Judas Priest’s Richie Faulkner Undergoes Second Heart Surgery

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner recently underwent additional heart surgery to repair part of an aortic graft that doctors used to help save his life last year. At the 2021 Louder Than Life Festival, the 42-year-old rocker experienced an aortic rupture onstage during Judas Priest’s performance. It required an initial emergency heart surgery.

Last month, after staying positive during recovery, Faulker went in for the second surgery after Judas Priest’s summer 2022 tour dates, as he outlined in a social media update on Tuesday (Sept. 27). He said he’ll be ready to start Priest’s U.S. tour with Queensryche next month.

See his full update near the bottom of this page.

Faulkner writes, “It’s crazy how one minute you’re listening to the crowd singing war pigs — everything normal, everything seemingly fine — the next it turns out that it was almost the last time I ever heard it. Unbeknownst to me there was stuff going on under the surface that was about to literally explode.”

He continues, “I’m fortunate and grateful to be here a year later typing this. My support system at home, the hospitals and of course from all you metal maniacs has been second to none and I thank you all.”

Faulkner adds, “I’m not completely out of the woods yet. Just before we toured Europe, scans showed a hole in one of the connections between the synthetic graft and my own aorta that was causing a leak. The blood from the leak was forming an 8cm sack that was surrounding my heart.”

He explains, “The doctors were okay for me to tour Europe, but as soon as I got back I had to go under again for another open-heart surgery. So 3 days after we played Belgium, they went in, removed the sack and fixed the leak. So I’m now six weeks post the 2nd open heart surgery, feeling well and strong.”

See Priest’s upcoming dates underneath Faulkner’s post.

Richie Faulkner Health Update – Sept. 27, 2022

Judas Priest + Queensryche Fall 2022 U.S. Tour Dates

Oct. 13 – Wallingford, Ct. @ Toyota Oakdale
Oct. 15 – Albany, N.Y. @ MVP Arena
Oct. 16 – Boston, Mass. @ MGM Music Hall
Oct. 18 – Uniondale, N.Y. @ Nassau Veterans
Oct. 19 – Wilkes-Barre, Pa. @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Oct. 21 – Kalamazoo, Mich. @ Wings Ctr
Oct. 22 – Detroit, Mich. @ Masonic
Oct. 24 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Brady Music Ctr
Oct. 25 – Waukegan, Ill. @ Genesee Theatre
Oct. 27 – Green Bay, Wis. @ Resch Theater
Oct. 29 – Moline, Ill. @ TaxSlayer Ctr
Oct. 30 – Mankato, Minn. @ Mayo Clinic Ctr
Nov. 1 – Sioux City, Iowa @ Tyson Ctr
Nov. 2 – Rapid City, S.D. @ Monument
Nov. 7 – Ontario, Calif. @ Toyota Ctr
Nov. 8 – Tucson, Ariz. @ TCC Arena
Nov. 10 – Loveland, Colo. @ Budweiser Ctr
Nov. 12 – Park City, Kan. @ Hartman Arena
Nov. 13 – St. Charles, Mo. @ Family Arena
Nov. 15 – Corbin, Ky. @ The Corbin Arena
Nov. 17 – Southaven, Miss. @ Landers Ctr
Nov. 18 – Baton Rouge, La. @ River Ctr
Nov. 20 – Oklahoma City, Okla. @ Paycom Ctr
Nov. 22 – San Antonio, Texas @ Tech Port
Nov. 23 – San Antonio, Texas @ Tech Port
Nov. 25 – Dallas, Texas @ The Factory
Nov. 26 – Corpus Christi, Texas @ Concrete St.
Nov. 28 – Edinburg, Texas @ Burt Ogden Arena
Nov. 29 – Houston, Texas @ 713 Music Hall