Paul Rodgers unveils longtime secret on television

Rockstar Paul Rodgers shares his long-held secret that puts his entire career in danger: 11 minor strokes.

Opening up on his previous severe health conditions that detached his vocal cords, the Free and Bad Company frontman told CBS Morning, "I couldn't do anything, to be honest," he continued. "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?'"

The legendary rocker’s wife, Cynthia Kereluk Rodgers, chimed in about his "terrifying" condition, adding, "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."

Experiencing a major stroke in 2016 and 2019, respectively, the All Right Now singer revealed the surgery involved the area, which has put a sharp risk to his voice ability.

"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?'" he noted. "And when I woke up, I opened my eyes, I thought, 'Oh, I'm still here,'" the 73-year-old said.

Meanwhile, Paul has a rich career, spanning five decades in music making, and in the process influenced rock genres and singers.