Huey Lewis confirmed during a recent podcast appearance that he has been “basically deaf” for nearly nine years after living with Ménière’s disease for several decades. On Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, the artist explained this “immeasurable” change is why “music is not part of my life anymore.”
The 76-year-old artist said he first lost hearing in his right ear 35 years ago, after which he “existed on one ear.” Lewis’ doctor told him to “get used to it,” and he was able to adjust and play for the next 25 years, until his left ear “bailed.”
Lewis has a cochlear implant on one side and a regular old hearing aid in the other one, but he’s “basically deaf.” The condition kept getting worse, and Lewis had to “face the music.” He added that it’s been eight years since his life changed immeasurably, and music is not part of his life anymore, which is a hard pill to swallow.
Ménière’s Disease and Its Effects
Ménière’s disease is an inner ear disorder that can result in vertigo, tinnitus, and ear pressure. Lewis announced his diagnosis with the disease in April 2018 after losing most of his hearing during a concert in Dallas. The disease has left him unable to sing and perform, and he’s been having vertigo attacks for 35 years.
Lewis explained that his cochlear implant “breaks everything down into digital bits,” making speech easier to understand than music. Music occurs in all frequencies with harmonics and overtones, making it distort for him, and the cochlear implant distorts the music a little bit in the same way it distorts people’s voices.
A Hope for a More Comfortable Life
There is some hope for a more comfortable life in the form of a fully internal cochlear implant, which lives inside one’s skin. Lewis said, “You put a little thing on your ear to charge it every once in a while, and then you take it out, and now you can swim, and you can sleep at night.”
Huey Lewis’ final studio album with the News, Weather, was released in 2020. His 2024 appearance on the podcast The Story Behind the Song is also worth revisiting, in which he broke down “I Want a New Drug” off Sports, which received a 40th anniversary reissue in 2023.
In conclusion, Huey Lewis has been dealing with the effects of Ménière’s disease for several decades, and it has significantly impacted his life and career. Although he’s “basically deaf,” he’s still finding ways to adapt and hopes for a more comfortable life with the help of a fully internal cochlear implant. His legacy continues to live on through his music, including his iconic album Sports, which remains a favorite among fans.
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