Phil Vassar has no plans on quitting track, even after his center just about give up on him.
The singer-songwriter has been give a 2nd likelihood on existence—and track—only a 12 months and a part after each a center assault and stroke led to his center to prevent beating for just about half-hour. He survived demise two times on Feb. 4, 2023. Lately Vassar plans on taking advantage of this nation track 2nd act.
“Medical doctors instructed me I will have to no longer be right here,” Vassar says. “They stated I used to be in a share of beneath 1%. The truth that [I’m] right here and feature any cognitive skill to stroll round and do all these things, it’s a miracle. So I’m very blessed.”
Vassar has had a blessed profession that started after school in Virginia en path to Nashville within the mid Eighties. His résumé contains just about a dozen No.1 singles and 27 most sensible 40 hits over a Nashville profession that started within the past due ‘90s. He’s additionally has simply launched a brand new unmarried, “Like a Guy’s Meant To,” he co-wrote with longtime pal and collaborator Jeffrey Steele.
As an award-winning songwriter, Vassar’s additionally whipped up hits for superstars comparable to Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Alan Jackson. Again in 1998, Vassar wrote “I’m Alright” which singer Jo Dee Messina became a No. 1 hit.
Just about 30 years later, he tune’s name may just function the theme to the nation track veteran’s 2nd act in existence.
“My head’s transparent, and I sing higher now than I’ve sung all my existence,” Vassar says. “It’s only a subject of having available in the market and stepping into higher form. I’ve more or less been doing that now for a number of months and getting again to traveling subsequent 12 months.”
Earlier than embarking on his a success profession in Nashville, Vassar excelled athletically on the collegiate stage in monitor and box. Up till this fresh well being scare, Vassar says he used to be nonetheless practicing moderately onerous and heavy. Understanding, in step with Vassar, used to be intended to be a part of his are compatible plan to lend a hand save you critical problems comparable to his center assault and stroke. Then again, regardless of the seriousness of his situation, staying in moderately just right form he thinks may just’ve what saved him alive, and protecting him shifting ahead as of late.
Even if the incident came about in early 2023, Vassar only recently spread out completely about each the guts assault and stroke right through an interview with A Style of Nation.
Some components of his nation muscle regimen were toned down because the center assault and stroke. As an alternative of hitting the burden room or operating like his school days, Vassar’s wellness program is extra reliant on lengthy enjoyable hikes. It’s serving to him proceed his quest to nonetheless make track at age 62, and carry out in entrance of packed properties all the way through the rustic like he’s right through his present Hits & Heroes excursion.
“I used to be all the time an excessively bodily man,” he says. “All the way through my presentations, I beloved leaping up and down off and doing flips and handstands. One day, when you’ve got to prevent doing that since you’ll finally end up at the ground and that’s embarrassing. But it surely’s been nice.”
Phil Vassar Cheated Dying—Two times
Rather then what docs instructed him following his well being scare, Vassar has 0 recollection of any of the main points of Feb. 4, 2023, together with his 30-minute date with demise. “Everyone requested me, ‘Did you spot the rest? Did you spot Elvis?’” he says. “And truthfully, I don’t be mindful any of it.”
What he does be mindful pondering, on the other hand, used to be that how can a former athlete who nonetheless labored out, ate moderately wholesome and drank moderately, all to be able to bulletproof himself from critical sickness will have came about.
“I ran and labored out on a daily basis and ate proper and the following factor I do know, I used to be in a wheelchair, asking, ‘What on the earth am I doing on this wheelchair?” Vassar recollects. “[Doctors] stated I had a center assault and a stroke. It used to be beautiful, beautiful irritating.”
Looking back, he says the caution indicators have been there, albeit refined, together with his father demise in his early 50s. Vassar needs he paid a bit of extra consideration to the “little problems,” he had encountered earlier than brushing them apart. He recollects struggling some bouts of what he known as acid reflux disorder or the days he moments catching his breath he would and brush apart. “That’s simply your frame telling you one thing’s incorrect,” he admits. “I most probably will have been on most sensible of the blood paintings and stuff higher,” he admits.
Probably the most telling signal he recollects, used to be struggling with excessive fatigue. It were given so dangerous every now and then, he says, that main as much as the guts assault his excursion supervisor must nearly pull him off the bed every now and then.
Nonetheless, the self-proclaimed health enthusiast attempted to make it to the gymnasium. “I had a horny wholesome routine, so I in fact I labored out and attempted to shake off the stuff out of me.”
Then on Feb. 4, whilst at house in Nashville, Vassar had suffered a center assault. After 911 won a choice, first responders arrived. With a purpose to be revived, he stated first responders needed to surprise him 11 a minimum of 11 occasions, which led to a number of cracked ribs. 3 days later whilst nonetheless on the sanatorium, Vassar suffered his stroke. This led to his center to prevent beating two times, for a complete of just about half-hour.
Vassar says that right through this time, docs had his arteries wiped clean out, which he attributes to his faster than anticipated restoration. From Nashville, Vassar used to be transferred to Atlanta’s Shepherd Heart, the place the “Six-Pack Summer season” singer underwent intense rehabilitation.
Vassar says the remedy started with a number of rounds of cognitive-type workouts to make sure his mind used to be functioning correctly. “That used to be most probably a just right factor,” he says.
Growth used to be gradual, he recollects. The primary steps towards bodily workout started by way of taking a couple of steps across the Atlanta facility. Brief strolls gradually became longer walks across the facility—as much as a number of miles an afternoon, he says. At the side of strolling, Vassar begun including basketball shootarounds as a part of this system.
Now he says, just about a 12 months and a part because the stroke, it’s the most productive he’s felt in many years.
“I admire the entire stuff [doctors] did.” Vassar says. “he says. “I think manner higher now. I believe I’m extra targeted now…however it took a bit of time to really feel standard once more.”
A Decathlete Mindset for Existence
Earlier than making gold data used to be even an concept, Vassar, like many different sports-obsessed children within the ‘70s, sought after to win a gold medal for america, like 1976 Olympic hero decathlete Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner).
“He used to be my hero,” Vassar says. “When he gained the gold medal and used to be at the Wheaties field, I revered what he did and the way onerous he needed to teach.”
Vassar first confirmed his toughness as a celeb operating again Brookeville Prime College in Lynchburg, VA. Like Jenner, on the other hand, monitor & box used to be his first interest. He used to be a two-time state champ (1979-80) within the leaping occasions. His good fortune ended in his resolution to pursue the decathlon at James Madison, the place he excelled earlier than leaving college early in 1985 when the fervour to pursue track was his obsession.
Vas will have left monitor & box early, however Vassar’s weight-training regimen caught with him all the way through his track profession. He boasts about just about hitting a 400-pound bench press—and has the struggle scars to turn out it. “I used to be benching within the higher 300s, that’s most probably why I tore my % muscle,” he admits now. “I used to be making an attempt so onerous to paintings onerous and really feel higher, I noticed I used to be most probably simply injuring myself extra.”
In 2014, the wear and tear and tear from his sports activities days mixed along with his top power nightly performances, wherein jumping off and on his piano used to be a part of the regimen, Vassar underwent two knee replacements. Inside 3 weeks, he says he used to be again on degree functioning at just about 100%. “Decathletes are a distinct breed,” he laughs.
This time, on the other hand, Vassar has needed to scale it again a bit of, and he’s OK with that. He now skips chest day and as an alternative opts for a extra enjoyable climbing and strolling regimen alongside the paths surrounding Nashville in Tennessee’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A just right exercise as of late features a cast hike for as much as 10 miles, which is spectacular for an artist who used to be lifeless for half-hour in 2023.
“It places you in a zone the place you’ll simply kind of center of attention on the rest and the entire international is going away,” he says. “And every now and then you’ll see a endure strolling by way of or the lakes and the fish. Being this just about nature makes me glad.”
Phil Vassar Isn’t In a position for a Curtain Name Simply But
Vassar’s latest tune “Like A Guy’s Meant To,” kicks off most likely the general leg of his lengthy and storied melody-making profession. The upbeat, saxophone heavy-collaboration arrives just about 1 / 4 century since his debut unmarried, “Carlene,” reached No. 5 at the Billboard charts in 2000 whilst that self-titled album went gold. The piano-playing singer-songwriter went on to ten No.1 singles together with most likely his most renowned “Simply Every other Day in Paradise.”
Taking a look again at his track good fortune, Vassar now realizes how temporarily a profession flies by way of—and after struggling with his near-fatal well being problems, how surprising it may well finish. He’s additionally needed to care for the losses of a few of his closest pals within the business, maximum significantly nation icons Toby Keith and Jimmy Buffet. On the identical time, different icons of the business comparable to Alan Jackson, Billy Joel and Elton John are remaining the curtains on their lengthy and mythical careers. He will have cheated demise as soon as—or in his case two times—however seeing track’s end line has transform a difficult truth.
“That crosses my thoughts on a daily basis,” he says. “Dropping Toby used to be a difficult factor. It used to be tricky to peer him undergo that. And Jimmy Buffett, I beloved that guy. And when you’ve got Billy Joel and Elton John retiring—two of my idols—you begin to notice you’re at the again finish of your profession.”
A center assault and stroke has given Vassar the time to mirror on a few of his early display biz shenanigans. Afterall, he says, he discovered the ropes from the heaviest hitters—and arguably toughest gamers of nation track—Merle Haggard, George Jones and Conway Twitty.
“George did all of it, however he used to be this type of just right guy, Vassar says. “They [all] stated, ‘Guy, simply take it simple for your frame, it’s the one frame you were given. And, what? Now that I’m getting up in age, I understand it used to be just right recommendation. I will have to have listened extra.”
Lately, Vassar appears at Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney as function fashions for longevity. As soon as he says, right through his athlete days, he would be capable of grasp with them within the weightroom. “I’ve numerous appreciate for the ones guys, he says. “They truly maintain themselves. They devour neatly, do the entire proper issues to simply stay that wholesome way of life.”
Now, after knee replacements, torn pecs, and naturally protecting a detailed watch on his center, Vassar will fortunately accept lengthy walks and hikes alongside the Blue Ridge Mountains or no matter path is close to his subsequent display venue. Then again, now that he’s been given a 2nd likelihood to step onstage and once more entertain audiences for 90-plus mins an evening, he’s major objective, for the remainder of this excursion and for the whole excursion he anticipates for 2025, is to take a step again and soak in, the pleasure of his profession.
“While you undergo one thing like this, you admire on a daily basis,” he says. “A large number of it were given clear of me. It used to be 25 years of blur, from doing data, recording albums and doing radio and movies. It used to be intense. Now I’m at some extent the place I will be able to simply be myself and play my songs and entertain. And I love that.”