Carly Simon reveals Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

Carly Simon reveals Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

Carly Simon has revealed she is living with Parkinson’s disease, explaining that the degenerative condition and a separate battle with skin cancer led to her recent withdrawal from public life. In a statement shared Monday, July 27, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter addressed the relative silence noted by fans, asserting that while she has faced significant health challenges, she has not stopped living and I have not stopped working.

The singer's struggle began with arthritis in one hip and both knees, leading to three joint replacement surgeries. Simon initially attributed her subsequent difficulty walking to the recovery process. However, her mobility continued to decline to the point where she struggled to stand from low chairs and deep couches without assistance. According to Simon, there were eventually periods where she could not walk without considerable help.

Following an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, Simon was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. She has since begun treatment, including medication to manage stiffness and other symptoms. Simon described the illness as unpredictable, noting that it does not consult my calendar regarding how a day will unfold.

While the disease is often associated with balance and tremors, Simon highlighted the emotional and mental toll, including exhaustion, depression, and anxiety. She specifically noted the difficulty of explaining the apathy associated with the condition, comparing the feeling to lying like a starfish drying in the sun while the brain misplaced the guest list for participating in life.

During this same period, Simon was treated for basal cell carcinoma on her face. Although the cancer was removed, the surgery altered her appearance. Simon stated that this made her more self-conscious and gave her inner critic quite a lot of new material, particularly as the writer of You’re So Vain. The combination of the Parkinson’s diagnosis, facial surgery, and mobility issues led her to withdraw from the public eye, a reaction she described as becoming an all-season bear.

Despite these setbacks, Simon has spent her time recording a new album, Comes in Waves. The project consists of melodies and song fragments some of which had been tucked away for years. She described music as a rescue that quietly appears beside you when it senses you are not quite yourself, adding that the work gave shape to days that otherwise lacked it.

The 12-track album, primarily recorded at her home on Martha's Vineyard, is scheduled for release on August 14. It features appearances by her children, Ben and Sally Taylor — the latter of whom provided vocals and painted the cover — as well as the late rapper John Forté. A second single titled Peaches is due for release on Friday, July 31.

This marks Simon's first album of new material in nearly 20 years; her last album of all-new material was 2008's This Kind of Love, followed by 2009's Never Been Gone. This new project arrives after a series of personal milestones and losses, including her 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the deaths of her sisters, Lucy and Joanna, in October of that year. Simon also previously beat breast cancer in 1997.

Simon expressed gratitude for the support of her medical professionals, caregivers, friends, and family, including her children. She concluded by acknowledging that while she moves more slowly and leans on others more than before, she is still very much here.