United by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell and Stay Free by Ashford & Simpson.
The Jesup Gallery
December 11, 2026 - February 2, 2027
Albums from the Collection of Mark & Ellen Naftalin
A duet is a performance by two musical artists. Historically, duets have been a staple across genres—from Baroque opera to modern pop, offering a blend of individuality and collaboration.
Duets remain popular because they combine the intimacy of a solo performance with the energy and interaction of a collaborative act. They allow each performer to shine while also creating a shared artistic experience.
Whether in classical concert halls or modern recording studios, duets continue to captivate audiences by blending individual
artistry with the power of partnership. A duet is more than just two performers playing together—it is a dialogue, a shared vision, and a celebration of the human need for connection in music.
The Duets in this exhibit cover some of the most powerfully combined voices of the 1950’s and 60’s. From the Everly Brothers who hailed from the coal mining town of Owensboro, Kentucky, to the Righteous Brothers, (not actual brothers) from Orange County and Los Angeles CA. There are Billy Vera and Judy Clay, the first interracial couple to appear at the Apollo Theater during the turbulent years off the civil rights movement, and Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, the “King and Queen” singing to tens of thousands of young hippies.
Country artists Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, the husband-and-wife team of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, soul artists Sam and Dave, and singer/songwriter of popular music in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Bobby Darin, and legendary Broadway lyricist and co-founder of Atlantic Records, whose ages were twenty-seven years apart, combined their voices and sang harmony in Two of a Kind.
The comedy routines of Mike Nichols and Elaine May were completely improvised. No scripts… just spontaneously created, as heard here with Marty Rubenstein at the piano. The link to their hilarious spy spoof Mysterioso is an homage to the Metro North New Haven commuter train.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel put their poetry together with orchestral music and created the haunting song, Old Friends, for their album Bookends in 1967. Inez and Charlie Foxx, brother and sister became famous for their driving, rocking soul interpretations, beginning with their great hit Mockingbird. While Mickey and Silvia might be best known for their sensuous song, Love Is Strange, comparatively little is known about the duo's significant contribution to popular music. Mickey Baker was an accomplished and renowned jazz guitarist and author, and Sylvia Robinson, a pioneer of rap music and hip hop.
This exhibit does not mean to ignore the beautiful duet collaborations of Tony Bennett with various partners or the Ray Charles duet recordings, with the likes of Willie Nelson. They were recorded in the 2000s on CDs and are readily available on YouTube.
We have included YouTube links for one song by each of the duos displayed in this exhibit.
On a note of local interest, the all-time favorite duet listed on almost every survey, Ain’t Know Mountain High Enough, sung by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel, was written By Westporters Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson.
- Ellen Naftalin
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For more about the Library's art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
