Bret Michaels Hospitalized Ahead of Poison's Nashville Concert
Bret Michaels is recovering after he was hospitalized Thursday night. The 59-year-old musician was taken to a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee after suffering an undisclosed medical emergency just before the band Poison was set to perform as part of the Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
According to TMZ, which was first to report the news, just before the band was set to perform, Michaels' band mates took to the stage to announce Poison would no longer be able to perform. Although the band offered few details, they told the crowd that Michaels, Poison's front man, had been taken to the hospital. The fate of the band's two other upcoming shows – one in Florida and one in Mississippi – remain up in the air at this time.
Shortly after his band mates confirmed his hospitalization, Michaels, in an Instagram post shared just before midnight, addressed the reports. In the post, Michaels expressed his regret at being unable to play the show, writing, "to the incredible fans in Nashville, thank you for all your well wishes!!" Although the musician said he was "truly fired up to get on stage in the Music City and perform," he explained that "due to an unforeseen medical complication and following hospitalization, it was not possible." He went on to "send my deepest apologies being unable to rock the stage tonight!!! I'm working on being back 100% and hope you rocked hard with my friends Motley/Leppard/Joanand Classless Act!!!"
Although Michaels did not say why he was hospitalized, sources told TMZ Michaels may have suffered a bad reaction to medicine he is currently taking amid his recent COVID-19 diagnosis. The sources said the medication ma have triggered unexpected side effects as a result of Michaels' Type 1 diabetes.
The Thursday hospitalization marks the latest health scare for Michaels, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was six and has had a number of health scares in recent years. In 2010, he was in intensive care for several weeks after he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Just a year later, per Taste of Country, Michaels had surgery to repair a hole in his heart following a miniature stroke, and in 2014, he underwent kidney surgery and several subsequent hospitalizations. Michaels' condition is unclear at this time. Reflecting on his health scares, Michaels told PEOPLE in 2012, "I'm really blessed to be here. I thank a higher power that I am alive today."