St. Luke’s Medical Center Heart Patient Pete Huttlinger Releases Acoustic Guitar Album
Widely known as one of the top acoustic guitarists in the world, Pete Huttlinger has finally released his highly anticipated, 15-track album that he began working on in 2006. He credits St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Houston and the Texas Heart® Institute for giving him the opportunity to finish what he started.
After suffering a stroke in 2010, Huttlinger’s doctors realized that he had a cardiac abnormality that would require a new heart pump (VAD—Ventricular Assist Device). Huttlinger underwent the successful surgery performed by O.H. Frazier, MD, FACS, FACC, Chief of Transplant Service at SLMC.
“I had been so busy making a living with other musical projects that McGuire’s Landing had taken a backseat,” Huttlinger said in a recent feature story by musicnewsnashville.com. “Then, I needed to be in the care of St. Luke’s and their incredible doctors for all that time. I thought that that if I could just get healthy enough again to play, maybe I could finish the album.”
Once he fully recovered and was released from St. Luke’s, Huttlinger returned to his home in Tennessee and recorded the final four songs for the album. In his spare time and to improve his overall health, Huttlinger trained for the 2012 Nashville Marathon and later completed the race while carrying his VAD.
“It is always nice to see a former patient living life to the fullest, and in Pete’s case, he has done some remarkable things,” said Dr. Frazier. “I am looking forward to listening to his music, and we were extremely excited that he was able to run a marathon.”
Huttlinger has performed at Carnegie Hall on numerous occasions, and as a sideman, he has performed with John Denver, LeAnn Rimes, John Oates and many others. In 2000, he was named the National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion.
