Sir Rod Stewart, 81, is preparing for his final arena tour, "The Final Encore," celebrating a career spanning six decades. Ahead of hitting the road for the last time, Stewart discussed his health regimen and his continued enjoyment of wine with evening meals, a habit his wife, Penny Lancaster, has urged him to curb.
"Penny says, 'You must cut back, darling,'" Stewart told The Sun. "I only have a couple of glasses. But then, sometimes, I’ll get on the apple martinis and I can really knock those back."
Stewart explained that while he used to embrace a more carefree lifestyle in his twenties and thirties, often drinking and using substances before performing, his approach has changed. Now, he warms up for an hour, exercises like an athlete with regular cycling and swimming, and only has a rum and Coke after his third song.
He attributes his current vocal strength to this rigorous routine, stating, "I'm vocally better now than I've ever been." Stewart also revealed a meticulous approach to health, including wearing white gloves to avoid catching colds and the flu.
Stewart addressed a recent incident where he required oxygen on stage in Utah due to performing at high altitude shortly after recovering from bronchitis. He noted that if he had been informed about the altitude, he would have adjusted his performance strategy.
The singer announced earlier this year that "The Final Encore" tour would be his last. The 21-date European tour is scheduled to begin in Dublin on April 23 and conclude in Hannover, Germany, on July 24, with UK dates including Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, and London. He expressed gratitude to his fans for making his career possible and promised a memorable show.
Stewart had previously postponed dates on his "One Last Time" tour due to illness and subsequent heart surgery, which required a recovery period of at least four weeks.