A fews days after we saw Mick Taylor at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Mass., on April 29, he took ill after a gig at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, Mass., (May 1). Messages, coming mostly from Rolling Stones message boards, had Taylor in a Boston-area hospital.

It was quite difficult to substantiate anything about this other than most of his shows on the Eastern swing of his first tour of America since 2007 were quickly postponed or canceled. Within days, the entire tour, which included stops in California and Texas, apparently was nixed. One blog from the San Diego area confirmed that. There were no other published reports I could track down or official statement’s from Taylor’s management as there had been a year ago when he canceled a U.S. Tour before it got started.

I didn’t doubt anything from the Stones boards, but it was skant and there were no details available. Until I received some first-hand information from a friend who I would not have thought would prove to be a source on what was happening with Taylor.

On Tuesday of last week, Taylor and his drummer Jeff Allen popped in on one of the best luthiers in Connecticut, Paul Neri. Taylor told Neri he had been in a Fall River hospital with pneumonia and almost died. He said he believed he had never really shaken a bout with pneumonia that he had contracted previously. Taylor had a noticeable mark on his neck from an IV and his breathing was labored.

Allen evidently has a friend in the area and he and Taylor were headed to a jam that night, the guitarist’s shape notwithstanding. Taylor took a 1936 Gibson LOO acoustic for the jam from Paul’s shop, which is on the shoreline in Clinton.

Unfortunately, Taylor didn’t look that well, but one would conclude he’s on the mend somewhat since he’s out of hospital and playing guitar. As for the tour being re-booked, nothing new there.