Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry has been hospitalized after reportedly collapsing backstage at a Billy Joel concert.
TMZ reports that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer performed his band’s hit “Walk This Way” with Joel at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. Afterwards, he went backstage and collapsed in his dressing room.
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Paramedics were called and operated on Perry for close to 40 minutes at the scene. A tracheal tube was reportedly placed down his throat in order to clear an air path.
“Joe did not look good,” a witness told the publication.
He was then placed on a stretcher, put on oxygen and taken to a hospital. It was apparently a struggle to get Perry, who is also a member of The Hollywood Vampires, out of the venue due to the throngs of people in and around the arena.
Joel was allegedly unaware of Perry’s medical scare until after the show ended.
Further details on Perry’s current condition are not yet available.
The 68-year-old musician is slated to perform with Aerosmith during their 2019 Las Vegas residency. The band is also slated to play the Super Bowl Music Fest in Atlanta, Georgia, two days before Super Bowl LIII. As of press time, it is unclear if this health scare will have any affect on those plans.
Perry, Aerosmith and the Hollywood Vampires have not yet commented on the hospitalization.
The latest tweet from Perry’s account is a repost of a photo of him and Joel before their Saturday night performance.
#Repost @billyjoel
・・・
Billy with tonight’s special guest Joe Perry!photo: @myrnasuarezphoto pic.twitter.com/rVMtRLXR7m
— Joe Perry (@JoePerry) November 11, 2018
Perry is simply shown talking with the “Uptown Girl” singer backstage. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. Footage of Perry’s Saturday night performance also does not raise any alarms.
No further details on the incident are available as of press time.
Photo Credit: Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic