Merle Haggard Shows Cancer His ‘Fightin’ Side’

Merle Haggard gave us a bit of a scare last week when we learned he was ill, but the country music legend says he's in fine health.

"I had a little walking pneumonia," Merle tells The Boot. "It was one of those things where you have something in your chest and sinuses and you can't get rid of it, but I finally did."

Merle had lung surgery less than two years ago after tests showed he had non-small cell lung cancer. Surgeons were able to remove the affected tissue and the 73-year-old is now cancer-free.

"They took a piece of my lung out and sewed it up and I didn't have to have chemo or anything like that," says Merle of the treatment. "I am 19 months recovered now. Of course, any time you get something wrong with your lungs you worry the cancer is back, but it was just an old cold and I got rid of that."

Merle is touring behind his latest album 'I Am What I Am.' His next concert is September 15 in Anderson, Ind. For a complete list of dates and cities, check here.