Lucy Simon facts for kids

Lucy Elizabeth Simon (born May 5, 1940 – died October 20, 2022) was an American composer. She wrote music for plays and popular songs. Lucy Simon was also a singer and songwriter. She was well-known for her work on the musicals The Secret Garden (1991) and Doctor Zhivago (2011).

In 1963, Lucy started performing with her sister Carly Simon. They were known as the Simon Sisters. The duo released three albums. Their first album, Meet the Simon Sisters, included the song "Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod". This song was based on a poem by Eugene Field. It became a small hit and made it onto the Billboard music charts.

Lucy Simon won a Grammy Award in 1981 with her husband, David Levine. They won for In Harmony in the Best Recording for Children category. She won again in 1983 for In Harmony 2. Lucy Simon was also nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. These nominations were for composing the music for the Broadway musical The Secret Garden.

Early Life and Family

Lucy Simon was born in New York City on May 5, 1940. Her father, Richard L. Simon, helped start the famous book company Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Her mother, Andrea Simon, used to work as a switchboard operator. She was also involved in fighting for equal rights and was a singer. Lucy was the older sister of the famous musician Carly Simon.

Her father came from a German Jewish family. Her mother's grandfather was also of German descent. Lucy's grandmother on her mother's side, known as "Chibie," was Roman Catholic from Cuba. She came from a family with mixed heritage, including ancestors who were freed slaves. She was raised by nuns in England until she was sixteen.

Besides her younger sister Carly, Lucy had an older sister, Joanna, who was an opera singer. She also had a younger brother named Peter, who was a photographer. Lucy grew up in Fieldston, a part of Riverdale in the Bronx. She went to the Fieldston School. Later, she studied at Bennington College and graduated in 1962.

Her Music Career

Lucy Simon started her professional music journey by singing folk songs. She performed with her sister Carly Simon as the Simon Sisters. Later, they also sang folk-rock music. Lucy's musical version of "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" has been recorded by many different artists. These include the Doobie Brothers and Mitzie Collins.

In the mid-1970s, Lucy Simon released two albums on the RCA record label. Most of the songs were her own. Her first album, Lucy Simon, was more folk-rock. Her second album, Stolen Time, had a modern pop sound. Her sister Carly Simon and singer James Taylor sang backup on some songs from Stolen Time.

Grammy Awards for Kids' Music

Lucy Simon won a Grammy Award in 1981 with her husband, David Levine. They won in the Best Recording for Children category. This was for their album In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record. They won the same award again in 1983 for In Harmony 2. These awards showed her talent in creating music for young audiences.

Broadway Musicals

Lucy Simon made her Broadway debut as the composer for The Secret Garden. For this musical, she was nominated for a 1991 Tony Award for Best Original Score. She also received a 1991 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music. She also wrote songs for an Off-Broadway show called A... My Name Is Alice.

She also composed the music for a musical version of the famous Russian novel Doctor Zhivago. She worked with lyricists Michael Korie and Amy Powers. This musical first opened in California in 2006. A new version of Doctor Zhivago was performed in Australia in 2011. It later opened on Broadway in New York City in 2015.

Her Personal Life

Lucy Simon married David Y. Levine in 1967. They were married for 55 years until her death. They had two children together, named Julie and James. Lucy Simon passed away on October 20, 2022, at the age of 82. She died at her home in Piermont, New York. She had been battling breast cancer before she passed away. Her death happened just one day after her sister Joanna also died from cancer.

Awards and Recognition

Drama Desk Awards

The Drama Desk Awards are given each year to celebrate great work in New York theatre. These awards are very important in American theater.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are given out every year by The Recording Academy in the United States. They honor amazing achievements in the music industry. These awards are often seen as the highest honor in music. They started in 1958.

Tony Awards

The Tony Awards celebrate excellent live Broadway theatre performances. The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League present these awards.

Music She Made

Studio albums

The Simon Sisters

• 1964: Meet the Simon Sisters
• 1966: Cuddlebug
• 1969: The Simon Sisters Sing the Lobster Quadrille and Other Songs for Children
• 1973: Lucy & Carly – The Simon Sisters Sing for Children [re-issue of the "Lobster Quadrille" album]
• 2006: Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod: The Kapp Recordings [re-issue of their first two albums]
• 2008: Carly & Lucy Simon Sing Songs for Children [re-issue of the "Lobster Quadrille" album]

Solo

• 1975: Lucy Simon
• 1977: Stolen Time

Singles

The Simon Sisters

• 1964: "Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod"

Solo

• 1975: "Sally Go 'Round the Sun"
• 1977: "If You Ever Believed"

Other appearances

• 1980: "I Have a Song" by Lucy Simon – In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record
• 1981: "Maryanne" by Lucy & Carly Simon – In Harmony 2
• 1981: The Rodgers and Hart Album (Simon appears on two cuts of this William Bolcom and Joan Morris album)