Guy Clark Hospitalized After Bad Reaction to Medication

Guy Clark is in an Austin area hospital after having a bad reaction to medication right before he was scheduled to appear at an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction ceremony on his behalf. On Thursday evening (6-18), Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Asleep At The Wheel, and Flaco Jiménez were all inducted into the long-running TV show’s sophomore class of Hall of Fame inductees, but Guy Clark missed the event due to the hospitalization.

The induction ceremony continued on in Clark’s absence, and included Lyle Lovett and Jason Isbell both singing two Guy Clark songs in honor of the venerable songwriter. Lovett accepted the honor on Clark’s behalf—including a trophy of the famous Austin City Limits backdrop etched in glass. “He is my friend, he is my hero,” Lovett said during the speech.

“Apparently, Guy had a bad reaction to some medication he was taking for a recent surgery,” long-time ACL producer Terry Lickona is quoted as saying. Clark’s publicist Tamara Saviano, who is also working on Clark’s biography and recently launched a successful corwdfunding campaign to fund the documentary Without Getting Killed Or Caught, briefly returned to the ACL’s Moody Theater to gather Clark’s belongings, but has yet to release an official statement about his condition.

READ: Guy Clark “Without Getting Killed or Caught” Documentary On The Way

UPDATE (6-19-15 11:45 PM CDT): A note from (I believe) Tamara Saviano about Guy Clark’s condition:

I’m sorry this update didn’t come sooner but this is as quick as I could get to it. Many of you have seen the news stories about Guy collapsing at the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame event last night. The trip from Nashville was rough on him and he did indeed get sick and have to be taken by ambulance to the hospital. His Austin doctor was on top of things and they did a battery of tests and kept him overnight. The last I heard he was doing much better and they were releasing him from the hospital. His vitals are good and the MRI showed no stroke or any such event. I have not seen him since he collapsed as I had to fly to Phoenix this morning to visit my mother. Guy’s sisters are with him in Austin, as is his caretaker Joy along with his long time doctor so I know he is in good hands.

It’s a shame that Guy missed the tribute to him. It was lovely. Lyle Lovett sang “Step Inside This House” and “Anyhow I Love You” and presented the award (and, as it turns out, also accepted on Guy’s behalf). Jason Isbell sang “Desperados Waiting For A Train” and “Black Diamond Strings.” I’m sure Guy is disappointed to have missed it.

This story will be updated when further information is available.