New York – Paul Simon hasn’t given up hope of returning to live performances. The 81-year-old American singer-songwriter himself said so during an interview with CBS. Simon therefore remains optimistic despite the near total hearing loss in his left ear which has compromised his ability to be on stage with other musicians. ‘I really want to play live’Seven Psalms‘ – has explained -. I haven’t lost hope, but I’m prepared to accept it if I can’t do it”.
A native of Newark, New Jersey, but raised in Queens New York, and now transplanted to Texas, the artist began to lose his hearing about two and a half years ago. Last May at Sunday Times he explained that it happened almost suddenly and that no one could explain why. “Everything became more difficult – he told the British newspaper – my initial reaction was one of frustration and annoyance, not immediately anger because I thought it was a passing thing”. His hearing, however, has not returned and has made the legendary singer question the possibility of returning to live performances. His last was a surprise appearance at last year’s Newport Folk Festival. Winner of 16 Grammy awards, the Oscars of music, Simon explained that the ability to hear in the left ear is about 8%. “It makes me angry – he commented – I can still hear enough to be able to play guitar and write, but not enough to be able to play with five or six musicians. Maybe it has to go like this, maybe there is a lesson to be learned from everything that is?”. ‘Seven Psalms’, released last May, is his 15th solo studio album, while he has five more under his belt with Art Garfunkel as part of the duo ‘Simon & Garfunkel’. By some it has been seen as the singer’s own struggle against mortality. “It’s not – he underlined -. Of course, I’m 81 years old, of course I think about it, but that doesn’t mean I’m under that pressure (death, ed)”.
Married since 1992 to folk singer Edie Brickell, in a conversation with CBS journalist Anthony Mason, Simon also revealed that he can’t stop creating. “I recently started writing again-he said-. I wrote two songs. As long as I can write and sing, I will continue to make records even if only for myself”.
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