Willie Nelson pulls out of Friday's Outlaw Music Festival in Alpharetta due to illness

Willie Nelson performs at Farm Aid 30 in Chicago on Sept. 19, 2015. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP, File)

Music legend Willie Nelson canceled his headlining appearance at a music festival in Alpharetta just hours before he was set to perform.

A statement was posted to his Instagram account late Friday afternoon saying Nelson wasn’t feeling well and was told by doctors to rest for four days.

The event at Ameris Bank Ampitheatre in Alpharetta is this year’s kickoff to the Outlaw Music Festival that Nelson helped organize. It appears Nelson will also miss the tour stops on Saturday in Charlotte and Sunday in Raleigh.



Nelson, 91, “is expected to make a quick recovery,” according to the statement.

Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Celisse are still scheduled to perform. Nelson’s son Lukas and his band will also perform a set that includes Willie Nelson’s songs.

The Outlaw Music Festival debuted in 2016, according to Billboard. This year’s tour runs through September.

Nelson is best known for classic songs such as “Always on My Mind,” “On the Road Again” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys” (with Waylon Jennings).

He recently appeared on Beyoncé’s album “Cowboy Carter” and re-recorded his cover of the song “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” with Orville Peck.