Joe Simon is 80 years old today. Simon is a soul and R&B musician who scored three #1 hits on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart between 1969 and 1975. Born in Simmesport, Louisiana, Simon was similar to many other African-American artists from the era. He began singing in his father's Baptist church. He pursued his vocal abilities full-time once the family moved to Richmond (near Oakland, California) in the late 1950s.