Carly Simon Reveals She Has Been Diagnosed With Parkinson's Disease

Carly Simon attends the 61st Academy Awards Governor’s Ball on March 29, 1989. Photo by Alan Light / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Carly Simon, the Grammy-winning voice behind “You’re So Vain” and “Nobody Does It Better,” revealed on July 27 that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The disclosure, reported by CNN, Variety and Fox News, ended a long stretch of public absence that had left fans wondering why one of the most recognizable singer-songwriters of the 1970s had stepped out of view. At 83, Simon chose to explain that absence in her own words.

“The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease,” Simon said in her statement, adding that it had taken her time to absorb the diagnosis and decide how much to share.

The road to a diagnosis

Simon described a difficult path to understanding her condition. She said there were periods when she could not walk without considerable help, and that after an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, the progressive neurological disorder that affects movement. The account, relayed by CNN, reframed her retreat from public life not as a withdrawal but as a period of adjustment.

She also disclosed a separate health battle, revealing she had undergone surgery for basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, on her face. Simon said the procedure changed her appearance and made her more self-conscious about being seen, a candid admission from an artist long associated with a particular public image.

Still working

Even as she detailed the toll of her diagnoses, Simon pushed back against any suggestion that her career is behind her. She revealed she has been recording a new album titled “Comes in Waves,” and Variety headlined her message with her own insistence: “I have not stopped living and I have not stopped working.” The statement drew a clear line between illness and identity.

That determination sits alongside an open question that Parkinson’s inevitably raises for a singer. The disease can affect the very physical control that vocal performance depends on, and Simon has not detailed how or whether she intends to perform the new material live. The album’s existence is confirmed; its path to audiences is not.

Why the moment carries weight

Simon’s career helped define the confessional songwriting of her era, and her voice became a fixture of American radio across decades. Her decision to speak plainly about Parkinson’s places her among a growing list of prominent artists who have chosen disclosure over privacy, a shift that reshapes how the public understands aging performers. For listeners who grew up with her music, the news lands as both a loss and a reassurance that she intends to keep creating.

There is also a competing perspective worth noting. Some public figures guard health details tightly, arguing that disclosure invites scrutiny that can overshadow the work. Simon’s choice runs the other direction, and she framed it as an act of honesty rather than a plea for sympathy.

The status now

As of this writing, Simon has confirmed her Parkinson’s diagnosis and her recovery from skin cancer surgery, and she has said she is actively recording. She has not announced tour dates, a release date for “Comes in Waves,” or specifics about her treatment plan. What is verified is the artist’s own framing: at 83, one of the signature voices of her generation says she is still living and still working.

References: Carly Simon reveals Parkinson’s disease diagnosis | Carly Simon reveals she has Parkinson’s disease