

“I want to thank everyone for hanging in there with me,” Loretta says. “I am getting stronger every day and can’t wait to get back out there with all of you. I’m just letting everybody know that Willie ain’t dead yet and neither am I, and I can’t wait to see all of you on the road!”

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