Paul Simon is opening up about how hearing loss has affected his ability to perform live—and the emotional adjustments he’s had to make in order to keep making music.
In a candid interview with CBS Mornings on Wednesday, November 20, the legendary singer-songwriter, 83, shared the frustrations and challenges of losing his hearing, including one beloved song he can no longer perform.
“It was incredibly frustrating,” Simon admitted to host Anthony Mason. “I was very angry at first that this had happened.”
The Mrs. Robinson hitmaker went on to explain that he was particularly concerned about the impact on his creative process. “I was most apprehensive about not being able to hear well enough to really enjoy the act of making music,” he said.
Simon revealed that his hearing has diminished significantly, with only 6% remaining in his left ear. To compensate, he’s had to make adjustments during his live shows, such as using larger speakers placed strategically around the stage. “I’m going through my repertoire and reducing a lot of the choices that I make to acoustic versions,” Simon explained. “It’s all much quieter.”
One casualty of these changes? His 1986 hit “You Can Call Me Al.” “That’s gone. I can’t do that one,” Simon revealed, acknowledging that it’s now beyond his ability to perform.
Despite this setback, Simon continues to embrace creativity, finding inspiration in unexpected places. In September, he performed a stripped-down set at The Soho Sessions in New York. Reflecting on his experience, Simon compared his artistic journey to the later years of painter Henri Matisse, who created a new artistic vision while bedridden. “When Matisse was suffering at the end of his life, he envisioned all these cut-outs and had a great creative period,” Simon said. “So I don’t think creativity stops with disability. So far, I haven’t experienced that. And I hope not to.”
Earlier this month, Simon’s former Simon & Garfunkel collaborator, Art Garfunkel, also opened up about their emotional reunion. The two, who have had a complicated history, recently met after many years apart. Garfunkel, 83, recalled their first meeting in ages, saying, “I looked at Paul and said, ‘What happened? Why haven’t we seen each other?’ Paul mentioned an old interview where I said some stuff.”
In a heartfelt conversation with The Times, Garfunkel expressed regret over their past feud. “I cried when he told me how much I had hurt him,” Garfunkel admitted. “Looking back, I guess I wanted to shake up the nice guy image of Simon & Garfunkel. Y’know what? I was a fool!”
The reunion, though emotionally charged, marked a step toward healing. Garfunkel shared that the two “made plans to meet again” and hinted that revisiting their music legacy might be in the cards—although that’s not his main priority. “Will Paul bring his guitar? Who knows. For me, it was about wanting to make amends before it’s too late,” he said. “It felt like we were back in a wonderful place. As I think about it now, tears are rolling down my cheeks. I can still feel his hug.”
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