’80s rock star abruptly cancels entire 2026 tour following emergency surgery

Poison frontman Bret Michaels has abruptly cancelled all his remaining 2026 shows after a “complicated” emergency kidney stone surgery.

Michaels, 63, had returned to the stage on Friday after a series of postponements due to the procedure, but his comeback was short-lived.

The musician’s team announced his plans to take the rest of the year off, citing doctors’ orders – pulling him out of his Live and Amplified tour as well as a scheduled show at Tennessee’s Mountain Music Festival with just a few hours’ notice.

“Following Bret Michaels’ comeback show at The Bowl at Sugar Hill, doctors and paramedics determined immediately after the show that he still needs additional rest and recovery from his recent surgeries,” his company, Michaels Entertainment Group, said in a statement.

He “will be taking the next several months off to heal and get back to 100 per cent”.

After fans rushed to send their well-wishes, Michaels thanked them.

“There are not enough words to tell you how much your incredible messages mean to me,” he said on Instagram.

Read more

Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother Lesley Vogel slams ‘shameful’ criticism following her daughter’s death

“In my non-stop spirit to go out and do what I love … I may have just chosen to go sooner than I should have. We will come back better than ever.”

Michaels had only just celebrated a return to health, sharing on Friday that he was “so excited” for his first show back.

He had taken several weeks to recuperate until a stent was removed following an “immediate complicated obstructing kidney stone surgery” in July.

Michaels said he had performed three shows while enduring pain from kidney stones.

He was eventually admitted to hospital following a show in Spokane, Washington, after almost a week of waiting for the stone to pass.

At the time, Michaels said he was “forever grateful for the amazing medical treatment and ongoing medical attention throughout my personal life and career, and truly grateful for family, friends, fans, band, crew and promoters for their understanding.”

Read more

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan accused of stealing hit series idea in copyright lawsuit

The rocker has faced several health concerns in the past.

In 1987, he spoke publicly about his type 1 diabetes, which he was diagnosed with at age six, after passing out on stage due to low blood sugar.

He suffered a broken nose and ribs after a 1994 car crash and in 2010, survived a life-threatening brain haemorrhage and stroke following an emergency appendectomy.