Bret Michaels is an American rock musician originally from Butler, Pennsylvania. While he enjoyed a successful solo career, he is best known as the frontman of Poison, a 1980s-90s glam metal band that sold a total of 65 million albums worldwide.
In the latest news about the legendary rocker, Bret Michaels recently announced his intentions to back out of the upcoming Freedom 250 event in D.C. The concept was initially to hold concerts on the National Lawn in Washington, D.C. (amongst other activities) as part of the Great American State Fair, a celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. The proceedings were set up by President Donald Trump as a jointly public and private initiative.
Michaels is the fifth out of nine artists to have publicly backed out, potentially placing part of the event in jeopardy. The “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” singer took to Instagram on May 28 to give his fans an earnest and nuanced perspective of exactly why he no longer felt like participating in the event.
“When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life. As the son of a veteran, and coming from a family that has proudly served, that is something I have always been honored to support.”
He continued,
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance.”
Bret Michaels is currently on his Live & Amplified national tour, which culminates on June 25 in Interlochen, Michigan.
Bret Michaels claims decision is not about politics, and more
During his recent social media post clarifying his desire to back out of the event, Bret Michaels clarified that it wasn’t a politically motivated decision,
“This isn’t about politics. It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.”
He also extended his regret to his Washington fans who will be missing out on his performance,
I also want my amazing fans in Washington, D.C. to know that I love you all, and I fully intend to come back and perform in our nation’s capital under circumstances where the focus can remain on what it should be – the music and the fans.
Bret Michaels looks to end his tour in style despite pulling out of the Washington D.C. event
Edited by Rahul Singh