Paul Rodgers Nearly Lost His Voice From Multiple Strokes

09-27-2023

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For the first time, Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers spoke about the two major and 11 minor strokes he had that nearly took away his ability to sing, during an exclusive interview with CBS Mornings.

He and his wife, Cynthia, told senior culture and senior national correspondent Anthony Mason why his new album is "a miracle" and how music helped him heal.

The show sent over the following highlights from the interview, which can be viewed in full via The CBS Mornings X (formally Twitter) page here.

ON SUFFERING SEVERAL STROKES
MASON: "Was there a point at which you actually couldn't sing?"
RODGERS: "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?"
MASON: "How bad was this?"
CYNTHIA RODGERS: "11 minor strokes and two major strokes."

THE RISK OF UNDERGOING SURGERY
MASON: "Did you know going in what the risks were of that surgery?"
RODGERS: "Yes, I did. 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: "So, it was like fingers crossed, you know?"
MASON: "Yeah."
RODGERS: "And when I woke up, I opened my eyes, I thought, 'Oh, I'm still here.'"

THE RECOVERY PROCESS
CYNTHIA RODGERS: " I would bring the guitar out in its case -- and I'd put the lid up and he'd walk by and he'd put the lid down. And this went on for a few weeks."
RODGERS: "I don't -- I don't remember that at all."
CYNTHIA RODGERS: "I know you don't, love."
MASON: "You were trying to coax him?"
CYNTHIA RODGERS: "I thought that music would be his -- his way back"
RODGERS: "And it was, actually. It definitely was."