For decades, Carly Simon has been recognized as one of America’s most influential singer-songwriters, creating timeless music that has connected with audiences across multiple generations. From deeply personal ballads to chart-topping classics, her songs have earned a lasting place in popular music history. Although fans continued to celebrate her remarkable body of work, many also noticed that Simon had gradually stepped away from public life in recent years.
For a long time, the reasons behind her absence remained largely private. Now, at the age of 83, the Grammy Award-winning artist has chosen to explain what was happening behind the scenes during those quieter years. In a heartfelt public statement released on July 27, Simon revealed that she has been living with Parkinson’s disease, while also recovering from surgery to remove basal cell carcinoma, a common type of skin cancer, from her face.
Rather than describing one dramatic medical event, she explained that several health challenges gradually developed over time, changing her daily routine, limiting her mobility, and influencing her decision to step away from public appearances. Her statement offers an honest look at the physical and emotional realities of aging while emphasizing that creativity has remained an important part of her life.
According to Simon, many of her physical difficulties first appeared during a period when she was already dealing with significant joint problems. Arthritis had affected both of her knees as well as one of her hips, eventually making everyday movement increasingly painful. After consulting with physicians, she underwent joint replacement procedures designed to reduce pain and improve mobility. Like many patients recovering from major orthopedic surgery, she expected rehabilitation to take time and believed gradual improvement would eventually follow.
Initially, Simon assumed her continuing difficulty walking was simply part of the normal recovery process following multiple joint replacements. Recovery after orthopedic surgery often requires months of physical therapy, strengthening exercises, and patience as the body adjusts to artificial joints. However, instead of steadily regaining confidence and mobility, she found that some movements became progressively more difficult. Standing up from soft chairs, walking independently, and maintaining balance began requiring much greater effort than expected.
She described simple daily activities becoming unexpectedly challenging. Soft couches and deeply cushioned chairs, once associated with comfort, sometimes created anxiety because rising from them required considerable strength and assistance. Walking longer distances also became increasingly difficult, raising concerns among those closest to her. As her symptoms continued despite successful joint surgeries, family members began questioning whether another medical condition might be contributing to the changes they were observing.
Those concerns ultimately led Simon to seek a more comprehensive medical evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, where physicians performed additional neurological assessments. Following careful examination, she received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement. Parkinson’s disease develops when certain nerve cells responsible for producing dopamine gradually become damaged or lost. Because symptoms often develop slowly over time, diagnosis can sometimes be delayed, particularly when other medical conditions may appear capable of explaining similar physical changes.
After receiving the diagnosis, Simon began treatment with medication intended to reduce stiffness and improve movement. While treatment has helped manage some symptoms, she explained that Parkinson’s disease remains highly unpredictable. Some days are noticeably better than others, while periods of overwhelming fatigue can make even simple daily routines feel extraordinarily difficult. Rather than following a consistent pattern, the condition often changes from one day to the next, requiring continuous adjustment and patience.
Simon also emphasized that Parkinson’s disease affects much more than visible movement. While tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement, and balance difficulties are among the symptoms most people recognize, she explained that the illness can also affect emotional well-being. Anxiety, depression, profound exhaustion, and periods of emotional detachment may occur alongside physical symptoms. Because these experiences are often invisible to others, they can sometimes be misunderstood by people unfamiliar with the condition.
One symptom Simon discussed in particular was the sense of apathy that may accompany Parkinson’s disease. She carefully distinguished this experience from ordinary sadness or a lack of motivation. Instead, she described it as feeling as though the internal drive that normally encourages participation in daily life temporarily disappears. Through a vivid comparison, she explained that it can feel like lying motionless on a beach, fully aware of the world around you but unable to summon the internal signal needed to engage with it.
While learning to manage Parkinson’s disease, Simon faced another significant medical challenge. She underwent surgery to remove basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, from her face. According to her statement, the procedure successfully removed the cancer, representing an important medical outcome. However, like many patients undergoing facial surgery, the visible changes afterward also carried emotional consequences that extended beyond the physical healing process.
Simon acknowledged that concerns about appearance became another reason she gradually withdrew from public life. She has openly admitted that she has long been self-critical regarding her appearance, and the changes resulting from surgery made public appearances feel even more difficult. Although her medical treatment successfully addressed the cancer itself, adjusting emotionally to those visible changes required additional time and privacy. Combined with Parkinson’s disease and ongoing mobility challenges, these experiences contributed to her decision to step back from the spotlight while focusing on her health and recovery.
Although Carly Simon gradually disappeared from public view, she explained that stepping away from the spotlight did not mean she had stopped living creatively. While her daily routine became more complicated because of Parkinson’s disease and recovery from skin cancer surgery, her imagination remained active. Even during periods when fatigue or limited mobility made ordinary tasks difficult, she continued thinking about melodies, revisiting unfinished lyrics, and developing musical ideas that had been waiting for the right moment. Creativity, she said, remained a constant companion throughout the most challenging years of her health journey.
Simon described her absence from public life as the result of several overlapping circumstances rather than a single event. Parkinson’s disease gradually affected her mobility, making travel and public appearances increasingly difficult. At the same time, recovering from facial surgery brought understandable concerns about her appearance in front of cameras. Combined with the emotional effects of living with a progressive neurological condition, these challenges made privacy feel necessary rather than optional. Her decision to step back reflected a desire to focus on healing while adapting to a new stage of life.
To illustrate how completely she withdrew from public attention, Simon compared herself to a bear remaining in hibernation through every season rather than emerging after winter. The comparison reflected more than physical isolation. It described a period in which much of her energy was directed toward understanding her health, adjusting to changing abilities, and finding new ways to navigate everyday life. Even so, she emphasized that her creative identity never disappeared, despite becoming less visible to the public.
Throughout those quieter years, music continued to play a central role in her daily life. Simon explained that many songs had existed only as unfinished ideas for years before she found the opportunity to return to them. Some began as brief melodies or handwritten lyric fragments, while others had remained incomplete because earlier projects and touring schedules had taken priority. Revisiting those ideas became both a creative exercise and a source of personal comfort during periods of uncertainty.
That creative process eventually led to the completion of Comes in Waves, her first album of original material in 18 years, scheduled for release on August 14. Rather than viewing the album simply as another professional milestone, Simon described it as something that gradually emerged during a period defined by personal challenges. Recording the project provided structure, purpose, and moments of joy at a time when many other aspects of daily life had become unpredictable. The album represents not only new music but also her determination to continue creating despite significant health obstacles.
Simon was careful not to romanticize her medical condition or suggest that illness carries hidden benefits. She stated clearly that she does not consider Parkinson’s disease to be a gift or a blessing. Instead, she described it as a difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening condition that requires continuous adjustment. Her honesty reflects the experiences of many people living with chronic neurological illnesses, where progress often involves learning to adapt rather than expecting a complete return to previous abilities.
One of the most significant adjustments, Simon explained, has been accepting help from others. Throughout much of her life and career, she valued independence and self-reliance. Parkinson’s disease has required her to recognize situations in which assistance is both necessary and appropriate. She acknowledged that accepting support can be emotionally challenging, particularly for individuals accustomed to managing their own responsibilities. At the same time, she emphasized that receiving help does not diminish one’s identity, talents, or dignity.
Simon also expressed deep gratitude for the people who have supported her throughout this period. She thanked her children, relatives, friends, caregivers, physicians, and other healthcare professionals who have provided both practical assistance and emotional encouragement. Their support, she explained, has been invaluable on difficult days when symptoms become more demanding. She also recognized the importance of her family’s decision to pursue additional medical evaluation when they realized her mobility problems extended beyond the expected recovery from joint replacement surgery.
The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease answered many questions that had remained unresolved during her rehabilitation. Although receiving the diagnosis did not eliminate the challenges ahead, it allowed her medical team to develop an appropriate treatment plan and helped those closest to her better understand the symptoms she was experiencing. Like many individuals living with chronic neurological conditions, Simon has learned that treatment focuses on managing symptoms and maintaining quality of life while adapting to changes that may occur over time.
Despite the physical limitations she now faces, Simon emphasized that important parts of her identity remain unchanged. She continues to write, sing, imagine, laugh, remember, and reflect. While some activities require more time or assistance than they once did, her passion for music and storytelling has endured. Her statement offers an encouraging reminder that a medical diagnosis can alter many aspects of daily life without defining every aspect of a person’s identity or limiting their ability to continue contributing creatively.
Her willingness to speak publicly about Parkinson’s disease also helps increase awareness of the condition beyond its most visible symptoms. Many people associate Parkinson’s primarily with tremors, but Simon’s description highlights the emotional, cognitive, and physical complexities that often accompany the disease. By sharing her own experience openly and thoughtfully, she contributes to a broader public understanding of the realities faced by millions of people living with Parkinson’s around the world.
Ultimately, Carly Simon’s message is not one of surrender but of perseverance. She openly acknowledges the challenges of living with Parkinson’s disease and recovering from cancer surgery while refusing to allow either experience to define her entire life. Comes in Waves represents more than the return of a celebrated artist after nearly two decades—it reflects resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of music during times of uncertainty. Through honesty, determination, and a continued commitment to her art, Simon reminds listeners that while illness may change the pace of life, it does not necessarily silence the voice or the creative spirit behind it.
