Carly Simon has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and skin cancer. The You’re So Vain singer, 83, explained her absence from the spotlight has been due to her ongoing health issues.
“So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing,” she said in a statement. “The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease.”
Parkinson's Diagnosis and Symptoms
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged. Main symptoms include involuntary shaking, stiff muscles, and slow movement. There is no cure.
Simon discussed her mobility issues, saying there have been times when she could not walk without help. “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.”
She described how problems began with arthritis, leading to joint replacements. After three replacement surgeries, her difficulty walking worsened. “I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy.”
Skin Cancer Battle
Amid her Parkinson’s diagnosis, Simon revealed she has also been receiving treatment for basal cell carcinoma on her face. She had surgery to remove the cancer, but the impact on her appearance made her reluctant to be seen in public.
“During this same period, I was also treated for basal cell carcinoma on my face. The cancer was removed, but the surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public.” She added, “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.”
New Album and Looking Ahead
Simon has vowed not to stop working and has recorded a new album called Comes In Waves. “I began recording a new album, Comes In Waves. That still feels mysterious to me. Music has always known when to arrive. It has rescued me more times than I can count.”
“Working on the music 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 rose to fame in the 1970s with hits including Anticipation, You Belong To Me, and Nobody Does It Better. Her third album No Secrets (1972) contained the hit “You’re So Vain.” She is mother to Sally and Ben from her marriage to James Taylor. Comes In Waves, her first album in almost 15 years, is set for release on August 14.
