David Cassidy has revealed he is suffering from laryngitis on top of dementia.
The 66-year-old pop legend performed with his band at their final concert at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Manhattan on Saturday (04.03.17), and before singing his debut single ‘I Think I Love You’, he told the crowd he’d like to be remembered as the person who brought "light and love" to his fans, whilst also sharing he’s suffering with inflammation of the voice box.
He told the crowd: "I’m not sure if it was Dr. Phil or someone recently asked me, ‘What do you want your legacy to be?’
"I guess the fact that everything I’ve done in my life was to bring light and love into all of the world that I was able to touch because you gave it back to me a 100k times.
"So this. Also long as I have breath left in my body – ignoring my laryngitis, I’m going to sing this song for the rest of my life. And it is something that I treasure, I know many of you do as well, it had such an impact on my life. I don’t know how to describe it."
David previously insisted he "certainly wasn’t intoxicated" when he was seen falling offstage during a gig last month and doesn’t like going out as much now as he worries people will get the wrong end of the stick.
Speaking to Dr. Phil McGraw, he previously said: "When friends of yours or family members begin to say to you, ‘Remember, I just told you this two days ago,’ and there’s no memory of it, that’s when I began to be very concerned.
"I certainly wasn’t intoxicated, and it has nothing to do with why I’m leaving [the industry]. Certainly, my dementia has contributed to the reason why I don’t want to go out, and I don’t want to hear, ‘Well, he looked like he was drunk.’ … I wasn’t."
David opened up about his battle with dementia, a condition which is marked by memory disorders and personality changes, and the struggle of witnessing his own mother Evelyn Ward "disappear" into dementia until her death at the age of 89.
He said: "I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming … I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I’ve been without any distractions. I want to love. I want to enjoy life …
"In the end, the only way I knew she [his mother] recognised me is with one single tear that would drop from her eye every time I walked into the room. … I feared I would end up that way."
David has struggled with substance abuse in the past and did a stint in rehab in 2014 to help him deal with his demons, most likely prompted by when he was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in November 2010 and again in August 2013 and January 2014.
David Cassidy battles through laryngitis at last concert
