Carly Simon Shares Hopeful Update After Revealing Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Carly Simon has opened up about the serious health challenges that have kept her largely away from public view, revealing that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was also treated for skin cancer.

The 83-year-old singer-songwriter shared the deeply personal update in July 2026, explaining that her life has changed significantly but her creativity has not disappeared. Despite difficult days and changes to her mobility, Simon made one thing particularly clear: “I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working.”

Her message arrives alongside another encouraging development. Simon is preparing to release Comes in Waves, her first album of original material since 2008, on August 14.

Her Mobility Problems Initially Appeared Related to Arthritis

Before receiving her Parkinson’s diagnosis, Simon had already been dealing with significant physical challenges.

She underwent replacement surgeries involving both knees and one hip after experiencing arthritis. Because of those existing problems and procedures, the singer initially believed her worsening mobility could be connected to her joints and recovery.

But instead of steadily improving, Simon found that moving around became increasingly difficult. She said there were eventually periods when she could not walk without considerable assistance.

Her family also realized that something beyond her previous orthopedic problems might be happening.

Mayo Clinic Evaluation Led to Her Diagnosis

Simon eventually underwent an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, where she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The neurological condition can affect movement and cause symptoms including stiffness, slowed movement, balance difficulties and tremors, although symptoms and their severity can vary considerably between individuals.

Simon said she subsequently began treatment, including medication intended to help manage stiffness and other symptoms.

She also emphasized the unpredictability of her experience, explaining that some days leave her extremely fatigued while others give her more freedom to move, think and work.

Simon Described the Emotional Effects

Some of the challenges Simon described extend beyond physical movement.

She has experienced anxiety, depression, exhaustion and apathy while adjusting to Parkinson’s. Her description of apathy was particularly striking, comparing the experience to lying like a starfish while lacking the internal motivation to get up and participate in ordinary activities.

Simon stressed that such feelings should not simply be interpreted as laziness.

Her comments offer a glimpse into why she needed time to process her diagnosis privately before discussing it publicly. She said she had to understand what was happening, adjust to her new reality and decide how much she wanted others to know.

She Was Also Treated for Skin Cancer

At approximately the same period, Simon faced another medical challenge.

The singer revealed that she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma on her face. She underwent surgery and said the cancer was successfully removed.

However, the procedure affected her appearance, something Simon acknowledged made her increasingly self-conscious about being photographed or appearing publicly.

Combined with her mobility difficulties, Parkinson’s diagnosis and the emotional consequences of those experiences, the surgery contributed to Simon’s decision to retreat from public life.

Still, she never completely stepped away from the activity that has defined her career.

Music Became Part of Her Recovery

While spending more time at home, Simon returned to songwriting.

She began working through musical ideas that had accumulated over the years, including melodies, unfinished verses and fragments of songs she had previously put aside.

The resulting album, Comes in Waves, is scheduled for release on August 14. It will be her first collection of original songs since 2008.

Simon described music as something that has repeatedly rescued her throughout her life. Working creatively gave structure to days that otherwise sometimes lacked it and provided somewhere emotionally meaningful to go without requiring her to leave home.

Most importantly, the process reminded her that an illness could change her life without becoming her entire identity.

A Career Filled With Landmark Songs

Simon began her solo recording career with her self-titled debut album in 1971 and won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

She soon became one of the defining singer-songwriters of her generation, recording enduring songs including “Anticipation,” “You’re So Vain” and “Haven’t Got Time for the Pain.”

Simon also recorded “Nobody Does It Better” for the 1977 James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. The song became one of her signature recordings and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

Her career eventually brought additional Grammys and an Academy Award for “Let the River Run,” written for the 1988 film Working Girl.

Carly Simon Says She Is “Still Very Much Here”

Parkinson’s has forced Simon to approach everyday life differently, but her latest update is ultimately about continuing rather than stopping.

She acknowledged that her pace has changed and that some days remain far more difficult than others. Yet the arrival of another album provides tangible evidence that her creative life continues.

After decades of writing songs about complicated emotions, relationships and personal change, Simon is now confronting another unpredictable chapter through the same medium she has relied upon throughout her career.

Her message to those wondering about her absence is simple: her circumstances have changed, but Carly Simon is still creating and, in her words, “still very much here.”

Featured Image : instagram.com/carlysimonhq