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Good thing Chris Burney doesn’t need his toes to play guitar.
The former Bowling for Soup guitarist posted on Instagram on Feb. 19 and revealed he lost two toes on his left foot.
“I’m a Free-nubbin, butt-rubbin son of a gun,” wrote the 55-year-old musician alongside a photo of his foot with the big toe and second toe missing. He also shared a photo of his dog as well as a selfie with his tongue out.
On June 13, Burney pulled out of a Bowling for Soup performance in Italy as the band revealed in an Instagram post that he was “taken to the hospital” and seeking both “positive vibes and privacy.”
Later that month, he took to the social media platform and shared a photo of a t-shirt printed with a photo of a severed toe on a gravestone alongside the phrase, “Gone but never forgotten.” He also posted a photo of his bandaged foot.
Bowling for Soup revealed on Instagram in July that Burney was still “not well enough” to perform but “on the mend.”
The following month, he shared a photo of his foot without bandages and revealed his missing big toe. At the time, however, his second toe was still intact.
In January, Bowling for Soup announced Burney’s retirement in a heartfelt Instagram post. “It is with a heavy heart we announce that Chris Burney has made the decision to retire from his stage-right post in the band he co-founded in 1994,” wrote the group.
“Some recent medical developments, 30 years of rocking balls and touring non-stop have made it difficult to continue,” added the band. “We are bummed to not have Chris by our sides, but absolutely support his decision.”
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Bowling for Soup ensured fans the group’s future “remains bright,” with longtime vocalist Jaret Reddick continuing to perform with Gary Wiseman and Rob Felicetti. “The three of us will carry on, with Chris’ blessing, and continue to build the legacy of this band we all love so much,” they wrote.
The band revealed Chris would not be replaced with a new guitarist. “You cannot replace a legend,” continued the statement. “We were brothers when we started this journey…and brothers we remain.”
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