Bret Michaels, lead singer of the glam metal band Poison, has been hospitalized in Nashville, Tennessee for an undisclosed illness, prompting the band to cancel a scheduled performance in the city.
Michael’s Poison bandmates announced the situation to the audience Thursday night, according to TMZ, which broke the story. The band was performing as part of the Stadium Tour, the North American rock tour co-headlined by Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard and also featuring Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.
In a set of social media posts early Friday morning, Michaels addressed his absence, thanking the “incredible fans” in Nashville for “all your well wishes.”
“I was truly fired up to get on stage in the music city and perform, but due to an unknown complication and following hospitalization, it was not possible. I send my deepest apologies for being unable to rock the stage tonight!!! I’m working on being back 100% very soon and hope you rocked hard with my friends Motley/Leppard/Joan and Classless Act!!!”
TMZ later reported that according to anonymous sources, Michaels may have had a bad reaction to his COVID-19 medication, possibly related to his type 1 diabetes, a condition he has had since childhood.
Michaels, who also starred in the VH1 reality series “Rock of Love,” has had several health scares over the last several years. In addition to his diabetes, he experienced a brain hemorrhage in 2010 and suffered a mini stroke in 2011, which required heart surgery. He had several kidney surgeries in 2014.