Paul Rodgers suffered a severe health crisis some years ago, which almost left him unable to talk and sing.
The legendary singer, aged now 73 years old, discussed his health issues during an interview which aired on “CBS Mornings”. Rodgers said that he suffered 11 minor strokes and two major strokes — one in 2016 and another in October 2019 — several years ago.
Rodgers said: “I couldn’t do anything, to be honest. 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?'”.
Rodgers underwent an endarterectomy, a procedure to remove plaque clogging a carotid artery, which posed a considerable risk to his vocal cords.
And he explained: “They cut the neck, and [the doctor] said that he was very careful because he knew I was a singer and that when you cut the neck, it’s very close to the vocal cords. They told me, they were very clear, ‘You may not come out of this alive”. It took Rodgers six months after the surgery to return to playing the guitar and singing. “Each thing was a step forward,” he explained. “Each thing that I did was an achievement … ‘Oh, I can do this. I can sing,'”.
Paul Rodgers’ latest album was released some days ago (September 22nd, 2023). It is titled “Midnight Rose”.
