Nelson sings but won't play on July 4

Country star Willie Nelson said 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, aged 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 from Hawaii, where he has a home.

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