For decades, **Jake E. Lee** has been celebrated as one of rock’s most unique and underrated guitarists. From his groundbreaking work with **Ozzy Osbourne** on *Bark at the Moon* and *The Ultimate Sin* to his blues-drenched riffs with **Badlands**, Lee carved a reputation as a guitarist who blended precision, speed, and raw emotion. But today, at 67, he is facing one of the greatest challenges of his career—not from industry pressures or creative droughts, but from his own body. Arthritis, he revealed in a recent interview, has forced him to completely rethink how he approaches the guitar.
It’s Bone on Bone”
Lee did not hold back in describing the severity of his condition. “The cartilage is basically gone,” he admitted. “I can’t feel it; it’s bone on bone. The only operation they had available was to fuse the bones together. My wrist would be pretty much locked in. I didn’t want that.”
Instead of surrendering to surgery, Lee has chosen to adapt. With years of experience and a deep understanding of music theory, he knows exactly what to do mentally—but teaching his hands to cooperate has been another matter entirely. “I’ve had to adjust my playing style to where I’m using mostly the elbow on the right hand, trying to use as much elbow movement as I can,” he explained.
Relearning His Craft
For Lee, the challenge has almost been like starting over. “It’s made it interesting,” he said. “In a way, it’s like learning to play guitar again, even though I know how to play it. I’m having fun. Mentally – and as far as theory – I know exactly what to do, but I have to teach my left and right hands to accommodate me.”
To help with the transition, Lee has also made equipment changes. He swapped his usual heavy picks for lighter ones and began using **.007-gauge strings** to ease the strain on his hands. These ultra-light strings are famously favored by guitar greats like **Billy Gibbons, Tony Iommi, and Brian May**, proving that tone and touch don’t always come from thickness. “It forced me to have a lighter touch with my right hand, and that’s been interesting,” Lee explained. “My left hand is also a little bit weak, so lately I’ve been playing with sevens to force myself to have a lighter touch.”
The Struggles of Performing
While Lee is finding joy in reinventing his playing style, arthritis has placed undeniable limits on his ability to perform some of his most iconic material. Leading up to the **Black Sabbath “Back to the Beginning” show**, fans were eager to see him rip into *Bark at the Moon*, one of the songs that defined his career. But Lee admitted that his condition made the piece too challenging.
“I know people are expecting *Bark at the Moon,* but I don’t know,” he confessed. “Right now, with my wrist, the arthritis and everything, that would be very challenging. I have a couple of months to get up to it, so I’ll practice it just in case. But that’s going to be pretty challenging for me physically.”
When the night came, Lee stepped aside and allowed other guitarists—**Nuno Bettencourt, Vernon Reid, Rudy Sarzo, Adam Wakeman**, and **Travis Barker**—to carry the track, while **Tobias Forge** handled vocals. It was a bittersweet moment: proof of how far arthritis had limited him, but also a reminder of the respect and admiration he still commands among fellow musicians.
A Life of Pain—and Perseverance
Arthritis is only the latest physical challenge in Jake E. Lee’s life. He has struggled with **back issues for years** and last year survived a terrifying incident in which he was **shot three times in the arm while walking his dog**. Compared to that, he insists, wrist pain is manageable. “I’ve had back issues forever, and wrist pain isn’t anything compared to that,” he said.
Yet arthritis has also affected his creative output. Fans eager for new music from Lee will have to wait a little longer, as he admits the condition is the main reason he has not released any new material recently. For now, his focus is on strengthening exercises, stretching, and steroid treatments to keep his playing functional.
Finding Renewal in Struggle
Despite the setbacks, Lee refuses to let arthritis define him. In fact, he has embraced the challenge with the same determination that once saw him step into Randy Rhoads’ impossible shoes with Ozzy Osbourne. Reinventing his playing style has given him a sense of renewal, almost as if he were back at the beginning of his journey with the guitar.
“In a way, it’s like starting over,” he said. “And I’m having fun with it.”
For his fans, Jake E. Lee’s story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Arthritis may have robbed him of certain abilities, but it has not taken away his spirit, creativity, or drive. And while he admits new music has been delayed, his resilience suggests that when he finally does return with fresh material, it will be worth the wait.
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