Rod Stewart: Football injury may have helped create his famous voice

For decades, Rod Stewart's raspy vocals have been one of the most recognisable sounds in music.

That was a risk he wasn't willing to take.

Stewart said the injury came after taking a knock to the face during a game, and over time he came to accept the distinctive huskiness that became part of his trademark sound.

The veteran performer has often said he never set out to sing with a gravelly tone. In fact, early in his career he admired soul singers and imagined his voice would sound very different. Instead, what emerged was a style that proved unmistakably his own.

Even now, Stewart treats his voice like precious cargo. Staying hydrated and giving himself complete vocal rest after particularly demanding performances are among the ways he keeps it in shape while continuing to tour.

The singer, now in his 80s, has faced a few vocal challenges in recent years. He recently revealed he had been battling voice issues around the time of a concert cancellation, admitting a trip to watch Scotland play football perhaps wasn't the smartest preparation before a run of shows.

Fortunately for fans, the gravelly voice that delivered classics like Maggie May, Sailing and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? remains as distinctive as ever — and Stewart appears more than happy to leave well enough alone.