Mark Chesnutt missed a scheduled performance in Louisiana on Thursday night (Oct. 16) after he was rushed to the hospital in the morning, hours before he was set to take the stage.
Why Was Mark Chesnutt Hospitalized?
According to WBRZ in Baton Rouge, Chesnutt was set to open for Alabama at Raising Cane’s River Center on Thursday, but officials with the venue issued a statement saying that the traditional-leaning country singer had been hospitalized “for medical reasons.”
The head of Chesnutt’s management team, Tony Conway, tells the Eastern New Mexico News that the 62-year-old “Too Cold at Home” singer was suffering from “low sodium count and extreme high blood pressure.”
Chesnutt’s band played the show in Baton Rouge without him, and the singer had to cancel another performance that was set to take place on Saturday (Oct. 18) at the One Portales Wine, Beer and Music Festival at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds as he was set to remain in the hospital for additional tests.
Chesnutt “wants to apologize to his fans last night and (Saturday) and hopes to come back to both cities in the very near future,” Conway states.
When Will Mark Chesnutt Return to the Stage?
According to Chesnutt’s official website, his next show is scheduled for Wednesday (Oct. 22) at the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center in Shipshewana, Ind. His concert calendar includes shows all the way into February of 2026.
How Is Mark Chesnutt’s Health?
Chesnutt has battled multiple health problems in recent years, including a fractured spine that required back surgery in 2023.
In June of 2024, he experienced a “heart health issue” that caused him to undergo emergency quadruple bypass surgery.
In April of 2025, Chesnutt told American Songwriter that he had battled a serious alcohol problem for years, and that he nearly died before finally getting sober in November of 2023.
Who Is Mark Chesnutt?
Mark Chesnutt scored his first country hit with “Brother Jukebox” in 1990.
He landed eight No. 1 songs throughout the ’90s, ending with “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” an Aerosmith cover he’d later express regret for recording because he felt it was too far removed from his traditional country wheelhouse.
Chesnutt was a mainstay at country radio with at least three hits every year between 1991 and 1998. He has continued to record music and tour in the years since.
Chesnutt has been married to his wife Tracie since 1992. They share three children.
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Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker