Neil Young knows when the damage was done to his hearing | Connect Hearing

Connect Hearing takes a look at legendary Canadian rocker Neil Young and examines how he damaged his hearing and what he is doing about it.

In 1991, Neil Young & Crazy Horse released a live concert album titled "Weld." However, while mixing the live rock and roll album, Young claims that it affected his hearing. “That's why I really regret it," he said. "I hurt my ears and they'll never be the same again."

Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (HEAR) quotes that "60% of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are hearing impaired."

Young now suffers from tinnitus, which once forced him to stop recording for a few years. He started his career singing in folk clubs in Canada, where he first met long-time friend and fellow musician Joni Mitchell.  Young then made his way to the US where he joined a succession of bands playing a mixture of folk, country, rock, psychedelia, punk and alternative music.

The 66-year-old singer has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, in 1995 as a solo performer and also in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. A sometimes-solo artist, sometimes-band member, Young has produced more than 40 distinct albums together with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crazy Horse, and Buffalo Springfield. Unfortunately as many musicians discover, with fame there often comes a price. Since the production of "Weld", Young has taken steps to protect his hearing from further damage. 

“I made 'Harvest Moon' because I didn't want to hear any loud sounds. I still have a little bit of tinnitus but fortunately now I'm not as sensitive to loud sounds as I was for a year after the mixing of 'Weld'," he said. "My hearing's not perfect but it's OK.”

Here is a video of the song "Harvest Moon" live in Austin Texas.