Richie Faulkner, guitarist for Judas Priest — which Parade rightfully deems an “iconic ’70s band” — has faced more than one serious health battle. Despite that, he’s not only recovering, he’s also still playing music.
Getty“Fans of Judas Priest are getting a rare and honest update from guitarist Richie Faulkner, who is opening up about the serious health crisis that changed his life and how he continues to push forward,” according to Parade. For those who are unaware, “Faulkner survived a life-threatening heart condition and later a stroke that caused permanent brain damage.”
Richie First ‘Survived a Near-Fatal’ Emergency While Onstage
Faulkner recently sat down for an interview with “The Rock ‘n’ Blues Experience,” and took the opportunity to update his fans on his health.
For context, Parade explains that “[t]he 46-year-old musician survived a near-fatal aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection during a live performance in 2021. … The medical emergency happened onstage at the Louder Than Life festival in Kentucky. After the show, Faulkner underwent a 10-hour emergency surgery to replace parts of his aorta and heart valve. The procedure saved his life, but it marked the beginning of a long and difficult recovery.”
“I think it’s incredibly helpful. If your base is secure, you can build on that,” Faulkner said while referring to his family and how they contribute to his recovery. “At the end of the day, that’s your base and you can kind of retreat to that and everything’s fine.”
However, that’s not the only health emergency that Faulkner faced in a short amount of time.
Richie Found Out Months Later He Also Suffered a Stroke
Just a few months later, Faulkner “discovered he had suffered a stroke, initially thought to be a less severe condition, that left lasting damage to his brain,” per Parade. “This has affected movement on the right side of his body, including his guitar-playing hand.”
Although Judas Priest initially postponed tour dates after Faulkner’s health emergency, they eventually got back to the stage.
As for Faulkner, “[e]ven after facing life-threatening health issues,” he “remains active in music,” Parade notes. “He continues to perform with Judas Priest and … [d]espite lingering physical challenges, Faulkner continues to tour, record, and create new music” with his side project, Elegant Weapons. There’s no doub that “[h]is determination shows how deeply he values both his craft and his connection with fans.”
