Paul Simon came forward with a shocking health update in a recent interview about his career in the music industry and his future.
The legendary musician said he completely lost hearing in one ear during a May 20 interview with The Times of London. “Quite suddenly I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it,” Simon said. “So everything became more difficult,” he told The Times.
Paul Simon says he’s lost most of the hearing in one ear: ‘I thought it would pass’ https://t.co/2sYQjB44hH pic.twitter.com/zlVJw8mMxI
— New York Post (@nypost) May 26, 2023
Simon rose to prominence as part of the 1960s folk duo Simon & Garfunkel known for timeless songs such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Mrs. Robinson.”
Simon’s subsequent solo career took flight in 1975 with his album “Still Crazy After All These Years.” He went on to become a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the winner of 16 Grammy Awards.
Losing his hearing wasn’t part of the plan.
Simon is not done with music yet, but explained how his inability to hear changing the landscape.
“My reaction to that was frustration and annoyance; not quite anger yet, because I thought it would pass, it would repair itself,” Simon said, to The Times.
The prospect of performing his legendary hits on a live stage may have dimmed, but Simon found a way to put a positive spin on the situation.
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“The songs of mine that I don’t want to sing live, I don’t sing them,” he said. (RELATED: Celine Dion Cancels Her Entire Tour)
“Sometimes there are songs that I like and then at a certain point in a tour, I’ll say, ‘What the fuck are you doing, Paul?’” he quipped.
“Quite often that would come during You Can Call Me Al. I’d think, ‘What are you doing? You’re like a Paul Simon cover band. You should get off the road, go home,” Simon said to The Times.