Carly Simon Reveals Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis: Her Story Is a Powerful Reminder That Life Doesn’t End with PD

Legendary singer-songwriter Carly Simon has revealed that she has been living with Parkinson’s disease, sharing an honest and deeply personal account of the challenges, uncertainty, and resilience that have shaped her journey. Best known for timeless hits like You're So Vain and Nobody Does It Better, Simon’s story reminds us that while Parkinson’s changes life, it does not define it. Keep reading to hear her personal statement about PD.

Learning to Live with Parkinson’s
In a heartfelt public statement, Simon explained that she initially attributed her difficulty walking to recovery from multiple joint replacement surgeries for arthritis. Even after replacing both knees and one hip, her mobility continued to decline. She struggled to stand from chairs, experienced worsening balance, and eventually required assistance to walk.

After undergoing an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, she received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

"It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say publicly," Simon wrote.

Like many people living with Parkinson’s, she discovered that symptoms are unpredictable. Some days she has energy and can work, think, and create. Other days, fatigue and stiffness make even simple tasks difficult.

Read Carly Simon's Full Statement about Living with PD
"So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease.

It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. 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.

The problems began with arthritis in both knees and one hip. I eventually had all three joints replaced, out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic. After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process.

But my mobility continued to worsen. I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy. Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome.

Eventually, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help. My family and I knew that something more was going on. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

I began treatment, including taking medication to help with stiffness and other symptoms. There is no tidy or predictable schedule to the illness. It does not consult my calendar before deciding what kind of day I am going to have.

Parkinson’s is usually associated with movement, tremors, and balance, but it can affect much more than the body. It can bring anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and apathy. The apathy is particularly strange. You can find yourself lying there like a starfish drying in the sun, arms pointing in all directions, while nothing inside is telling you to get up, read, watch, write, sing, call someone, or do much of anything at all.

That has been one of the hardest things to explain. It is not simply sadness or laziness. It is as though the part of the brain that sends out invitations to participate in life has temporarily misplaced the guest list.

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. I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine (check out the irony of having written “You’re So Vain.”), and this gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material.

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. If a person is allowed to hibernate during both winter and summer, then I have become an all-season bear.
But I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working.

In the middle of all this, 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. It is like a cat or dog that quietly appears beside you when it senses you are not quite yourself.

The album includes songs and fragments of songs that had been waiting for me, some for years. There were melodies, verses, and ideas written down and tucked away for some unknown future when I would have the time and attention to finish them.
 
Apparently, that future is now.

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.

I do not consider Parkinson’s a gift or a blessing. It is neither. It is difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening. I am still learning how to live with it and how to accept it without feeling that I have surrendered something essential.\

I am still writing, singing, imagining, laughing, worrying, remembering, and occasionally getting trapped in an overstuffed chair.

I am deeply grateful to my children, my family, my friends, my caregivers, and the medical professionals who have helped me through this. Their love and patience have carried me through days when my own reserves were not enough.

I wanted to share this now because so many people have reached out with genuine concern. I am touched by that concern, even when I have not known how to respond.

These days I move more slowly, I lean on others more than I once did, and I have learned to accept that every day will look a little different. But I am still very much here.

With love, Carly"

Parkinson’s Is More Than a Movement Disorder
While Parkinson’s is often associated with tremors, stiffness, slowed movement, and balance problems, Simon emphasized that many of the most difficult symptoms are invisible.
She described experiencing overwhelming fatigue, anxiety, and periods of apathy—times when she simply lacked the motivation to do things she loved.

"It is not simply sadness or laziness," she explained. "It is as though the part of the brain that sends out invitations to participate in life has temporarily misplaced the guest list."

Her words echo the experiences of countless people living with Parkinson’s who often struggle to explain the disease's emotional and cognitive effects.

Creativity Became Part of Her Therapy
Despite her diagnosis, Simon has not stopped creating. During treatment, she began recording Comes in Waves, her first album of original music since 2008.

She credits music with helping her through some of her most difficult days.
"Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape," she said. "It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life."

Her story highlights an important lesson for anyone living with Parkinson’s: continuing activities that bring joy and purpose—whether music, art, exercise, gardening, or volunteering—can help improve emotional well-being and quality of life.

Finding Strength Through Support
Simon also shared her gratitude for the family, friends, caregivers, and medical professionals who have helped her navigate life with Parkinson’s. Their encouragement and support carried her through days when her own strength was limited.
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Her experience reinforces something the Parkinson’s community has long understood: no one should face Parkinson’s alone.

​Living Well with Parkinson’s
Although there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, early diagnosis, exercise, medication, education, and a strong support network can help people maintain independence and quality of life for many years.

Carly Simon's openness joins that of other well-known individuals—including Michael J. Fox, Neil Diamond, Ozzy Osbourne, and Linda Ronstadt—who have helped raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease and the importance of research, treatment, and support.
As Simon beautifully reminds us, Parkinson’s may change how someone lives, but it does not have to stop them from living.

You Don't Have to Face Parkinson’s Alone
The Parkinson’s Association of Southwest Florida (PASWFL) provides more than 25 free programs each week for people living with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners, including exercise and wellness classes, speech therapy, support groups, educational PD Talks, and caregiver resources. Membership is free and confidential.

Whether you are newly diagnosed or have been living with Parkinson’s for years, support, education, and community can make all the difference.
Learn more at: www.paswfl.org
Become a free member: https://parkinsonassociationswfl.org/signup.html
Sign up for the PASWFL newsletter: https://parkinsonassociationswfl.org/signup-enews.html