David Nelson Reveals Colon Cancer Diagnosis

Legendary guitarist David Nelson revealed he has been diagnosed with colon cancer leading him to cancel a handful of upcoming appearances. Nelson is a founding member of New Riders Of The Purple Sage and has been fronting his own David Nelson Band ensemble for decades.

Read the note shared by David Nelson:

Hi Kids, David here. I have some news to share. I’ve recently been diagnosed with colon cancer and I’ll need to be focused on my treatment and healing over the next few months. So, disappointing as it is, I won’t be able to play at the upcoming Mateel, Warfield and Alyeska shows. But not to worry – I’m in good hands and looking forward to playing with the boys and seeing you all again in the not too distant future. Love, David

A show scheduled for Friday at the Mateel Community Center in Redway, California has been canceled. The DNB will play at The Warfield on Saturday without David but with Peter Rowan. “We are fortunate to have Peter Rowan performing with us at the Warfield on Saturday, February 25. David and Peter’s association goes back to the early 70’s when the New Riders of the Purple Sage, with David singing, had an underground hit with Peter’s song ‘Panama Red’. And over the decades, David and the DNB have shared the stage with Peter on numerous occasions,” reads a note on Facebook. The same note mentions the band is “working on a plan” for their March shows in Alaska and will keep fans updated “as we have more info to share.”

Our thoughts are with David Nelson on a quick recovery. Watch 30 minutes of the David Nelson Band’s set from Terrapin Crossroads on August 10, 2016 captured by nowiknowuryder: