Legendary Guitarist Steve Morse Opens Up About Battling Arthritis: "Don't Give Up While You've Still Got a Breath"
Legendary Guitarist Steve Morse Opens Up About Battling Arthritis: "Don't Give Up While You've Still Got a Breath"
Anaheim, California – March 7, 2026 – At the recent NAMM Show, iconic guitarist Steve Morse, best known for his work with Deep Purple and The Dixie Dregs, gave a candid interview to American Musical Supply, revealing the profound impact arthritis continues to have on his playing at age 71.
Morse, who first publicly discussed the severity of his condition in 2024—explaining that decades of intense practice ("about 10,000 notes a day") had worn away all cartilage in his right-hand wrist—described the daily challenges and his unwavering determination to keep performing."It's hard to keep playing," Morse told the outlet. "The arthritis thing is huge. I've tried every treatment I can find. In fact, I've got another trip a thousand miles away to try something else. So, yeah, I changed my technique, changed my picking pattern, changed everything that I can to make it through whatever the challenge is."
He acknowledged the frustration this might cause for younger musicians, but emphasized that he's carving his own path rather than blocking opportunities. "This must be so frustrating, if you are a young player... to hear an older guy who's taking up one of the gigs you could be having," he said. "But fear not, I'm not taking anybody's place because I'm doing my own thing."
Drawing inspiration from remarkable figures in music history, Morse recalled seeing a bass player from the band Hydra perform with an amputated arm as a young fan in Atlanta. He also cited the late blind guitarist Jeff Healey, who developed his own innovative techniques. "Humans adapt," Morse reflected. "I've learned a lot from watching things on the farm, watching the ants... The persistence of animals counts, and insects. They keep on and on and on and they find a way. But they never stop. I guess that's one of my big lessons, is don't give up while you've still got a breath."
In a prior interview last October, Morse detailed the constant adjustments required during live shows, including shifting picking angles and hand positions mid-set to manage varying pain levels in his joints. "During the show tonight, I'll be changing positions constantly," he explained. "You have to really, really, really want to play, to deal with the advance of arthritis."
Looking to the future, Morse expressed uncertainty about his long-term ability to tour rigorously. "I don't know what's going to happen. When I wake up, am I going to be able to move my hand or not? I don't know," he said. "So far, I have been able to [and] make every gig. I think my time of doing the performance grind is closing. That window is closing." However, he remains optimistic about composing, writing music, and possibly performing in less demanding formats with support from other musicians.
Morse's storied career spans decades, beginning in the mid-1970s with the jazz-rock fusion of The Dixie Dregs, which earned multiple Grammy nominations. He later formed the Steve Morse Band, joined Kansas, and became a member of Deep Purple in 1994—serving as their longest-tenured guitarist until his departure in 2022 to care for his wife, who passed away in 2024. Throughout, he contributed to projects like G3, Flying Colors, Living Loud, and Angelfire, showcasing his extraordinary versatility.
Despite the physical toll, Morse's interview underscores a resilient spirit and a deep love for the instrument that has defined his life.
