Thursday, November 7, 2024

“Morning After” Singer Maureen McGovern Says She’s Been Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, will Retire

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The great singer Maureen McGovern has posted a sad announcement to her website.

She writes: “I’ve been diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy with symptoms of Alzheimer’s and/or Dementia.”

McGovern has the distinction of singing two songs that won Best Song at the Oscars. “The Morning After,” which went to number 1, was from ‘The Poseidon Adventure.” Then “We May Never Love Like this Again” came from “The Towering Inferno.” The songs were written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn.

McGovern became more famous still for appearing in the great comedy, “Airplane” as the Singing Nun.

She’s been recording and touring for the last four decades and has always been a popular presence around the world.

The diagnosis is alarming although every day there are breakthroughs.

A forthright McGovern says:

“What I do, or what I am still able to accomplish, has changed. I can no longer travel or perform in live concerts. In fact, I can no longer drive — how’s that for a kick in the butt?

“Of course, it’s a challenge, but it certainly is not going to keep me from living my life. At first, I began having trouble finding, in my brain, the words I wanted to say. I struggled with the inevitable shock with fear and frankly hopelessness.

“But slowly I realized that my inner life has not changed. My passion for music, for singing, remains profoundly robust. To me, music is a language that expresses what often cannot be said with just words – it elevates, expands, and heals – brings joy and comfort and can eliminate barriers by creating meaningful experiences. So, accepting this new stage in my life, I began to embrace what I have and let it be.”

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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