Michael Grimm planning comeback months after being on life support
Michael Grimm isn’t ready to sing today. But he’s singing next month.
Grimm is back at his home in Las Vegas. He’s returned after two weeks in a Utah wellness and medical facility, and two months after his wife, Lucie Grimm, raced him to Southern Hills Hospital’s emergency room.
The latest from the Grimm camp:
— The Season 5 champion of “America’s Got Talent” sounded strong during a phone chat as he talked of his “baby steps” in returning to health. His Aug. 9 performance at Myron’s at the Smith Center is on the books. The show is a tribute to the legend known as Grimm’s musical father, Bill Medley, with Grimm’s backing band back intact.
— Medley, who returns with Bucky Heard to South Point Showroom next Tuesday and July 26-27, says he spoke to Grimm just before he left Utah. “He sounded great. I hope he stays that way. I love him and I’ll do what I can.”
— Grimm is not discussing the details of his illness, which reached a nearly fatal point just after Memorial Day. Lucie related that her husband had turned yellow, was unable to walk or talk or think clearly. “I almost died in the hospital. I was on life support,” Grimm said. “But’s so soon to talk publicly about it right now. I’m still collecting the pieces that I can pick up and put back together.”
— The video submitted by Barry Manilow at Grimm’s July 9 benefit at Veil Pavilion at the Silverton has inspired Grimm to return to songwriting.
“When I was getting back back from winning (“AGT”), a call just came out of nowhere,” Grimm said. “I didn’t know the number, and the guy on the other end says, ‘Hi, Michael, this is Barry Manilow … ’ Of course, I’m like, ‘What? Someone is pulling my leg.’ ”
The two sat at the piano, Grimm with a guitar, asking Manilow to “simplify” the chords he was playing, to make them “more bluesy.” The work was never finished, but Grimm said, “I’d love to go see him and continue the road back.”
— Lucie, who also works as Grimm’s manager, is talking of a tour with Season 5 “AGT” runner-up Jackie Evancho in 2024. The two haven’t been on stage together since then-series host Nick Cannon announced Grimm as the show champion Sept. 15, 2010.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.