Stevie Nicks is putting money behind the doctor she says helped protect her voice for years.
The singer has made a major donation to support an endowed chair in otolaryngology at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, honouring Dr Joseph Sugerman, a Beverly Hills ear, nose and throat specialist who has treated Nicks and other performers and patients for many years.
“Through late nights on the road, years of touring, hours in the recording studio, I always knew I could count on Dr Sugerman to be there to help keep my voice healthy, just as he does for his other patients,” Nicks, 78, said in a statement. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to acknowledge his talent and insights and mark his many years of outstanding practice.”
The position will be called the Stevie Nicks and Joseph Sugerman, MD, Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology. USC said it recognises Sugerman’s long career in the field.
According to the university, Sugerman is a USC graduate and longtime faculty member who has spent nearly 50 years in practice. University officials said Nicks’ gift helped the fundraising effort for the endowed chair reach its target. Additional support came from several foundations and individual contributors.
“I am touched and humbled by the support of my patients who have extended themselves to create this endowed chair, which will be dedicated to advancing vocal medicine,” Sugerman said in the university’s announcement.
After completing his internship and residency at USC, Sugerman joined a Beverly Hills otolaryngology practice known for caring for singers and entertainers. Officials said he has also held an adjunct faculty role in USC’s otolaryngology department.
USC said the first recipient of the endowed chair will be Dr Michael M Johns, who leads the USC Voice Center and is regarded by the university as “a world-class expert in professional voice care”.
The centre treats patients with voice, airway and swallowing disorders, and runs clinics across the Los Angeles area.
Nicks’ ties to USC go back to 1979, when Fleetwood Mac invited the university’s marching band to take part in the recording of Tusk at Dodger Stadium.
In 2020, Nicks told the Guardian how seriously she took protecting her voice and said she feared catching Covid-19 during the pandemic could damage her vocals.
“It would kill me,” the Grammy winner said, when asked what it would mean for her to stop singing. “It isn’t just singing; it’s that I would never perform again, that I would never dance across the stages of the world again.”
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