Carly Simon

Carly Simon was bred for a career in music. Her father, Richard Simon, was a magnificent pianist who would often play classical pieces in the home. Carly’s mother, Andrea Simon, was both a singer and civil rights activist. Simon was born in 1945. She grew up in the heart of New York City with her two older sisters and younger brother.

Carly knew early on that she wanted to pursue music professionally. In her late teens she and her sister, Lucy, formed a group called the Simon Sisters. The duo produced three albums together and had one minor hit, “Winkin’, Blinkin’, and Nod” in 1964 when Carly was nineteen. The pair went their separate ways when Lucy decided to get married, settle down, and start a family. Simon’s solo career was launched in 1971 after Carly spent a brief time recording with the New York based rock group, Elephant’s Memory. Her self-titled album was produced by Elektra records and produced one top ten hit. The success of her first album quickly led to producing her second album less than a year later.

Simon’s third album, No Secrets, hit the scene in 1972, and to this day is considered to be her breakthrough album. The album contained the smash hit, “You’re so Vain.” Mick Jagger sang the back up lyrics on the single. There have been many rumors as to whom the song is about. Potential candidates include Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, and James Taylor. Janet Jackson sampled the hit in 2000. Carly also sang back up vocals and appeared in her music video.

Right around the time that her third album hit the music scene, Simon married singer and songwriter James Taylor. The couple has two children together, Sarah Maria, born in 1974, and Ben, born in 1977. Simon and Taylor divorced in 1983. Carly later remarried in 1987 to James Hart, who is a writer and businessman.

Simon continued working with Elektra records throughout the 1970s. Her last album with them, Spy, was released in 1979. Carly then switched record labels and began working with Warner Brother Records in 1980. Although her albums did not garner as much success in the 1980s as they had in the past, Carly did receive quite a bit of recognition for her work on film soundtracks. She recorded, “Let the River Run” for the film Working Girl, starring Melanie Griffith. For her work on the soundtrack she received an Academy Award for Best Song.

Throughout the remainder of the 1980s and 1990s Carly produced a few more albums and also wrote several children’s books, including The Boy of the Bells and Fisherman’s Song. In 1993 Simon also recorded a duet with Frank Sinatra, “Guess I’ll Hang my Tears out to Dry,” for his album Duets. Toward the end of the decade, Carly was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing treatment she has made a full recovery.

In 2000, Simon recorded her first original album in over six years, called The Bedroom Tapes. She also went on tour to promote the album in her first tour in over ten years. Simon is also set to come out with a new album in October of 2006, which will include two original songs, as well as covers of The Beatles, Cat Stevens, and Judy Garland. Currently, Carly lives in Martha’s Vineyard and co-owns a small store there called Midnight Farm.

YUDDY