Huey Lewis, the legendary frontman of Huey Lewis and the News, has opened up about the devastating realities of living with Ménière’s disease, revealing that he is now “basically deaf” and completely unable to enjoy the art form that defined his life.
Speaking on the July 7 episode of the “Inside of You” podcast hosted by Michael Rosenbaum, the 76-year-old rock star admitted that the loss of music is a particularly painful consequence of his condition. “I can’t hear music. Music is not part of my life anymore, which is a hard pill to swallow,” Lewis shared.
The singer has struggled with severe hearing issues for more than eight years. He was originally diagnosed with the inner ear condition back in the mid-1990s after suffering from recurrent, debilitating vertigo attacks, though he did not publicly share his diagnosis until 2021. While Lewis uses a cochlear implant and a hearing aid to help him comprehend spoken language, he explained that these devices distort musical pitch, making it virtually impossible to listen to songs.
According to Harvard Health, Menière’s disease is a condition characterized by fluid buildup in the inner ear, causing damage to some of the delicate structures in the inner ear. Common symptoms include vertigo, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, ringing, buzzing or other noises, as well as hearing loss.
For Lewis, the inability to experience music has altered his daily habits. He recalled how he used to play selections from his extensive collection of old New Orleans jazz and old big band music while cooking or hosting dinner guests. “Sometimes I still play it because I know it so well. It’s weird. And I can hear the beat. … So, I know what’s going on but I can’t, can’t enjoy it,” he added. He also expressed feeling pangs of longing when he hears about his peers playing live gigs, wishing he could still participate in the fun.
Despite the challenges, Lewis has found a peaceful escape in nature, spending much of his time fly fishing. He described solo trips to streams as a therapeutic outlet where “hearing is not required,” allowing him to feel like he is conducting nature with his fly rod.
He also noted a positive side to his forced retirement from touring. Had he kept his hearing, Lewis believes he would still be performing 75 to 100 shows on the road every year. While he misses the “circus-like” atmosphere and the close camaraderie of his bandmates, he is grateful for the new experiences and people he has encountered through his outdoor adventures. “I got to kind of look in the positive,” Lewis said.
"I fish a lot, OK. I mean, I really do. And I love the fly fish and I love Mother Nature and I get out there by myself in a stream and I'm conducting nature with my fly rod and it's just a wonderful thing. I love to do it and hearing [is] not required," Lewis said.
He added: "And the thing that's nice about it is, if I had hearing, I'd still be on the road, probably 75 to 100 shows. And I don't miss that. … I miss the camaraderie of the fellas and the circus-like thing that it is. But man, I've been (fishing) so many great places and had so many great experiences and met all kinds of different people that I wouldn't have met. So, I got to kind of look in the positive."
