NO HEARTBEAT

Country Music Star Phil Vassar Reveals the Shocking Details of How He Died Twice

The singer did 100 shows in 2023 before he says he “croaked” from both a heart attack and a stroke.

Country music star Phil Vassar revealed Thursday that he was dead for 30 minutes two different times in 2023. “​​I dropped dead,” Vassar confessed. “No heartbeat. No heartbeat at all.” The singer, who won an Emmy Award for a live performance on the Today show, did 100 shows in 2023 before the fast pace of tour life made him suffer from both a heart attack and a stroke, just days apart. The singer told Taste of Country radio that he doesn’t remember what it was like to be dead, nor does he remember doing a Christmas tour with fellow country artist Deana Carter right before he had the heart attack. Vassar said he and Carter were at his house when his heart started faltering, prompting her to call 911 and administer CPR while waiting for medics to arrive. “If I hadn’t been with somebody,” Vassar said before trailing off without completing his sentence. “Thank goodness for medicine,” he said. Vassar is back on the road again for his Hits and Heroes Tour, but said he wasn’t pushing himself anywhere near as hard as he was last year. “I love singing,” the country artist said. “I appreciate it more, I can tell you that.”