Metal Drummer Suffers ‘Cardiac Event’ On Stage

Jimmy Chalfant, the long-playing drummer in ’80s metal favorites Kix, found himself in a scary situation recently after suffering a “cardiac event” on stage and collapsing following a drum solo.  According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the incident happened in Virginia after completing his finale solo on Nov. 18, with EMS and ambulance arriving minutes later. He had previously suffered a heart attack in Oct. 2021. The band has recently announced their final show this September, closing out their time on the road in their home state of Maryland.

“Kix drummer Jimmy Chalfant is awake, alert, resting comfortably and in good spirits in the hospital after collapsing towards the end of their performance at the Tally-Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia on night one of a two nights stint,” the band’s official statement read. “While clearly a cardiac event, it is unknown at this time whether or not Jimmy actually suffered a heart attack.”

Medical tests were attempting to determine what might’ve been the real cause behind the incident, attempting to confirm what happened. Fans of the band quickly let the well-wishes flow in, thanking fans to close the statement. “Kix appreciates the outpouring of love and concern for Jimmy and thank everyone for their courteous understanding in the matter.”

Guitarist Bob Pare shared an update to “avoid any misinformation” on Saturday morning. “We left the hospital around 2 am. He was awake, talking, even joking a bit, and his vitals were good. He is currently in the best hands possible,” Pare wrote on Facebook. “Without a doubt, it was a very dire, scary, and serious situation. No further details are known at this time. Please keep both Jim and Cathy in your prayers.”

The band postponed their second night in Leesburg, with their next scheduled performance coming on Nov. 25 and more plotted out through May 2023. No update on those shows has dropped as of publication. Chalfant has been with Kix since the year after its inception, playing together until breaking up in 1996, playing together as Funny Money for a while before finally reuniting as Kix in 2003.

When Chalfant was sidelined by his heart attack in 2021, the band continued on with stand-in drummers. It’s unclear if they will do the same this time around, but here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.