Carly Simon says she has Parkinson’s disease and is learning to live with it after a Mayo Clinic evaluation and recent facial surgery.
Carly Simon has disclosed that she has Parkinson’s disease, saying the diagnosis came after years of mobility problems and a medical evaluation at the Mayo Clinic. The Carly Simon Parkinson’s diagnosis was shared in a statement provided to the BBC, where the 83-year-old singer described the condition as difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening.
Simon said the illness has been unpredictable. Some days, she said, she feels too tired to get moving. On others, she is able to think, work, and feel more like herself. She stressed that she has not stopped living or working, even as she learns how to manage the disease. Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder that affects the brain, nervous system, and muscle control, and Simon said she is still learning how to accept it without feeling that she has given up something essential.
The singer also said she recently had surgery to remove a cancerous growth from her face, and that the procedure changed how she felt about being seen in public. She said the operation affected her appearance and left her more self-conscious. Simon added that she has long been critical of her own looks, joking that the experience gave her inner critic even more to work with.
Simon traced the health troubles back to arthritis in both knees and one hip. Even after three replacement surgeries, she said her mobility did not improve the way she expected. She recalled needing help to rise from low chairs and deep couches, and said that at times she could not walk without substantial assistance. After what she described as an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, doctors diagnosed her with Parkinson’s.
“Carly Simon says she has Parkinson’s disease and is learning to live with it after a Mayo Clinic evaluation and recent facial surgery.”
She said the condition has also brought episodes of anxiety, depression, and apathy. In her statement, Simon compared the experience to being unable to summon the energy to get out of bed or take part in ordinary life. She said one of the hardest parts has been explaining that it is not simply sadness or laziness, but something deeper that affects the way the mind and body respond.
Simon said she chose to speak publicly after receiving letters from people who had noticed her relative silence and wanted to know how she was doing. The decision gives rare public detail about a health struggle she had kept largely private while continuing to work. Alongside that disclosure, she also revealed that she is moving ahead with a new album, Comes In Waves, which is scheduled for release in August 2026.
The first single from the album, Howl, came out last month. A press release said the record would revisit familiar Simon themes, including love, memory, family, self-reckoning, and forgiveness. That matters because Simon remains one of the defining singer-songwriters of the 1970s, known for songs such as You’re So Vain, Nobody Does It Better, Why, and Coming Around Again. For American readers, her disclosure is a reminder that Parkinson’s can affect even iconic public figures while they keep working, creating, and leaning on family and care as the condition changes daily life.
Frequently asked questions
How did Carly Simon learn she has Parkinson’s disease?
She said the diagnosis came after years of mobility problems and an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic.
What symptoms did Simon say she has experienced?
She said the illness is unpredictable and has caused fatigue, anxiety, depression, apathy, and difficulty getting out of bed or doing ordinary activities.
Did Simon say she has stopped working because of the disease?
No. She said she has not stopped living or working, even as she learns how to manage the condition.
Why did Simon decide to speak publicly about her health?
She said she chose to share the diagnosis after receiving letters from people who noticed her relative silence and wanted to know how she was doing.
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