Hours later, the 37-year-old artist issued an emotional apology on Instagram, admitting struggles with alcohol, anxiety, and depression while vowing to seek help.

Country music fans at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds in upstate New York were left stunned Saturday night when singer-songwriter Bryan Martin was forcibly removed from the stage after displaying what authorities described as “signs of intoxication and erratic behavior.”

The 37-year-old artist, best known for songs like “Wolves Cry” and “Wishbone,” was in the middle of his set when the situation spiraled into chaos, ending with deputies and event staff carrying him away in front of a shocked audience.

According to the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, Martin became resistant when staff initially tried to help him offstage.

“Deputies and event staff attempted to assist Mr. Martin offstage, but due to his impaired state, he became resistant and had to be forcibly escorted out,” read a statement posted by the sheriff’s office.

Fan-recorded videos from the concert show Martin shouting as officers approached, with several deputies eventually lifting him off his feet and removing him from the fairgrounds.

The disturbing moment quickly spread across social media, where fans expressed a mix of disappointment, anger, and concern.

For Martin, whose raw and deeply personal lyrics about struggle and redemption have earned him a loyal following, the public unraveling seemed tragically aligned with the very themes he sings about.

Hours later, Martin took to Instagram to apologize in a lengthy and emotional post. “Sorry I let y’all down tonight… truth is I’m not ok,” he admitted.

“Been hitting it hard for a while and haven’t took time to be honest with myself about my mental health and it’s nothing new to struggle with my anxiety and depression.”

He revealed that the pressures of life on the road, combined with missing his children while touring, had taken a heavy toll.

“I’ve had a weight on my heart lately that’s been heavy and accumulating with time and I let myself and my fans down by not addressing them and getting help and pretending it was all gonna just go away,” he wrote.

In the same message, Martin acknowledged his ongoing battle with alcohol, telling his nearly 60,000 followers:

“I’m not ever proud when I reach for another drink… hope y’all can find it in you to forgive me and hope I can be a better version of myself with some prayer and love. And I appreciate y’all believing in a broken old soul like me.”

The sheriff’s office later re-shared Martin’s statement on its own social media page, reframing the night’s events not as a spectacle but as a cry for help.

Sheriff Kyle Bourgault praised his deputies for handling the situation without injury but stressed that the bigger issue lay with Martin’s personal struggles. “The larger issue is not the resistance we encountered — it is the battle Mr. Martin himself is facing.

Addiction is a disease, and it requires both accountability and empathy,” Bourgault said. “My hope is that Mr. Martin receives the resources and support he needs to overcome this struggle and continue to share his gift of music with fans in a healthier way.”

Martin, a Louisiana native, has built his reputation as one of country music’s most authentic voices in recent years.

His breakout hit “Wolves Cry” struck a chord with listeners for its gritty depiction of resilience and pain, while songs like “We Ride” and “Things You Didn’t Know” have further cemented his identity as a singer unafraid to wear his scars on his sleeve.

He has often spoken about his blue-collar upbringing and his time working in the oil fields before pursuing music full-time, saying that those years shaped the honesty in his songwriting.

Saturday’s incident, however, cast a shadow over his “Years In The Making Tour,” which is scheduled to run through November 8.

According to his official website, Martin’s next performance is slated for Friday in Montgomery, Indiana, followed by a show in Saginaw, Michigan on September 6.

As of Monday, neither Martin nor his management has indicated whether those dates will go forward as planned, though his social media posts suggest he intends to keep making music while seeking help for his personal battles.

Fans flooded Martin’s Instagram with messages of support after his apology, encouraging him to prioritize his health over the tour.

One wrote, “We’d rather wait for you to get better than watch you destroy yourself on stage.” Another said, “Your music has helped so many of us through our struggles, now it’s time for us to help you.”

Martin’s confession comes amid a larger conversation about mental health and addiction within the music industry, particularly in country music, where themes of drinking and heartache are often romanticized.

Several artists, including Morgan Wallen and Justin Moore, have publicly shared their own battles with substance abuse in recent years, sparking discussions about the pressures of fame, relentless touring schedules, and the toll of personal loss.

For Martin, the weekend’s meltdown may mark a turning point. In his apology, he wrote of leaning on his faith as he seeks recovery:

“Lately I’ve learned I let my fragile mind override my heart at times and tonight it got the best of me… I apologize for the bad days… but I’m grateful for the countless good nights we’ve shared this year.”

The Schaghticoke Fair incident, though humiliating, may ultimately provide Martin with the push he needs to get help.

Sheriff Bourgault’s comments echoed what many fans have already expressed: that the singer’s talent is undeniable, but it can only be sustained if his health comes first.

As the country music world watches what happens next, Martin’s story has become another reminder of the fine line between stage lights and personal darkness.

For a man whose songs often sound like confessions, Saturday night’s collapse was less a scandal than a sobering illustration of how much truth there is behind his music.

Whether Bryan Martin can transform this moment of crisis into a chance for healing remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: his fans, and even the authorities who removed him from the stage, are rooting for him to find redemption.