Glenn Hughes, the former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath star, has undergone a successful open heart surgery this week.
In August 2026 he announced he was retiring from touring after nearly 60 years as a recording artist and performer.
Known to his fans as ‘The Voice Of Rock’, Hughes has sung lead vocals and played bass in an array of bands including Purple, Sabbath, Trapeze, Black Country Communion, California Breed and The Dead Daisies.
On 14 October Hughes revealed via Instagram: “Now home after an eight day stay, and a 10 hour open heart surgery, operation, at UCLA, Ronald Reagan, Medical Center. Gratitude beyond.”
Back in August, when he broke the news about his retirement from live performance, he stated: “This past year, I’ve had some health issues. The results from numerous MRIs, CT scans, and an echocardiogram have alerted my medical team, that I need another open-heart surgery. I really have no option and no choice as health is my number one priority.”
Sadly, a small percentage of Hughes’s followers posted negative messages following this announcement, to which Hughes replied: “99.9% of you understand my predicament, but a very small minority of you think it’s OK to joke, trying to get attention… [this] is not the way to live & breathe.”
He continued: “All my social networks have been a safe place, with a great camaraderie between myself and all of you. At this time in my life, I have lived and done it all musically, and have surrounded myself with family and friends, who are all on the same page. Be kind to one another…”
The last time Hughes performed live was on 1 August when he appeared with rock supergroup Kings Of Chaos at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California. That night he shared the stage with former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and current Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X as well as REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin and ex-Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum.
Of all the hundreds of performances in his long career, arguably the most iconic was on 6 April 1974 when Hughes was a member of Deep Purple. The band headlined the Californian Jam festival at Ontario Motor Speedway on Ontario, California. This show was co-headlined by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and drew an audience estimated at more than 300,000.
