Carly Simon has revealed the private health battles behind her prolonged absence from public life. The legendary singer-songwriter announced that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and also underwent treatment for basal cell carcinoma on her face. The resulting surgery affected her appearance and contributed to her decision to withdraw from the spotlight. However, Simon has not allowed either diagnosis to end her creative life. At 83, the “You’re So Vain” singer is preparing to release “Comes in Waves,” her first album in 18 years.
Simon addressed her health in an emotional statement to PEOPLE after spending approximately seven years largely outside the public eye. “So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing,” she began. “The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease.”
“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,” Simon continued. “Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself.”
One of Simon’s last public appearances took place in October 2019 at SiriusXM. Her last public performance was reportedly in March 2018.
The Singer Initially Blamed Her Mobility Problems On Surgery
Simon explained that her health problems initially appeared to be connected to arthritis in both knees and one hip. She eventually underwent three joint replacement procedures.
“The problems began with arthritis in both knees and one hip,” she shared. “I eventually had all three joints replaced, out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic. After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process.”
Her mobility continued declining despite the surgeries. “But my mobility continued to worsen,” Simon recalled. “I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm.”
The singer added, “Overstuffed furniture became my enemy. Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome.”
The difficulties eventually became severe enough that Simon and her family realized something else was wrong. “Eventually, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help,” she said. “My family and I knew that something more was going on. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”
Parkinson’s Has Affected More Than Her Movement
Simon began taking medication to help manage her stiffness and other symptoms, but she stressed that the condition remains unpredictable. “There is no tidy or predictable schedule to the illness,” she explained. “It does not consult my calendar before deciding what kind of day I am going to have.”
According to the NHS, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition caused by damage to parts of the brain over time. Its three major symptoms are tremors, slowed movement, and muscle stiffness. The condition may also affect balance, sleep, speech, swallowing, mood, and energy levels. Although there is no cure, medication, exercise, therapy, and, in some cases, surgery can help manage symptoms.
For Simon, one of the most difficult effects has been apathy. “Parkinson’s is usually associated with movement, tremors, and balance, but it can affect much more than the body,” she said. “It can bring anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and apathy. The apathy is particularly strange. You can find yourself lying there like a starfish drying in the sun, arms pointing in all directions, while nothing inside is telling you to get up, read, watch, write, sing, call someone, or do much of anything at all.”
“That has been one of the hardest things to explain,” Simon continued. “It is not simply sadness or laziness. It is as though the part of the brain that sends out invitations to participate in life has temporarily misplaced the guest list.”
Carly Simon’s Cancer Surgery Made Her Retreat Further
While adjusting to Parkinson’s, Simon was also diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, described in the report as the most common form of skin cancer. “During this same period, I was also treated for basal cell carcinoma on my face,” she revealed. “The cancer was removed, but the surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public.”
The singer acknowledged the irony of struggling with concerns about her appearance after writing one of the most famous songs about vanity. “I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine (check out the irony of having written ‘You’re So Vain.’), and this gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material,” Simon admitted.
The combination of physical limitations, illness, surgery, and emotional strain ultimately made leaving public life feel like the best option. “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,” she explained. “If a person is allowed to hibernate during both winter and summer, then I have become an all-season bear.”
Music Helped Carly Simon Reclaim Her Days
Despite everything she has endured, Simon emphasized that her life and career have continued. “But I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working,” she declared.
During the most challenging period of her health journey, the Grammy winner began recording “Comes in Waves.” The album incorporates material that had been waiting years for Simon to revisit. “There were melodies, verses, and ideas written down and tucked away for some unknown future when I would have the time and attention to finish them,” she told her fans. “Apparently, that future is now.”
Simon said the creative process gave structure to days that had become increasingly unpredictable. “Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape,” she said. “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 credited her children, family, friends, caregivers, and medical team with helping her through the days when she could not manage everything alone. “I am deeply grateful to my children, my family, my friends, my caregivers, and the medical professionals who have helped me through this,” she said. “Their love and patience have carried me through days when my own reserves were not enough.”
The musician shares daughter Sally and son Ben with her former husband, James Taylor.