Singer Loretta Lynn hospitalised

Ashland - Loretta Lynn was hospitalised over the weekend with the early stages of pneumonia, according to a representative of the performer.

The 76-year-old country music singer was scheduled to perform on Saturday at the Performing Arts Centre in Ashland, Kentucky, and Sunday in Durham, North Carolina, but the Kentucky centre issued a news release saying she was in the hospital and would be unable to perform. The Kentucky theatre says the show would be rescheduled.

Loretta Lynn Enterprises posted a statement on her web site on Saturday that confirmed the cancellations due to illness.

"Doctors have diagnosed her as the beginning stages pneumonia, and will continue to need rest. Loretta is doing well and is disappointed but feels confident she will be ready for upcoming November dates."

Calls by The Associated Press to representatives of Lynn were not immediately returned on Saturday.

In August, Lynn cancelled shows because of knee surgery. Before that, she returned to live performances with a show at the Grand Ole Opry after being forced to cancel shows in Ohio and Connecticut because she was hospitalised for heat exhaustion.