John Prine will have surgery in December to treat a form of lung cancer found recently by doctors in Nashville. As a result, the 67-year-old Grammy-winning songwriter will be rescheduling two of his four scheduled shows at the end of the year.

On his website, Prine revealed he'd been diagnosed with non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. "Doctors here in Nashville have caught it early, and it is operable," he shares. "They see no reason why I won't fully recover."

The legend adds that it's unrelated to the cancer he had in 1997. At that time, he had a small tumor removed from the right side of his neck. Prine will still play Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 dates in North Carolina, but he's moved his Dec. 13 show in Louisville, Ky. to Feb. 28, 2014. The Dec. 14 show has been moved to March 1.

"For me there's nothing like performing," Prine admits. "I look forward to seeing all my friends and fans in 2014. We have some great cities and venues lined up.

Prine has been a songwriting favorite since Kris Kristofferson discovered him in the late '60s. His music is universally respected, with legends like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash counting him as one of the best songwriters of the generation.

More From Taste of Country