Glastonbury star Rod Stewart nearly quit career after terrifying health ordeal
Sir Rod Stewart said he nearly quit his music career after experiencing throat cancer. Sir Rod, 80, was asked by BBC radio hosts Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw about whether there was a time he wanted to quit.
In response, Sir Rod admitted that it was when he had throat cancer that he seriously considered quitting or stopping for a while.
He explained: "I think when I had the throat cancer, that was a point where I thought 'I've had it now' because once I had that done the voice completely went because they cut through your neck with a knife and of course all the muscle memory is destroyed
'So you forget how to sing, you almost forget how to talk so I had to teach myself all again how to sing and there's one point I thought 'Can't do this'. I just kept going through and through it.'
When asked whether he was worried he might never get his voice back, Sir Rod was equally frank. He said: 'Yeah. What was I going to do? What am I going to do?...Bit by bit it just came back.'
Sir Rod survived thyroid cancer and underwent throat surgery in 2000, an experience which he has said caused memory loss. He told BBC Radio 5 Live in 2021 about how the surgery made him feel.
He said: "[It made me feel] vulnerable I suppose. I knew going into the operation it might be difficult coming back because they cut all the way through my neck.
"I am sure there's a better way of doing it now with keyhole surgery. But of course you suffer memory loss, so you almost forget how to sing."
(Image: Getty)
This isn't the first time Sir Rod has spoken about his health in recent weeks. Ahead of his appearance at Glastonbury last month, he told Radio Times he was looking forward to the performance after a series of cancellations due to ill health.
He told the publication: "I'm really looking forward to it. And it is a different gig, it's like when you're playing a cup final you're trying to treat it like another game.
'But, of course, it's not. It's special. It'll be glamorous, it'll be sexy. And we've got a little orchestra coming on to play with us. And we may have some bagpipes.'
Sir Rod's health setbacks related to Sir Rod's recovery from Covid-19 and a case of strep throat which left the star gutted when he was unable to perform at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
He has also spoken to the Times about the cautionary measures he takes now he is in his eighties and how he prepares for each on-stage display.
Sir Rod explained: "The older you get, you've really got to look after it. Plenty of water, plenty of sleep, and if you feel like the voice is not so good, silence. Before a gig. I have a sign up for eight hours that says: 'Can't talk today.' It works miracles.
'Other rock stars have used steroids, which is a trap because it shrinks the vocal cords and you sing like a bird, but you can't keep doing that. Now their careers are finished.'
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