HOME / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Is Paul Rodgers OK? Bad Company singer reportedly facing health challenges: 'I couldn't speak'

'I couldn't do anything to be honest,' Paul Rodgers said, adding, 'That was the very strange thing'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Paul Rodgers said in an interview with CBS Mornings, which aired on September 27, that he suffered two major and 11 minor strokes in the last few years, which almost rendered him unable to sing. 

It appears to be the first time the 73-year-old British-Canadian musician has spoken publicly about his health issues.

"I couldn't do anything to be honest… I couldn't speak," Rodgers stated. "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?'" he recalled.

What happened to Paul Rodgers?

Cynthia Kereluk Rodgers, his wife, claimed the first stroke occurred in 2016 and the second in October 2019, forcing him to have significant surgery.

She described it as horrifying, but she didn't have time to address her emotions because it would interfere with his process of recovery.

"I was just praying. All I wanted to do was just walk and talk with him again," she stated. "That's all I asked for."

According to 'CBS Mornings,' Rodgers' doctor advised him to have an endarterectomy, which involves removing plaque from an artery that has become damaged. 

"And when I woke up, I opened my eyes, I thought 'Oh, I'm still here,'" he stated.

How long did Paul Rodgers take to recover?

His recovery was gradual, and it took him six months to be able to play the guitar once more. Rodgers claimed that every action he took felt like an "achievement."

Rodgers went back to the Vancouver recording studio and started a new album. This month, he made his first solo album in decades with the release of 'Midnight Rose' on Sun Records.

The song, according to Rodgers' wife, would be his comeback. "And it was, actually," the singer said. "It definitely was."

Fans call Paul Rodgers an 'incredible survivor'

The people on X, formally known as Twitter quickly reacted with one tweeting, "What a scary yet hopeful & emotional story. Way to go, Paul!"

Another user wrote, "I never knew that... incredible survival." 

"He's a real treasure to our community in the Palm Springs area. Wonderful story. So glad he's back!" noted one person.

One individual who claimed to be Rodger's fan mentioned, "Aahhh.. so glad he’s coming back from his 11 strokes.. ??? he is a world treasure, love his voice and style.. one of my faves keep getting better Paul"

"So there are heavenly miracles after all, heavenly justice!" claimed another.

Why did Paul Rodgers quit Bad Company?

Paul Rodgers quit Bad Company in 1982 for a few reasons. He reportedly said he wanted to be with his little family. 

"There came a point when I felt the band and its commitments had completely overtaken my life," he once said, per UCR.

"I needed to get my feet on solid ground and spend some time watching my children grow. No one else had children at the time, so they could not comprehend what I was living or feeling."

Rodgers and Terry Thomas also found it exhausting to put in so much effort for Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke to only show their contempt in return.

He made the decision to quit the band as a result of these elements. Rodgers, however, did not quit his musical career, just the band.