Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Carly Simon is My Favorite 2022 Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Inductee

There was one name which made me jump for joy when the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2022 was announced this morning.

Carly Simon.

Simon's voice is such that she was the first female performer who truly captivated my spirit. Its deep timbre captured and has sustained my affection and attention for decades. My introduction to Carly Simon came when I was about 10 after my mother bought a copy of her 1975 album The Best of Carly Simon which included the bulk of her early hits such as "You're So Vain", "Anticipation", "Haven't Got Time For The Pain" and, my personal favorite, "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be".

My favorite Carly Simon album is her eponymous debut album which was released in 1971. I bought a cassette of it when I lived in London in the early part of 1995 and I spent many an hour listening to it on my walk man and most enjoyed it when she sang about The Serpentine on "The Best Thing" while walking along The Serpentine in Hyde Park.

In November 2005, I had the privilege of seeing her perform at The Orpheum in Boston. Simon rarely performs live due to stage fright. On this evening, she was joined by her children Ben Taylor and Sally Taylor during this concert. The moment during the concert which stood out was when she and Ben (standing in for her long estranged ex-husband James Taylor) were singing "Mockingbird" when her dog came running out on stage. Without missing a beat, she picked up her dog and continued singing and looked very happy doing so. 

The induction ceremony takes place in November. It is not clear if Simon, who turns 77 next month, will perform for the occasion. For now, have a listen to her 1971 performance "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" in Central Park.

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