Pain keeps Nelson off the guitar

Country star Willie Nelson says he’ll sing but won’t be able to play guitar at his annual Fourth of July picnic because of a slow recovery from carpal tunnel surgery.

Nelson, 71, said he has unusual soreness and swelling in his left hand six weeks after the wrist surgery aimed at relieving the painful nerve condition.

“Naturally I’d love to play, but it hurts so much that I’m not yearning to play. I’m willing to wait until it’s not hurting,” he said.

Nelson said he’ll still appear at an event in Roswell, N.M., today for friend Merle Haggard and at the picnic in Fort Worth on Sunday, but he won’t make any other appearances in July.

Nelson had the surgery after apparently suffering so much pain that he couldn’t finish a May 8 show in Las Vegas. The surgery was done May 19, and Nelson had a large cast on his left hand and forearm on May 26 when he accepted an award with Toby Keith at the Academy of Country Music Awards.