Beloved '90s Rocker Undergoes Emergency Surgery
A fundraiser has been organized over the weekend for former Snot, Sevendust and Amen guitarist, Sonny Mayo, who recently had a sudden heart attack and an emergency triple bypass heart surgery.
A triple coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a surgery that creates detours around three blocked heart arteries. Surgeons take healthy blood vessels from the chest, leg, or arm to restore proper blood flow to the heart muscle, typically requiring open-heart surgery.
"Our dear friend Sonny suffered a heart attack and had a life-saving triple bypass surgery. Please support Lara and Sonny while he recovers over the next couple months," organizer Megan Wright wrote on Meal Train. "The first month home will be full-time caretaking for Lara and will be the highest risk for infections and sickness, so bringing meals to them will support his recovery tremendously! If you can't bring a meal, please continue to cover them in prayer!"
In 2018, Mayo was diagnosed with a genetic coronary artery disease after suffering two heart attacks over the previous several years. A year after his diagnosis, the guitarist went to Panama to receive stem cell therapy. Since the treatment, Mayo's health has improved dramatically.
"After having two heart attacks due to coronary artery disease, I went for stem cell treatment at the Stem Cell Institute. Not only did my heart function improve, but my overall health improved remarkably!" he told the Stem Cell Institute.
Mayo started his music career in the 1980s when he began playing in a thrash metal band called Silence and performing with them around the DC Metro and DMV area. In 1995, Mayo moved to Santa Barbara, California, and joined Mikey Doling and Lynn Strait's band Snot as their guitarist. He also toured with other groups, including Sevendust and Amen.
Though Snot has only released one studio album since their formation more than 30 years ago, the American rock band was very influential in the rock scene during the late 1990s and early 2000s. When Strait suddenly passed away in 1998, Snot disbanded, but ended up reuniting again a decade later with Tommy Vext on vocals. The group recorded three songs together before disbanding again.
In 2014, Snot reunited again at the Whisky a Go Go in the West Hollywood neighborhood in Los Angeles, and did three other shows before breaking up again for a decade. Doling teased the return of Snot in late September, and they had their first show in January 2025. Mayo ended up leaving Snot for good in April 2025 to spend time with his family.
"Snot doesn't fit into his life right now, and he just wants to focus on himself and his life. And Snot's just too busy for him to be able to continue," Doling said. "I'd like to wish Sonny Mayo the best of luck in his future, and I wanna thank him for all he's contributed to Snot over the years. We love you, brother."
Outside of music, the 54-year-old guitarist co-founded Rock to Recovery, a music therapy non-profit, in 2014.
Since the fundraiser that was created on Sunday, Mayo has garnered over $5900 in donations, and friends are providing meals throughout June.
"Thank you first of all to Megan for making this and to all of you for your love and support! Sonny is in a lot of pain and it will be a challenging road to recovery. This was his 3rd heart attack and they could not put any more stents in. His main arteries were 80% blocked, so this painful but necessary surgery has saved his life," Lara Mayo, his wife, commented in the fundraiser. "I'm so beyond grateful to God that he is still with us. If you have met him, you know how amazing he is - thank you all for helping and being in our life and sending up much-needed prayer!!!"
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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 4:24 PM.