Huey Lewis, known for his work with the band Clover and as the frontman of Huey Lewis and the News, is determined not to give up hope of returning to performing and recording, despite living with severe hearing loss.
Lewis has been absent from the stage since 2018 when he canceled all tour dates after being diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, a condition affecting the inner ear that causes vertigo and hearing loss. During a 2018 interview with “Today,” Lewis shared his struggle, saying, “I haven’t come to grips with the fact that I may never sing again.”
In a recent interview with People magazine, Lewis discussed his life with the disease and revealed that he now has a cochlear implant, which has improved his ability to hear speech. “I lost bilaterally my hearing,” Lewis said. “The intense vertigo—knock on wood—I have kind of outgrown. I’m mildly dizzy all the time, and my hearing just went to zero. And now I have a cochlear implant, so I’m much better that way, but I can’t hear music.”
He expressed the difficulty of not being able to enjoy music, saying, “The worst part is that means it’s bad enough not to be able to perform and sing and play, but it’s really bad not to even be able to enjoy music.”
Despite these challenges, Huey Lewis and the News released a new album, “Weather,” in 2020, which includes seven tracks recorded before his diagnosis. Lewis remains hopeful yet realistic about the possibility of performing and recording again, describing it as “the best feeling in the world.” However, he acknowledged, “I mean, I might get to where I can try to, and I’m not going to give up. I’m going to try. But geez, that kind of fun, that kind of great ride. I doubt I’m ever going to see that … feel that again.”
Even though he cannot perform or record with Huey Lewis and the News, Lewis remains active in the music industry. The jukebox musical based on the band’s music, “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” has been staged in San Diego and on Broadway in recent years. Additionally, Lewis was recently mentioned in the ongoing search for the guitar Michael J. Fox played in “Back to the Future.”
