Bret Michaels cancels all remaining tour dates following two surgeries

Bret Michaels, the 63 year old lead singer of Poison, has cancelled all remaining 2026 solo tour dates. The reason is a difficult recovery following two surgical procedures he underwent earlier this year. The singer songwriter, who has lived with type 1 diabetes his entire life, had already come to realize that his body needs more rest than he had initially allowed himself.

The trouble started in June, when Michaels dealt with severe pain from a kidney stone during several shows. He pushed through and performed three more times during that period, even though the discomfort was, by his own account, intense. After a private concert on July 18 in Spokane, Washington, things went seriously wrong. He was taken to the hospital immediately after the show because the kidney stone had not passed on its own. His physician, Dr. Abby Borhan, determined that he had what is known as a complicated obstructive kidney stone, requiring immediate surgery. A ureteral stent was also placed to restore drainage.

Following the procedure, Michaels and his team were told he could not perform for three to four weeks. That estimate turned out to be too optimistic. On August 21 he attempted a comeback performance at The Bowl at Sugar Hill in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Right after that show, doctors and paramedics concluded he was far from fully recovered. On Saturday, August 22, his management announced via social media that all further shows would be cancelled. That same day he had been scheduled to headline The Mountain Music Festival in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, an appearance that could therefore not go ahead.

A statement from his physicians, Dr. Borhan and Dr. Patel, reads: "We will be pulling Bret off the road for the time being. He wanted to attempt this show, but we feel there is a much needed period of rest and slow recovery ahead, especially considering the heat and humidity during the summer months and the effect it can have on his blood sugar levels." The summer heat and humidity pose an additional risk factor because of the impact those conditions can have on his blood sugar levels.

Michaels also addressed his fans personally. "There are not enough words to tell you how much your incredible messages mean to me," he wrote. "In my nonstop spirit to go out and do what I love, which is to play music and to see all of you, all my family, friends and fans and meet everybody, it's what I truly love. I may have just chosen to go sooner than I should have. We will come back better than ever." His official website had shows listed through November 14 in Harris, Michigan. All of those dates are now cancelled.

This is not the first time Michaels has faced serious health challenges. In 2010 he suffered a life threatening brain hemorrhage, followed by a warning stroke. In 2011 he underwent surgery to repair a hole in his heart, and in 2014 he had already had a kidney operation. His resilience has been well known to his fans for years, but once again it is clear that his body has limits that simply cannot be ignored.