Carly Simon stays fresh by keeping a low profile

NEW YORK — Singer-songwriter Carly Simon has managed to remain a household name for more than 20 years, even though she's only performed live about 75 times.

Simon says being just under the radar keeps her afloat. She recently released "Reflections: Carly Simon's Greatest Hits" on BMG. The CD is a comprehensive collection of all her big hits, including "You Belong to Me," "Haven't Got Time for the Pain" and, of course, "You're So Vain."

She's also making a cameo appearance in the new film "Little Black Book," which stars Brittany Murphy as a woman who loves Simon's music. And designer Michael Kors has created a clothing line inspired by the "hippie chick" style Simon made famous in the mid-1970s.

After years of a high-profile life and romances with the likes of James Taylor and Warren Beatty, Simon, 58, has become a homebody. She lives in Martha's Vineyard, on a farm she calls modest, with horses, donkeys, cats and sheep. Her two children have small cottages on her property, and she spends most of her time writing and singing.

AP: You don't do many concerts, is it because you're shy?

Simon: I'm shy, but that's not the reason for not touring. It's been very hard for me to put into words, to put it into some kind of understandable format, even for me. It has to do with a combination of the fact that I'm an anxiety-prone person and I'm prone to attacks. I can wig out. I can wig out in a department store or in a social situation, at a dinner party, or in a restaurant. The stage isn't the only place I can do it, but that has some adverse conditions, you can't get off. I've only done about 75 concerts.

AP: Many people say they perform for the rush, and they love the crowds. Do you miss not being able to tour?

Simon: Well, I interpret adrenaline as something dangerous. I like to sing with a certain amount of steam behind my voice, energy, and I push on it. My little vocal cords haven't been trained or are too fragile, I can't really sustain a tour. I would like to be able to tour, but not so much that I rectify this stuff. It would be wonderful to have the kind of record sales I could have if I did tour, but I'm also a homebody par excellence, and to get me to leave my home and its environs is tough.

AP: How do you think you've managed to stay afloat without touring?