Paul Rodgers Opens Up About Series of 13 Strokes That Left Him Unable to Speak

Jon Hadusek
·2 min read

The post Paul Rodgers Opens Up About Series of 13 Strokes That Left Him Unable to Speak appeared first on Consequence.

Paul Rodgers, the legendary frontman of Free and Bad Company, has opened up about a health crisis that nearly left him unable to sing or even speak.

In a new interview with CBS News, Rodgers said that he suffered a series of 13 strokes, 11 minor and two major, in recent years. The first major stroke occurred in 2016 and another followed in 2019, resulting in surgery. He temporarily lost the ability articulate at the time, putting his life-long career as a vocalist in jeopardy.

“I couldn’t do anything to be honest,” Rodgers said, revealing his health issues publicly for the first time. “I couldn’t speak. That was the very strange thing. You know, I’d prepare something in my mind and I’d say it, but that isn’t what came out and I’d go, ‘What the heck did I just say?'”

During surgery, doctors performed an endarterectomy to remove plaque clogging a carotid artery. The procedure posed a serious risk to Rodgers’ vocal cords — and his life — but thankfully all went well. The surgeons even played some of Rodgers’ music during the operation.

“They told me, they’re very clear, ‘You may not come out of this alive.’ And I said, ‘Oh, well, that’s a plus, isn’t it?'” Rodgers said. “And when I woke up, I opened my eyes, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m still here.'”

Added his wife Cynthia Kereluk Rodgers on the crisis, “I was just praying. All I wanted to be able to do was walk and talk with him again. That’s all I asked for.”

Following the surgery, Rodgers’ facilities returned slowly through rehabilitation. By six months, he was able to play guitar and sing again.

“Each thing was a step forward,” he said. “Each thing that I did was an achievement … ‘Oh, I can do this. I can sing.'”

It was a year and a half ago when Rodgers entered a studio in Vancouver to record his new album, Midnight Rose, which dropped last Friday (September 22nd). The 73-year-old singer is in fine form across the LP’s eight hard bluesy tracks, with his iconic voice front and center.

Watch Paul Rodgers’ interview with CBS below, followed by the music video for his new single Living It Up” below. Pick up a copy of the new album on vinyl here.

Paul Rodgers Opens Up About Series of 13 Strokes That Left Him Unable to Speak
Jon Hadusek

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