Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal

guitar

b. 1969 in Brooklyn

Ronald Jay Blumenthal (born September 25, 1969), better known by his stage name Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal or simply Bumblefoot, is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. He adopted his nickname from the bacterial infection of the same name, which he learned about while helping his wife study for her veterinary exams. The name went from being just the name of an album, to the name of a record label, to a band name, to eventually his name as a solo artist. He was one of two lead guitarists in Guns N' Roses from 2006 until 2014 and performed on their sixth studio album Chinese Democracy.

Personal life

Thal is Jewish. He married his wife, a veterinarian named Jennifer, on May 4, 1996. Thal's father, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, died on December 3, 2013. Thal is involved with multiple charities, including being on the board of directors of the MS Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises money for multiple sclerosis research. Thal has also teamed up with CaJohns Fiery Foods to release a brand of hot sauces, with proceeds going to women's health organizations. Other charities Thal is involved with include the Wildlife Trust of India and Operation Smile. In 1993, to supplement his income, Thal taught photography and music part-time at schools. In 2002, Thal was a part-time adjunct professor at SUNY Purchase College, teaching music production until 2004. In 2005, Thal started working out after he noticed his health was deteriorating from overworking, losing 80 lbs (36 kg). In June 2011, Thal was involved in a car accident that totaled his car. Thal suffered severe injuries, stating in a 2012 interview "I was brain damaged for about a month, I couldn't speak right, I couldn't raise my arms. I went to physical therapy" and that "I'm not recovering, and I probably never will." In constant pain from his injuries, Thal had to combine over-the-counter drugs and pain killers with alcohol and steroids in order to tour. …