Doctor

Dr. TeelSchwartzenfeld
uses his expertise to make
sure the show goes on.

e

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER

tars

W

. hat do David Lee snowy night in December 1977, he
Roth, Axl Rose, Glo- was asked by a friend in the concert
ria Estefan, Phil business to treat a member of the
Collins, Courtney Love then-popular band Kansas. After dri-
and Ringo Starr have in ving through treacherous conditions
common?
(the freeways closed after he arrived
Yes, they are all singers, but what at Olympia Arena), he treated the ill
else? Give up?
singer and stayed for the show.
They have all been treated by the
Word passed through the local
same ENT specialist, Dr. Ted music community, and soon he was
Schwartzenfeld, whose ear, nose and attending to band members on a
throat and facial plastic surgery regular basis.
practice is in Waterford.
"Whenever they needed some-
Schwartzenfeld's road to becom- body, they would give me a call,"
ing a doctor to the stars began he said.
early in life. As a child he
was plagued with hearing
Dr. Ted Schwartzenfeld: "Whenever they
problems which required
needed
somebody, they would give me a
surgery."The doctors helped
call."
me and I wanted to help oth-
ers," he said.
After graduating from
Co urtney Love
her drawers and offered her pos- Knob. He complained of hoarse-
While some celebrities like
Mumford High
While being treat- terior for the shot
ness and soreness in his throat, Billy Joel, Ringo Starr and
School in 1963,
ed with steroids for
"She was a little bit off the and Schwartzenfeld recom- David Crosby have been as
Schwartzenfeld
hoarseness, Love sug- wall," Schwartzenfeld said
mended to Collins that he rest nice as can be, others like Axl
attended Wayne
gested the doctor
his voice.
Rose have allowed celebrity to
State University,
inject the drugs in- Gloria Estefan
Collins ignored the advice
where he pursued
After the singer injured a vo- and went on stage. Within five go to their heads, said the doc-
travenously.
tor.
a pre-med cur-
"Don't they work cal cord at a Detroit concert, the minutes, he walked off stage,
"[Rose] had a very large ego,"
riculum. He went
faster that way?" she doctor suggested she rest her not to return. Outraged fans Schwartzenfeld said.
on to the Kansas
voice. Estefan took his advice to were refunded the cost of the
asked.
City School of Os-
When Schwartzen- heart
tickets.
Kiss
teopathic Medi-
"I heard later that she can-
feld assured her an
"He didn't take my advice,"
Schwartzenfeld's first expe-
cine and later
intramuscular injec- celed her next show," he said.
Schwartzenfeld said.
rience with the band came when
returned to the
tion would be best, Phil Collins
a band member sustained a fa-
Michigan area,
Axl Rose
ve, surrounded by
cial
cut after a fan threw a
At the height of his career,
where he set up
It is clear to Schwartzenfeld lighter on stage during a
an entourage of peo-
Collins
stopped
in
Detroit
for
his practice.
that fame can at times affect performance. Schwartzenfeld
ple, turned, dropped
Courtney Love:
a summer concert at Pine more than one's vocal cords.
On a cold,
stitched the cut and then was
Dropped her drawers.

Dr, Ted Schwartzenfeld On

