Paul Simon Reveals Classic Song He Can No Longer Perform Live Due To Dramatic Hearing Loss

Paul Simon shared with CBS Morning News that his hearing loss has made some songs, like “You Can Call Me Al,” too challenging to perform live.

Half of the legendary Simon and Garfunkel and a wildly successful solo singer-songwriter, Simon, now 83, said:

“I’m going through my repertoire and reducing it to quieter acoustic versions....I can’t do that one anymore.”

Simon, who suffered sudden hearing loss last year, admitted to feeling anger and frustration at the change.

The track was a live staple, performed over 400 times, according to Setlist.fm, with its last appearance in 2019.

While Simon retired from touring in 2018, he continues to perform in smaller shows and remains hopeful about returning to full-length concerts despite his condition.

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The organization doing the work thanked CBS Mornings for the attention paid to their research.

People thought it might have been a side-effect of COVID.

Folks said it was particularly devastating for musicians.

Referencing one of Simon's earlier hits with Art Garfunkel, someone summed up the situation.

Simon performed a farewell tour in 2018, but the adjustments he's making to his repertoire lately may signal a return to touring, at least in small spaces.