A musician’s passion often transcends life’s challenges, and Tony Romaine’s journey is a testament to this. Despite suffering a debilitating stroke, the Inverness-based artist defied the odds to continue playing the guitar—this time, one-handed.
As reported by the BBC, Tony’s life took a dramatic turn in 2022. He had been feeling unwell but pushed through to perform two shows in Inverness, a city where he had been a regular performer for years. However, his condition worsened after the gigs.
“The day after the gig, I took a rest day. I was sitting on the couch, ordering a takeaway. By the time it arrived, I struggled to move but thought I was just tired. I never imagined it could be a stroke,” Tony recalled.
Later that night, as his family went to bed, Tony’s condition deteriorated further. “I decided to stay up longer, but then I lay down and couldn’t move at all. When I tried to call for help, I realized I couldn’t speak. I lay awake all night, wondering, ‘What is happening?'”
The next morning, his wife Lynn discovered him in this alarming state and immediately called an ambulance. Doctors determined a clot in his brain stem had caused the stroke, but they were unable to break it up.
“My family was told that I might not make it through the night,” Tony shared. “I was struggling to breathe, with tubes everywhere.”
Tony spent weeks in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness before transferring to RNI Community Hospital for five months of intensive rehabilitation. The focus was initially on helping him regain basic abilities, like sitting up and walking. But even during his early recovery, Tony’s mind was on his music.
“The first thing the physiotherapist wanted was for me to sit up,” Tony recounted. “I told her, ‘I don’t know how to do that.’ With her help, I managed to sit on the edge of the bed. That was the start. But honestly, from day one in the hospital, I was thinking about how to play music again.”
Though initially unable to swallow or use his left arm and hand, Tony’s determination to return to the guitar never wavered. “I couldn’t imagine my life without music. When people said I might never play again, I didn’t listen. I thought, ‘I’ll prove them wrong.’”
Drawing inspiration from Edwyn Collins, the former Orange Juice vocalist who resumed his music career after a stroke, Tony began exploring ways to play guitar one-handed. “I had no idea how to do it. It’s not like there’s a guitar teacher for this situation. But once I figured out some techniques, it was just a matter of practice.”
Tony re-learned old songs and even wrote new material. After two years, he made a triumphant return to the stage, performing a 30-minute set at the Rose Street Foundry in Inverness.
“I was completely exhausted,” he admitted. “At the end, I stood up from my wheelchair, and my legs were shaking. But my stamina is improving—I’m aiming to do two 45-minute sets at future gigs.”
Now, Tony uses his music to support charitable causes. He plans to perform to raise funds for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, which played a significant role in his rehabilitation, and The Oxygen Works charity in Inverness.
Reflecting on his experience, Tony shared a message of hope: “When I was in the hospital, I saw people who had given up, and it broke my heart. I understand—it’s a terrible thing to go through. But I want people to know you can overcome it. Don’t give up.”
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