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For Huey Lewis, one of the hardest things about living with Meniere’s disease is not the hearing loss itself, but the loss of music.
The 76-year-old rock star said he is now “basically deaf” and can no longer enjoy the things that once defined his life and career.
“I can’t hear the music. Music is no longer a part of my life. This is a hard pill to swallow,” Lewis told Michael Rosenbaum on the July 7 episode of the Inside of You podcast.
Lewis revealed in 2021 that he had suffered from debilitating vertigo attacks for years and was diagnosed with an inner ear disease, but said he had been unable to hear properly for more than eight years. Cochlear implants and hearing aids can help people understand speech, but they distort the pitch of sounds, making it nearly impossible to enjoy music, he said.
Huey Lewis says hearing pitch is ‘impossible’
The Huey Lewis & the News frontman says he can’t groove like he used to and is trying to “get it out” of his head. But it’s difficult, especially when you hear that your friend is performing live.
“I had to say, ‘God, I want to do that too, I want to do that.’ It was so much fun,” Lewis added. “I’m in pain and can’t enjoy music. I used to play music all the time, like when I was cooking or inviting people over for dinner. I have a great collection of old big band and old New Orleans jazz, and I just can’t do that. I don’t play it at all anymore.”
“I still play it sometimes because I know it so well. It’s weird. And I hear the beat. … I mean, I know what’s going on, but I can’t enjoy it, I can’t enjoy it,” he added.
What is Meniere’s disease?
According to Harvard Health, Meniere’s disease is a condition characterized by a buildup of fluid in the inner ear, which damages some of its delicate structures. Common symptoms include dizziness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, buzzing or other noises, and hearing loss.
Ms Lewis said she was diagnosed in the mid-1990s after suffering repeated attacks of vertigo for years. He announced his diagnosis in 2021.
How Huey Lewis found his new passion
After Lewis received his diagnosis, he found refuge in nature.
“I fish a lot, okay. I mean, I really fish. And I love fly-fishing, I love Mother Nature, being out on the river by myself and commanding nature with a fly rod. It’s really amazing. I love doing it, and I don’t need hearing,” Lewis said.
Furthermore, he added: “And the good thing about this is, if I could have heard, I probably would have still done 75 to 100 shows. And I don’t miss it. … I miss the camaraderie of the guys and the circus stuff. But, you know, I went to so many great places (fishing) and had so many great experiences and met all kinds of people that I wouldn’t have met. So I got to see certain things in a positive way.” ”
