What Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Told Carly Simon On Her Death Bed And About JFK's Affairs

Beloved “You’re So Vain” singer Carly Simon shared a tender memory this week when talking about her new “Touched By The Sun” memoir which recalls her goodbye with friend Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as the former First Lady lay on her deathbed just before passing in 1994. Carly Simon also revealed that Jackie Kennedy confided in her as a friend about the affairs by her former husband, President John F. Kennedy and how her second marriage to Aristotle Onassis brought out the bad girl in her.

Carly Simon’s New Memoir

In her new memoir “Touched by the Sun: My Friendship with Jackie,” Simon describes the special friendship she shared with Onassis. The book’s release date is October 22 and fans can pre-order it from Barnes & Noble. Simon chose to name this very personal memoir after a 1994 song.

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Dear friends and potential readers, In celebration of the publication of my new book written about Jackie Kennedy and the ten years of our friendship, I am teaming up with my publisher, FSG for a series of sweepstakes. There will be limited editions of various and sundry articles of mine such as signed photos, albums, first copies of things and an occasional teddy bear from my childhood. The sharing of these prizes will happen every week until the book comes out. I hope you participate and have something you want to come your way. First up is a framed signed poster made from the Touched by the Sun book cover. I don’t know exactly what that means but I know it’s going to keep my publishers up late at night asking me to sign something large and poster sized. Enter to win today at carlysimon.com (link in bio) #touchedbythesun

A post shared by Carly Simon (@carlysimonhq) on Sep 12, 2019 at 10:08am PDT

Carly Simon and Jackie Kennedy’s Friendship

Simon said that she had been introduced to Onassis by the former first lady’s son John F. Kennedy Jr. on Martha’s Vineyard in 1983. They hit it off right from the start, and remained close until Onassis’ death.

“I could be neurotic, bohemian and all over the place; she always had to be so correct,” revealed Simon. “I was who she wasn’t. I think she got a big kick out of that.”

Simon said that while she was supportive of Onassis after her diagnosis with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1993, she didn’t actually learn about it until she was told by others.

“Women of that generation didn’t talk about illness,” Simon explained.

Simon also said that while losing Onassis was devastating, everyone who knew her was grateful that she did not live to see the death of her son Kennedy Jr. in a 1999 plane crash.

“There was a communal sigh of relief that she didn’t live to see that,” Simon said.

Simon’s Final Moments With Jackie

Fox News reported that Onassis was only 64 when she passed away 25 years ago following a battle with cancer. In a deeply personal interview with People Magazine, Simon even discussed saying goodbye to the iconic First Lady.

“I was holding her hand, telling her I loved her and saying goodbye,” remembered Simon, 74. “There was an otherworldly recording of monks singing, intermingled with sounds of uproarious laughter from the next room, where various Kennedys were having an Irish gathering. It was surreal.”

Onassis Confided John F. Kennedy Was Unfaithful

Throughout their friendship, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis opened up to Simon about her marriage to former president John F. Kennedy. Even confiding in Simon about his adultery.

“[She] understood that he made some stupid mistakes,” Simon said, adding that Onassis brushed off the affairs because “she knew he loved her more, much more.”

Aristotle Onassis Brought Out The “Bad Girl” In Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy Onassis also talked about marrying her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, in 1968.

“She said he was very sexy — he would sing to her on his yacht and take her great places to make love,” Simon explained. “She knew marrying him was the bad-girl move. In a way, I never knew whether she was sticking up for her own decision or whether she really loved him.”

While most remember Onassis as a prim and proper woman, Simon said that she had a mischievous side and was “incredibly funny.” Simon fondly recalled how the two of them attended a recording session with opera singer Placido Domingo in 1990. The next day, Simon received a gushing letter and photograph from him, and she immediately called Onassis to tell her the exciting news. That’s when Simon got a response she never saw coming.

“She paused for a long time, and then she said, ‘Carly, did you really think it was from Placido?’” said Simon. “She’d written it up herself and disguised her handwriting! The practical joker in her was nonstop.”

Simon’s “Touched By The Sun”

Simon named the new memoir after her song by the same name, “Touched By The Sun”. She released the song in the same year as her good friend Jackie Kenndy’s passing, 1994. Watch a video of Simon singing “Touched By The Sun” and discussing what inspired the song: