Huey Lewis was the featured interview subject on this past weekend’s episode of CBS Sunday Morning, which aired yesterday, January 26th. In the new interview with the 69-year-old singer and bandleader, Lewis shared more disheartening info on his diagnosis with Ménière’s Disease, which he says has left him unable to sing entirely.
The televised interview on Sunday also arrives a month after the band confirmed the upcoming arrival of Huey Lewis and The News‘ first studio album of new material since 2001 with the seven-song Weather, due out February 14th on BMG.
Related: Ozzy Osbourne Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis On ‘Good Morning America’ [Video]
Sunday’s interview segment opened with footage of Lewis and his News bandmates Johnny Colla and Bill Gibson listening in on some of the new music set to appear on Weather. The trio mention they initially wanted more than just seven tracks on the album, but Lewis’ disease prevented him from being able to deliver a vocal performance worthy of recording–or even performing out loud, for that matter.
Footage continues with B-roll of Lewis being examined by medical specialists before moving to the one-on-one portion of the segment.
“I lost my hearing almost two years ago now,” Lewis admits in the interview. “I’m having a good day today, but could I play a show where there’d be a loud P.A.? Probably not, because a bass part which would normally sound like [verbally mimics a clean bass tone] to me sounds like [verbally mimics crunchy, distorted sound].”
Lewis canceled a year’s worth of tour dates back in April 2018 following the initial diagnosis. At the time, Lewis said he had been unable to hear properly for two-and-a-half months. The band was slated to play a number of shows that year, including a set at San Francisco’s popular Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival.
Lewis specifically mentioned a show in Dallas earlier that year where he knew for a fact the disease had severely distorted his ability to process sound.
“I went on stage and it was horrible,” Lewis continued. “I couldn’t hear anything, I sang out of tune. Had the worst night of my life.”
Watch the entire interview from Sunday below.
Huey Lewis Talks Ménière’s Disease – CBS Sunday Morning
[Video: CBS Sunday Morning]
Huey Lewis and The News currently have no concert dates planned for the foreseeable future. As reality continues to set in on the severity of Lewis’ disease, it appears this could be the end of the line for Huey Lewis’ singing career.