American singer/songwriter. Her two most
famous songs are "
Nobody Does it Better" (the
theme from
The Spy Who Loved Me) and "
You're So Vain".
Born June 25, 1945, Simon got her start in the music business singing with her sister under the name "The Simon Sisters." When her sister got married, Simon began her solo career in 1971 with her debut album, "Carly Simon." That album gave her her first hit, "That's the Way I've Always Heard it Should Be." Together with her second album, "Anticipation," also released that year, it earned her a Best New Artist Grammy. In 1972, she released "No Secrets," which contained the hit track "You're So Vain" about her relationship with Warren Beatty. That year she also married fellow musician James Taylor, to whom she would stay married until 1981. The couple had a daughter, Sally, in 1974, and a second child, Ben, in 1977.
Ben had severe health problems which culminated in his having to have a kidney removed. At the same time, Simon was touring and dealing with problems in her marriage with Taylor. In October, 1980, she collapsed on stage during a concert, after which she cancelled the rest of that tour and severely cut back on future performances.
She continued to record, however, and signed a one album deal with Epic Records. That album, "Spoiled Girl," tanked, and the contract was not renewed. She signed a contract with Arista Records in 1986, and in 1987 remarried, this time to Jim Hart.
In 1988, Carly wrote the soundtrack for the movie Working Girl. In 1989, she won the Oscar for Best Song for "Let the River Run" off that soundtrack.
In the 1990s, Simon continued to work, composing the libretto for the opera "Romulus Hunt," for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and the Kennedy Center. She also wrote "Touched by the Sun" for Jacqueline Kennedy O'Nassis.
Later, Simon was diagnosed with breast cancer, but after surgery and chemotherapy, recovered, and continues to compose and record music.
Discography
1971 Carly Simon
1971 Anticipation
1972 No Secrets
1974 Hotcakes
1975 Playing Possum
1975 Best of Carly Simon
1976 Another Passenger
1978 Boys in the Trees
1979 Spy
1980 Come Upstairs
1981 Torch
1983 Hello Big Man
1985 Spoiled Girl
1987 Coming Around Again
1988 Greatest Hits Live
1989 Working Girl (soundtrack)
1990 My Romance
1990 Have You Seen Me Lately?
1992 This Is My Life (soundtrack)
1994 Letters Never Sent
1995 Clouds in My Coffee (boxed set)
1997 Film Noir
1999 The Very Best of Carly Simon - Nobody Does It Better
2000 The Bedroom Tapes