The Mountain Music Festival faced a major last-minute lineup change Saturday when Bret Michaels was forced to cancel his scheduled August 22 performance in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on doctors’ orders.

The Poison frontman had returned to the stage just one night earlier at The Bowl at Sugar Hill in Georgia, marking his first performance following recent surgery and time away from the road.

Following Friday night’s show, however, doctors and paramedics determined that Michaels needed additional time to recover. His medical team advised him to step away from touring for the next several months, bringing his remaining 2026 performances to a halt.

Michaels had recently undergone surgery for an obstructing kidney stone. His doctors cited the need for a slower recovery as well as concerns surrounding summer heat and humidity and their effect on his blood sugar levels.

The cancellation meant Michaels would no longer headline Saturday night at The Mountain Music Festival, where fans had been expecting his appearance as one of the weekend’s major performances.

Michaels Entertainment Group apologized to fans and said the focus now turns to allowing Bret the time needed to recover and return to the stage healthy and strong.

The Mountain Music Festival continued Saturday at the Gatlinburg Convention Center with the remainder of the day’s scheduled performances.

Across the festival and throughout the rock community, the response quickly turned from disappointment to support, with fans and fellow musicians sending well wishes to Michaels as he focuses on his recovery.

For now, the message from the mountain is a simple one: get well, Bret. Rock and roll will be waiting.