Ross “The Boss” Friedman has revealed that he is battling ALS.
The 72-year-old guitarist—who is a founding member of the rock band the Dictators and the heavy metal band Manowar—was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after suffering from a variety of symptoms for months.
“It’s difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar, but the outpouring of love has been so, so strong,” Friedman said in a Monday, February 9, statement. “I’m absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all.”
Per a statement from his publicist, Friedman learned of his diagnosis after experiencing “seemingly unrelated symptoms,” including weakness in his hands and legs, for “several months.” He initially thought his issues were caused by a “series of very minor strokes,” but “changes in diet, exercise and added physical therapy did nothing to slow the progression or increase his strength.”
? SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox ?
ALS—which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease—is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms gets worse over time, and there is no cure for the fatal disease.
Friedman co-founded the Dictators alongside Andy “Adny” Shernoff and Scott “Top Ten” Kempner in New York City in 1972. The punk rock pioneers’ most successful album during Friedman’s stint as lead guitarist was 1977’s Manifest Destiny.
In 1980, Friedman and Joey DeMaio formed Manowar. Friedman played with the heavy metal band throughout the decade, releasing six albums with the group. Manowar’s 1984 record, Hail to England, was ranked as one of Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest metal albums of all time.
Throughout his career, Friedman played with several bands, including the Ross the Boss band, Shakin’ Street, Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom, the Spinatras, Brain Surgeons and Death Dealer.
Friedman was inducted into the Metal Hall of Fame in 2017.
Prior to publicly revealing his ALS diagnosis, Friedman was still touring as he posted a peek at his life on the road in a May 2025 Instagram post.
“The RTB Band has been busy!” he wrote at the time. “First we destroyed the Epic Fest in Rosgilde Denmark the three killer shows in Turkey the four amazing shows in Australia.”
Hence then, the article about rock legend diagnosed with als it crushes me not to be able to play was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Rock Legend Diagnosed With ALS: ‘It Crushes Me Not to Be Able to Play’ )
Also on site :
- Europe’s cyber agency blames hacking gangs for massive data breach and leak
- AI companies are building huge natural gas plants to power data centers. What could go wrong?
- The Trump Dictatorship Is Cracking Up