Country singer-songwriter Mark Chesnutt, known for hits such as "Brother Jukebox" and "It Sure Is Monday," is on the road to recovery after undergoing emergency heart surgery last weekend.
"Mark underwent emergency quadruple bypass surgery," the statement continues. "The recuperation time will make it necessary to cancel show dates. Please respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time of recovery."
The open-heart surgical procedure helps to reroute blood in the heart when one or more of the organ's coronary arteries become blocked. If the arteries contain four blocked areas, then doctors will perform a quadruple bypass surgery. During the procedure, blood vessels are taken from other parts of the body, such as the leg or chest, and attached above and below the blocked area, allowing blood to flow around the clogged portion of the coronary artery.
In a statement included in the social media post, Mr. Chesnutt noted that the decision to cancel his upcoming performances due to the surgery was made "with a heavy heart." He added, "I send my love and gratitude to my family and friends, the band and fans for your understanding, prayers and support, and look forward to seeing you all again soon at a honky tonk near you."
The Texas native was scheduled to perform at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino's Grand Event Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on June 21, followed by a show at the Live Oak County Fair Grounds & Coliseum in George West, Texas, on June 22. Mr. Chesnutt was also set to appear at Dauphin's Countryfest -- a country music festival in Dauphin in Manitoba, Canada -- on June 30.
"We continue to send healing vibes to Mark and his family during his recovery," the statement continued. "Our team is working diligently to secure another act to add to our wonderful Sunday lineup and will make an announcement as soon as we can."
Mr. Chesnutt released his first album, "Doing My Country Thing," in 1988, which lead to signing with the Nashville branch of MCA Records. He swiftly rose to fame with his second album two years later, "Too Cold at Home." Since then, he released over a dozen albums, including 1992's "Longnecks & Short Stories," 1993's "Almost Goodbye," 2004's "Savin' the Honky Tonk," and 2016's "Tradition Lives."
In a video shared to his Instagram page in April 2022, nearly a year after undergoing back surgery, Mr. Chesnutt elaborated on his health problems, revealing his back had been broken in three places.
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