Carly Simon Faces Parkinson’s – Still Writing, Singing, & Releasing a New Album

Sun Sep 06 2026 13:44:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Legendary singer‑songwriter Carly Simon says she’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s but is still busy with music and a new album. Find out how she’s coping.

Carly Simon, the 83‑year‑old who made classics like “You’re So Vain,” has revealed a Parkinson’s diagnosis and said she’s learning to live and work through it. Despite the disease’s unpredictable toll, she’s still writing, singing and on track to release a new album in August 2026. Simon also shared her recent surgery, her feelings about public appearance, and the support she receives from family and doctors. The story mixes heartfelt honesty with a hopeful look at her continuing musical career.

Carly Simon – the singer‑songwriter who made “You’re So Vain” a pop‑culture staple – says she’s now 83 and living with Parkinson’s disease. The condition, which can dull movement and thinking, is a steady‑worsening neurological disorder that millions face across the globe.

In a statement to the BBC, Simon said she “learns how to live” with the disease and that certain days are tougher than others. Some days, she feels exhausted and barely gets up, while other days she’s able to move, think, work, and feel more like herself.

She added that she’s recently had eye‑reclaiming surgery to remove a cancerous growth on her face and that the procedure made her more self‑conscious outside. “I’ve always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could imagine,” she wrote, referencing the swaggering lyric of “You’re So Vain.”

Despite the physical challenges – arthritis in her knees and hip, difficult surgeries, and ongoing Parkinson’s symptoms – Simon hasn’t let her music stop. She’s still writing, singing, imagining, and even performing. Her next album, “Comes In Waves,” is slated for release in August 2026, with the single “Howl” already out.

The new album explores themes like love, memory, family, and forgiveness. Simon says she’s revisiting familiar topics but also leaving room for contradiction, ambiguity, and emotional growth. The release follows her headline tribute performance for BBC Radio 2 in 2010 and the steady support of her children, friends, caregivers and medical team.

“I am not a gift or a blessing,” she wrote, “but I am learning to accept some of the changes each day brings.” Yet she remains active: “I am still writing, singing, laughing, and sometimes stuck in an over‑stuffed chair, but I’m still here.”

Carly’s journey reminds fans that creativity can live on with health struggles and that old‑school legends keep pushing through. Stay tuned for the full album and her next concerts, as the artist balances living with Parkinson’s while still spreading her musical legacy.