Paul Simon’s Health, Life, and Simon & Garfunkel History

Paul Simon has spent more than six decades writing songs that feel like they have always existed. In 2023, the 83-year-old revealed something that fundamentally changed his relationship with music: he had lost most of the hearing in his left ear, with no medical explanation available. That diagnosis forced him to stop performing one of his most beloved songs, and it raises questions about what the future holds for one of America’s greatest songwriters.

Age: 83 (born October 13, 1941) ·
Notable collaboration: Simon & Garfunkel ·
Solo studio albums: 15 ·
Grammy Awards: 16 ·
Major health events: hearing loss (2023) ·
Marriages: 3 (including Carrie Fisher, Edie Brickell)

Six key facts capture Paul Simon’s career and current situation at a glance.

What illness is Paul Simon suffering from?

Hearing loss diagnosis

• In an interview with The Times (UK), Simon stated: “Quite suddenly I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it” (Billboard (music industry news outlet)).
• By May 2023, the BBC News reported that he had “almost completely lost hearing in his left ear” (BBC News (UK public service broadcaster)).
• Simon told the BBC in September 2023, “I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to” (BBC News).

Impact on performing career

• Simon has stated he can no longer sing “The Boxer” because his hearing loss makes it impossible to stay on pitch (Billboard).
• In 2018, he announced his retirement from touring, citing the travel and time away from his wife and family (Fox News (American news outlet)).
• Despite the hearing challenges, Simon announced a return to touring in February 2025 with a 52-date “A Quiet Celebration” tour, using smaller, acoustically optimized venues (Yahoo Entertainment (entertainment news platform)).

The pattern: Simon’s hearing loss forced a pause, but not a full stop. The 2025 tour is designed around his condition — a quiet celebration of a career that refuses to end quietly.

Why did Art Garfunkel leave Paul Simon?

Creative differences

• Simon was the primary songwriter, and Garfunkel felt increasingly overshadowed. People (celebrity news magazine) described the partnership as “uneven,” noting that Garfunkel’s pursuit of a film role after The Graduate worsened tensions.
• The duo’s final dedicated performances were two hometown concerts at Forest Hills Stadium in 1970 (Biography.com (biography reference site)). After that, the music “essentially stopped.”

Personal tensions and a tearful reunion

• Garfunkel later expressed regret. In a 2010 reunion meeting, he reportedly broke down and called himself a fool for having let the partnership fall apart.
• In December 2024, Garfunkel confirmed to Yahoo Entertainment that he and Simon had recently met up for the first time in years and had dinner together — signaling a thaw after years of estrangement.

The implication: The personal reconciliation may not lead to a musical reunion, but it marks a shift after decades of estrangement.

Why did Carrie Fisher and Paul Simon split?

Timeline of marriage

• Paul Simon and actress Carrie Fisher were married from 1983 to 1984.
• Their split is widely attributed to Fisher’s struggles with drug addiction and their differing lifestyles (People (celebrity news magazine)).
• Fisher’s 2016 death deeply affected Simon; he performed “The Sound of Silence” at her memorial service.

The trade-off: Simon’s need for stability clashed with Fisher’s more turbulent life. The marriage lasted only a year, but their friendship endured until her death.

How is Paul Simon doing today?

Current health status

• Simon is managing his hearing loss through careful stage design and smaller venues. His 2025 tour is explicitly designed for optimal sound quality given his condition (Yahoo Entertainment).
• He continues to live in New York with his wife, Edie Brickell, and their three children.

Recent activities and albums

• Released Seven Psalms in 2023, his 15th solo studio album (BBC News).
• No new album announced, but he has not ruled out future recording.

Why this matters: At 83, Paul Simon is defying the expectation that hearing loss means the end of a musical career. His adapt-or-quit response offers a blueprint for other aging musicians facing similar challenges.

What is the saddest song to play at a funeral?

Songs by Paul Simon that are often chosen

• “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Simon & Garfunkel) is frequently cited as one of the most moving funeral songs. Its themes of comfort and support are universally recognized.
• “The Sound of Silence” also appears on many funeral playlists for its melancholic, reflective quality.
• “America” (Simon & Garfunkel) is chosen for its wistful sense of searching.

Other common funeral songs

• Beyond Simon, songs like “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen) and “Tears in Heaven” (Eric Clapton) are perennial choices.
• For a more personal touch, many people select songs that held meaning in the deceased’s life — including Simon’s deep catalog.

The implication: Music’s power to accompany grief is part of why Simon’s work endures. His songs are woven into the emotional fabric of millions of lives.

Timeline

• 1941: Born in Newark, New Jersey (Biography.com)
• 1957: Formed Simon & Garfunkel with Art Garfunkel (Biography.com)
• 1970: Simon & Garfunkel disband; solo career begins (Biography.com)
• 1983-1984: Married to Carrie Fisher (Biography.com)
• 1992: Married to Edie Brickell (Fox News)
• 2016: Carrie Fisher dies (People (celebrity news magazine))
• 2018: Announced retirement from touring (Fox News)
• 2023: Released “Seven Psalms”; revealed hearing loss (BBC News)
• 2024: Stated he can no longer sing “The Boxer” (Billboard)
• 2025: Announces “A Quiet Celebration” tour (Yahoo Entertainment)

Clarity

Confirmed facts

• Paul Simon has significant hearing loss (confirmed in multiple interviews, 2023-2024) (Billboard, BBC News).
• He cannot perform “The Boxer” due to hearing issues (Billboard).
• Simon & Garfunkel split in 1970 (Biography.com).
• He married Edie Brickell in 1992 (Fox News).

What’s unclear

• Exact extent of hearing loss (percentage or specific frequencies) (BBC News).
• Whether Paul Simon will ever perform again beyond the 2025 tour (Yahoo Entertainment).
• Precise reason for the final split of Simon & Garfunkel beyond general tensions (People).

Quotes

“Quite suddenly I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it.”

— Paul Simon, speaking to Billboard

“I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to.”

— Paul Simon, speaking to BBC News

“We recently met up for the first time in years and had dinner together.”

— Art Garfunkel, as reported by Yahoo Entertainment

Paul Simon’s story is not a quiet fade-out. It’s a recalibration. He lost his hearing, lost a partnership, and lost a wife — but he kept making music. For an artist who has always adapted, from folk to world music to intimate acoustic settings, the message is clear: the songs matter more than the stage. For fans, the lesson is that even a legend can rewrite the last act — if they’re willing to play smaller rooms and face the silence.

For those interested in the medical details behind his decision to retire from touring, Paul Simons hearing loss journey offers a comprehensive look at the condition that reshaped his later career.

Frequently Asked Questions