She won an Oscar for Let the River Run, wrote bestselling memoirs, recorded children’s music, and overcame personal battles like stage fright, divorce, and breast cancer — always with honesty. What set her apart was her ability to pair softness with strength. Her songs voiced the complexities of womanhood — love, aging, betrayal, and ambition — with grace and grit.

She opened the door for a new kind of songwriting, influencing artists like Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey.

Carly Simon didn’t just sing about heartbreak — she made sure you never forgot it.