Carly Simon reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis: “It is difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening”
Singer-songwriter Carly Simon has revealed she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The ‘You’re So Vain‘ hitmaker, who is aged 83, made the announcement on July 27th in an emotional letter to fans.
Simon began (via People), “So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease.”
She admitted that it “has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly,” before noting, “Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable.”
Simon acknowledged that on “some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all”, while “on others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself”.
Her issues began with arthritis in both knees and in one hip, which required surgery, explaining, “After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process.”
Despite the surgery, Simon noted that her “mobility continued to worsen” and “there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help.”
Subsequently, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s following an “extensive evaluation” at the Mayo Clinic.
Simon added of her health issues, “There is no tidy or predictable schedule to the illness. It does not consult my calendar before deciding what kind of day I am going to have.”
At the same time, the singer-songwriter was also treated for basal cell carcinoma in her face and while the cancer has successfully been removed, she admitted, “The surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee continued, “Between my mobility issues, the Parkinson’s diagnosis, the surgery, and the emotional effects of it all, withdrawing from public view was the most palatable reaction. If a person is allowed to hibernate during both winter and summer, then I have become an all-season bear. But I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working.”
During these difficult times, Simon returned to music to record her new album, Comes in Waves, sharing, “Music has always known when to arrive. It has rescued me more times that I can count.”
Making the album was an escape for Simon, who added that it “gave shape to days that did not always have much shape. It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life.”
Simon added that she doesn’t view the diagnosis as “a gift or a blessing,” instead, she frankly assessed that “it is difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening”.
Her heartfelt letter concluded, “These days I move more slowly, I lean on others more than I once did, and I have learned to accept that every day will look a little different. But I am still very much here.”
Comes in Waves will be Simon’s first studio album since Never Been Gone in 2009. It is set for release on August 14th, 2026.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.