Altitude sickness is really no joke. Willie Nelson has recently had to spend a short time in hospital after some respiratory problems forced him to leave the stage early during his performance in Utah over the weekend. Thankfully, he has made a full recovery and will be able to continue his tour. 

Willie Nelson performing liveWillie Nelson performing live

The 84-year-old country star was not feeling his best on Sunday night (August 13th 2017) while he was performing at Salt Lake City's high-altitude USANA Amphitheater. He ended up having to have a short break due to some breathing problems, but it soon became clear that it was not possible to continue his set until the end.

'This is Willie', he wrote on Twitter after the incident. 'I am very sorry to have to cut the Salt Lake City performance short tonight. The altitude just got to me. I am feeling a lot better now and headed for lower ground.'

With an height of 4,300 feet, it's no wonder Willie struggled at the venue. And it's not the first time he has been in this situation either. Back in 2012, he struggled with the altitude of Denver, Colorado and ended up having to pull out of a fundraising concert to his breathing problems and a bout of emphysema. 

In fact, he's been marked by lung problems since the eighties, having frequently suffered from collapsed lungs and pneumonia, not helping by his smoking habit. He underwent stem-cell therapy in 2015 to improve his lungs and there's been no public announcement in regards to his health since then, aside from last weekend, of course.

More: Willie Nelson and Kacey Musgraves team up for 'Are You Sure?'

Needless to say, Willie Nelson is still managing to continue his US tour with support from Kacey Musgraves. He's next scheduled to perform at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles tomorrow night (August 17th 2017).