With tickets set to go on sale to the public in a few days, singer Natalie Cole has been forced to cancel a show originally set for July 17 at the Britt Festivals in Jacksonville. The singer recently had a kidney transplant.

"She's canceling a few months worth of shows," Britt marketing manager Sara King Cole said. "I think it's about the best excuse I've ever heard."

In another change, G. Love and Special Sauce canceled a planned Sept. 11 appearance at the Lithia Motors Amphitheater in Central Point, citing scheduling conflicts.

Tickets for Britt's 2009 season will go on sale to the public at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Tickets will also be available from Britt's Web site (www.brittfest.org), by phone (773-6077 or 1-800-882-7488) or in person at the Britt Box Office, 216 W. Main Street, Medford.

With the first show, Los Lonely Boys, just two weeks off, Cole said tickets are still available for all concerts.

A performance by Diana Krall on Aug. 26 has sold out reserved seats, but lawn seats are still available, Cole said. The Moody Blues' show July 25 has only a few reserved seats remaining.

Other shows for which the supply of reserved seats is dwindling include Pink Martini on Aug. 30, Trace Adkins on Aug. 18, Creedence Clearwater Revisited on Aug. 28 and Chris Isaac on Sept. 1.

The season will kick off this year with an event dubbed Britt 2009 — A Vintage to Remember at noon, June 7, in downtown Jacksonville. The event will include live music and a "wine walk" through Jacksonville businesses, featuring the wines of 15 Applegate wineries and Jacksonville tasting rooms. The event, which is scheduled to last until 4 p.m., is free and open to the public. Wine glasses from the walk will be on sale for $18. For more, see the Britt Web site.

The G. Love and Special Sauce performance was part of a co-bill with Michael Franti and Spearhead. Franti will still perform on Sept. 11, but the show will be moved from the Lithia Amphitheater in Central Point to the Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville. It will begin at 8 p.m.

The annual outdoor summer music festival will present 41 concerts this summer, with such performers as James Taylor, Wilco, Elvis Costello, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more.

Reach reporter Bill Varble at 776-4478 or e-mail bvarble@mailtribune.com.