Former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick has shared an encouraging update on his health following a recent open-heart operation. On Sunday, May 3, the 72-year-old musician reached out to fans on social media to detail his recovery process, marking his twelfth day post-surgery.
“My recent open-heart surgery and 8 days in the hospital were hard to experience. Being home now with [my wife] Lisa to recover is day by day. Happily, I do feel the slow improvements, and the process takes a long time,” Kulick wrote.
He went on to explain the specific medical condition that necessitated the procedure, emphasizing that taking preventative action was crucial for his long-term health.
“A birth defect in my aortic valve (bicuspid) was becoming nearly ‘critical’ from severe stenosis. Taking care of the valve before a life threatening heart event happens in order to live long was the right choice. Ignoring it would have been foolish and dangerous,” he explained.
Looking toward the future, the guitarist expressed a strong desire to return to his craft, while praising his wife for her continuous care.
“I have much more music and many more moments to experience in my life. So now is the time to heal from my surgery and I view this is as my primary goal treating it with dedication and strength, along with my loving wife Lisa who has been beyond incredible to me. I am blessed to have her,” he shared.
“For those of you that have reached out to me and shared support, it means much more than you can ever imagine. Keep the good thoughts and prayers coming. It’s inspiration for me as I go on this difficult journey,” Bruce concluded.
Bruce Kulick initially announced that his operation was “a success” on April 25, taking a moment to thank his “heart surgeon and their fantastic staff for looking after me like a rockstar”. At the time, he noted that he was “on the road to recovery” and “taking it one step at a time”, while remaining extremely “grateful” for his wife Lisa and her “love and support”.
After some media outlets inaccurately reported the nature of his hospitalization, he firmly clarified that “this was NOT emergency surgery” and reiterated that “an aortic birth defect caused a valve to become a danger”.
According to the Mayo Clinic, heart valve surgery is utilized when one or more of the heart’s four valves fail to function properly, disrupting the necessary directional flow of blood.
Support has poured in from fans and peers alike, including his former Kiss bandmate Gene Simmons, who offered encouraging words on social media: “Go Bruce, Go. With Lisa by your side, you can lick anything. You know we’re all rooting for you. And can’t wait for you and Lisa to cook up a new batch of pancakes for all of us.”
Bruce Kulick joined Kiss in 1984 during the “Animalize” tour and served as the group’s lead guitarist for 12 years. His tenure concluded just prior to the band’s 1996 original lineup reunion tour. During his decade-plus run with the band, he performed on six studio albums and two live records. His era is heavily documented on the Kissology – Vol. 2 and Kissology – Vol. 3 DVD collections.
While he did not participate in the band’s farewell tours in 2000-2001 or 2019-2023—with Tommy Thayer occupying the lead guitar position since 2002, he has remained active in the community. In 2024, he launched a brand offering period-correct guitars inspired by his time in the group. He also performed at the “Kiss Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas” event from November 14 to November 16 last year and is currently scheduled to appear at the 2026 edition of the event
