Paul Simon recently opened up about coping with health struggles during a Q&A session after the screening of the documentary ‘In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon’ by Alex Gibney.
The singer-songwriter said the following about his hearing loss:
“I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to. I play the guitar every day. It’s the instrument that allows me to express myself creatively. But it’s also where I go for solace. If I’m feeling … ‘whatever.'”
Sharing how his disability has affected his life, he went on to state:
“So it’s a very crucial thing to me. You know, something happens to you when you have some sort of disability that changes your awareness or changes how you interact with life.”
After mentioning that his hearing condition has made the touring process difficult, Simon added:
“Although a week from now, I’m going to try and work with two guitarists who will play the parts that I played on the record and see if I can sing the piece. I’m not sure how I can integrate my voice with the guitars.”
Paul disclosed that he had experienced a significant loss of hearing in his left ear for the first time in a May 2023 interview with the Times. Speaking to CBS News Sunday Morning in June, Paul shared how his health issue started, explaining:
“I started to lose the hearing in my left ear about two years ago, two-and-a-half years ago. And at this moment, it’s, I think, 8% hearing in that ear. It’s upsetting. I can still hear well enough to play guitar and write. But I can’t hear well enough to play with five or six musicians. Maybe that’s fine. Maybe there’s something to be learned from that?”
Gibney’s documentary features the music veteran working on his latest album ‘Seven Psalms’ in his Texas home studio. Spanning three and a half hours, it also explores his journey from his time in Simon and Garfunkel alongside his childhood friend Art Garfunkel to the creation of his successful 1986 solo album, ‘Graceland.’