John Legend postpones fall tour

John Legend is postponing his fall U.S. tour, the soul crooner announced Tuesday in a letter to fans.

The nine-time Grammy winner had planned on previewing “Love in the Future,” his forth solo album in nearly four years, with a trek that was to hit more than 20 cities, including a Nov. 18 stop in Los Angeles at the Wiltern.

Legend said he needed to postpone the tour to next year to give himself more time to complete the record.

“We announced the dates before we’d finished the album because we were sure we’d finish the album in time. But, unfortunately, while the creative process has been exciting and I’m pretty certain we’re going to deliver the best album of my career so far, the timing hasn’t adhered to the schedule I originally envisioned,” he wrote on his website.

“In other words, we’re not done with the album. And my team and I have made the agonizing decision to put off the tour until 2013 when we know we will have the new music done and will be ready to fully unveil the creative vision through the album and the live experience.”

Legend apologized to his fans and wrote that ticket holders could get refunds.

An Oct. 17 show at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., has been rescheduled to April 10, 2013, while an Atlantic City, N.J., gig for Oct. 27 is happening as originally scheduled.

“Love in the Future” is executive-produced by Legend alongside longtime collaborators Kanye West and Dave Tozer.

The singer’s last solo album was 2008’s “Evolver,” but since then he’s teamed up with the Roots on the socially conscious joint effort “Wake Up!” The disc was heralded by critics and took home three Grammys last year, including R&B; album.

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