Lucy Elizabeth Simon (May 5, 1940 – October 20, 2022) was an American composer for the theatre and of popular songs. She recorded and performed as a singer and songwriter, and was known for the musicals The Secret Garden (1991) and Doctor Zhivago (2011).
Simon was born in New York City on May 5, 1940.[1][7] Her father, Richard L. Simon, was the co-founder of the book publisher Simon & Schuster, Inc.; her mother, Andrea (Heinemann) Simon, was a former switchboard operator, civil rights activist, and singer. She was the older sister of musician Carly Simon.[1] Her father was from a GermanJewish family, while her maternal grandfather Friedrich was of German descent. Lucy's maternal grandmother, known as "Chibie", was a Roman Catholic from Cuba, and was of pardo heritage, a freed-slave descendant (the show Finding Your Roots tested Carly Simon's DNA as "10 percent black"[8]), and was sent to England and raised by nuns until the age of sixteen.[9][10]
Simon began her professional career singing folk tunes with sister Carly Simonasthe Simon Sisters and later folk-rock. Simon's setting of "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod"[16] has been recorded by many diverse artists, including the Doobie Brothers, Mitzie Collins, and the Big Three (Cass Elliot, Tim Rose, and James Hendricks).[17][16] In the mid-1970s, after a number of years away from recording, Lucy released two albums on the RCA label of mostly original compositions, along with a few collaborations and covers. Her self-titled debut album was more folk-rock in orientation while her second album, Stolen Time, had a contemporary pop sound.[1][7] Carly Simon and James Taylor provided backing vocals on half of the songs from Stolen Time.[18] Simon won a Grammy Award in 1981 with her husband, David Levine, in the Best Recording for Children category for In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record, and again in 1983 in the same category for In Harmony 2.[4]
She composed the music for a musical version of the Russian novel Doctor Zhivago, with lyricists Michael Korie and Amy Powers and book writer Michael Weller. The musical had its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, California, in May 2006.[21] A new version of Doctor Zhivago ran in Sydney, Australia, Melbourne, and Brisbane in 2011 under the title Doctor Zhivago – A New Musical, starring Anthony Warlow in the title role and Lucy Maunder as Lara, the sensitive doctor's secret muse. The musical was produced by John Frost with Des McAnuff directing.[22] Anthony Warlow starred in the Australian production of The Secret Garden and at that time Simon said of him, "There is my Zhivago".[23] The musical premiered on Broadway on March 27, 2015 (previews), with an official opening on April 21, 2015, at the Broadway Theatre, but was not successful, closing after 26 previews and 23 regular performances.[24][25] She also contributed to the Off-Broadway musical Mama and Her Boys.[26][27]
Lucy Simon married David Y. Levine in 1967. They remained married for 55 years until her death. Together, they had two children: Julie and James.[1] She died on October 20, 2022, aged 82, at her home in Piermont, New York. She had suffered from metastatic breast cancer prior to her death,[1][28] which came just one day after her sister Joanna died of thyroid cancer.[29]
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by The Recording Academy of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry. Often considered the highest music honour, the awards were established in 1958.[31]
^Jack Harkrider (April 27, 1963). "Smothers Brothers Visit 'Hootenanny'". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Simon Sisters, Lucy and Carly, making their television debut, will sing "Winken, Blinken, and Nod."
^Whitburn, Joel (1991). Top Pop Singles 1955–1990. Record Research, Incorporated. ISBN0-89820-089-X.
^"Doctor Zhivago comes to Brisbane". www.abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. July 15, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2022. In the early 90's composer Lucy Simon was in Australia attending rehearsals for her hit musical, also a famous novel, The Secret Garden. As she watched Anthony Warlow engagingly portray the tortured Archie, she said to producer John Frost, "There is my Zhivago." Simon claims, "Anthony commands a stage, a rare leading man – he gets behind the character and with that unique voice enriches the story being told. I knew in my heart that here was the man to tell this love story."
