“My right ear pretty much lost 80 percent of its high end”: Joe Bonamassa reveals temporary hearing loss diagnosis following an incident at one of his recent shows

Joe Bonamassa, who’s currently out on tour, recently had to reschedule a show in Shreveport, Louisiana, as a result of a hearing injury known as Acute Acoustic Trauma.

“Last night during the latter half of the Austin show at @acllive ( Not their fault!! A really great venue and crew!) my right ear pretty much lost 80 percent of its high end,” explains Bonamassa on social media.

“For audio folks it approximately ranges from 600 hz to about 12k-ish. The advice the doctors both local to Shreveport and my trusted/ legendary ENT Dr. Joseph Sugarman in Los Angeles gave me was not to be around any loud noises until cleared to do so again.

“The diagnosis was Acute Acoustic Trauma. Given that..I feel fine and am I am in good voice and playing shape.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, Acute Acoustic Trauma (also known as AAT) is characterized by “sudden sensorineural hearing loss caused by exposure to intense impulse noise, such as blasts or gunshots, typically exceeding 140 dB for less than 0.2 seconds”.

However, according to Bonamassa, there was a silver lining to the injury.

“The silver lining was being able to spend a few low volume, non amplified, limited ‘right side hearing’ hours with a life long inspiration and friend and @rockhall member Mr. James Burton and his family in Shreveport this afternoon,” he continues. “A national treasure and a world class human being.”

Bonamassa has since recovered, and, thanks to a pair of trusty earplugs, is scheduled to play tonight’s (November 26) show in St. Louis, Missouri.

Touring aside, he’s also recently announced a tribute album to one of the three Kings of blues – B.B. King's Blues Summit 100 – alongside some pretty big names, including Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, George Benson, Susan Tedeschi, and Warren Hayes.