Paul Simon discusses hearing loss in 'CBS Mornings' interview.

Paul Simon may be responsible for writing some of music's most beloved songs, but as he's previously revealed, he's gradually becoming unheard of.

Last year, Simon explained to the British newspaper The Times that he began experiencing hearing loss in his left ear during the recording of the 2023 song cycle; Seven Psalms. “All of a sudden, I lost most of the hearing in my left ear and nobody has an explanation for it,” he explained. “That made everything more difficult.”

Now in a new interview with CBS MorningsSimon spoke to journalist Anthony Mason about his journey with hearing loss and his search for ways to manage it.

“It was incredibly disappointing. I was very angry at first that this happened,” Simon admitted, noting that his biggest fear is the possibility of either not writing or composing anymore. “I guess what scares me the most would be if I can't hear well enough to actually enjoy the act of making music,” he added.

Although Simon finished his last tour in 2018, he still makes sporadic appearances here and there. Most recently, he performed a surprise set at the Irish Center for the Arts in New York, and weeks before, he performed for The SoHo Sessions as part of a fundraiser for the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss

“I go through my repertoire and reduce a lot of the choices I make to acoustic versions. Everything is much quieter,” he explained. “It's not, 'You can call me Al. That's gone. I can't do this.”

As part of it CBS Mornings Interview, Simon visited the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss at its facility in Palo Alto, California, discussing how zebrafish, mice and other animals are a focus for research. While zebrafish had hearing benefits thanks to an FDA-approved drug, mice are being used as part of gene therapy in an attempt to regenerate damaged hair follicles.

By Simon's own admission however, he tells CBS that his desire to create has not been affected despite his ability to perfectly listen to the fruits of his labor.

“You know Matisse, when he was suffering at the end of his life, when he was in bed, he was envisioning all these cuts and he had a wonderful creative period,” he noted. “So I don't think creativity stops with disability. So far, I have not experienced this. And I hope I don't.”