Thompson Square Come Back Stronger After Vocal Problems

Thompson Square are back on stage after a recent vocal scare for singer Keifer Thompson, and he says he's singing better than he has in years.

The reigning ACM Vocal Duo of the Year were touring to support their new album ‘Just Feels Good’ when Keifer began having problems with his voice. Doctors discovered he had a vocal cord hemorrhage and a polyp, and on May 29 the duo announced they were canceling a string of upcoming performances in a post to their website, writing, "Words cannot express how devastated we both are to bring this news to our fans."

Thompson was ordered on strict vocal rest for two weeks, which meant not only no singing, but no talking, either. He says the time off was exactly what he needed.

"You know, I didn't know the extent of the damage. I've been abusing my voice I guess for years," he tells CMT. "They were like, 'You're gonna have to have surgery. You've got a hemorrhage. You've got a polyp going on.' I'm just like, 'I kinda lost some of my voice,' you know? I was like, 'What's going on?' I was hoarse. And they said, 'Let's find a less invasive way to do it.' So, two weeks off."

The duo, which consists of Keifer and his wife, Shawna Thompson, returned to the stage on June 28, and Keifer says he can tell a big difference in his own singing. "My voice is to a point now where I haven't been able to do what I'm doing for a year-and-a-half, almost two years," he shares.

Still, it might not be all good news -- at least from Shawna's perspective. "Now that I can talk again, I'm like, 'I'm back baby!' And she's like 'Oh God, I liked you when you were silent,'" Keifer jokes, adding, "She does good, though. She's sort of tomboyish so she's used to it."

Thompson Square are currently on the road with Luke Bryan as part of his Dirt Road Diaries Tour. See their upcoming concert dates here.