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Add Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Simon to the list of 40 million Americans who suffer from hearing loss.
Simon, the veteran singer-songwriter who started his career as part of a folk duo with Art Garfunkel before establishing himself as a successful solo artist, said this past week of his hearing loss: “I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to.”
Simon, 81, made the remark while attending the Toronto Film Festival, where the documentary, “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” received its world premiere.
Simon released a new album earlier this year, “Seven Psalms,” and has said he had hoped to play the occasional live concert, even though he made his formal farewell in 2018. But he has also said that the hearing loss, which affects his left ear, makes it difficult for him to perform live.
The particular frustration for Simon is that he considers his concert appearances an extension of his record-making.
“Usually, when I finished an album I went out and toured with it, and then I have the opportunity to really investigate the piece,” Simon said in Toronto. “And then it evolves to another standard, and goes further.”
Simon added that he’s planning to work with two guitarists to see if he can come up with some solution — that is, they will handle the instrumental parts he might normally play in concert.
According to government statistics, roughly 15.5% of Americans over the age of 18 suffer from hearing issues. That equates to 40 million people.
The National Council on Aging notes that “hearing loss becomes much more common as we age.” The council also says hearing loss is “a major public health concern,” adding that “Research has shown links between hearing loss and other conditions like dementia, depression, anxiety, and falls, all of which add up to higher health care costs and diminished quality of life.”
