The 53-year-old folk singer Ray LaMontagne suffered a heat-related episode on Sept. 5, causing him to suddenly collapse in the middle of his performanceat the Ryman Auditorium.
Occurring near the end of his show, LaMontagne was in the middle of singing "Jolene." Video captured by fans shows LaMontagne attempting to grab the microphone and then slowly falling back. After collapsing, crew members quickly rushed to the singer's aid and took him backstage. The concert ended early after LaMontagne's fall.
After the concert, LaMontagne's team issued a statement on his Instagram Stories to update fans on his condition, People and Consequence reported.
See Ray LaMontagne on tour
“Thank you to everyone who came out to tonight’s show at the Ryman. Ray is
in good hands with the local EMS and is being treated for heat-related dehydration,” the post from LaMontagne’s team read. “He is doing well now and is grateful for everyone’s understanding.”
The statement noted that LaMontagne would continue his tour as scheduled, including his show in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sept. 6, the day after the incident.
According to Weather and Climate, Nashville reached a high of 101 degrees on the day of the concert. The average temperature throughout the day was 87 degrees, and the low was 75 degrees.
LaMontagne is scheduled to perform on Sept. 8 in Syracuse, New York.
LaMontagne's team has not responded to The Tennessean's request for comment.
Who is Ray LaMontagne?
Ray LaMontagne is a Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter best known for his songs "Trouble," "Jolene" and "You Are the Best Thing."
Breaking into the industry with his 2004 album "Trouble," LaMontagne went on to win a Grammy in 2011 for Best Contemporary Folk Album for "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise," the artist's fourth studio album.
In addition to winning a Grammy, LaMontagne also received a nomination for Song of the Year for "Beg Steal or Borrow."
Despite avoiding celebrity culture and heavy promotion, LaMontagne has built a cult following with a heavy focus on touring. The contemporary folk singer is currently on his "Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour."
Following his stop in Syracuse, LaMontagne is scheduled to perform in Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston and New York City before wrapping up his tour at the beginning of October.
Concertgoer describes dramatic onstage moment at Ray LaMontagne concert
Andrea Curtis, a longtime entertainment industry professional who attended the concert, said what she "witnessed that evening was concerning to [her] well before the final incident."
"At several points, I watched [LaMontagne] repeatedly strike or press his hand against his head, almost as though he were trying to regroup and collect himself," said Curtis. "There was no hostility coming from the crowd. Nevertheless, I felt I was watching someone become increasingly overwhelmed in real time."
Curtis noted that at one point, Ray abruptly left the stage "for what appeared to be a regroup or meltdown on the side." According to Curtis, he then returned to the stage and performed "Jolene."
"From my vantage point, and informed by decades of working around performers, the entire sequence of events looked less like one isolated moment at the end of the show and more like an artist who had been struggling and becoming increasingly overwhelmed throughout the performance," added Curtis.
Curtis was surprised by how the end of the show was handled by LaMontagne's team, stating that it felt "unprofessional" and left the audience with "considerable uncertainty."
Peter Burditt covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact him at PBurditt@nashvill.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ray LaMontagne collapses onstage at the Ryman during Nashville concert
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