106-402: Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel . He and his school friend Garfunkel, whom he met in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel . Their blend of folk and rock, including hits such as " The Sound of Silence ", " Mrs. Robinson ", " America " and " The Boxer ", served as
212-559: A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , leading to a US tour: the acclaimed "Old Friends" concert series. It was followed by another in 2004, which culminated in a free concert at the Colosseum in Rome. The concert drew 600,000 people. During a three-year hiatus after Simon & Garfunkel's breakup, Garfunkel starred in two Mike Nichols films, Catch-22 (1970) and Carnal Knowledge (1971). He also spent late 1971 to early 1972 working as
318-412: A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . This reunion led to a US tour, the acclaimed "Old Friends" concert series, which was followed by a 2004 international encore, culminating in a free concert at the Colosseum in Rome which attracted an audience of 600,000. In 2005, they sang "Mrs. Robinson" and "Homeward Bound" together, plus "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with Aaron Neville , in the benefit concert From
424-630: A People's Choice Award . Through his solo and collaborative work, Garfunkel has earned eight Grammy Awards , including a Lifetime Achievement Award . In 1990, he and Simon were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . In 2008, Garfunkel was ranked 86th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time . Garfunkel was born in Forest Hills, Queens , New York City, to Rose (née Pearlman) and Jacob "Jack" Garfunkel,
530-495: A bootlegged tape of mbaqanga , South African street music, and in 1986 he traveled to Johannesburg and recorded with African musicians. Additional sessions were held in New York. The sessions featured many South African acts, particularly Ladysmith Black Mambazo , and Simon also collaborated with several American artists, singing a duet with Linda Ronstadt in "Under African Skies", and playing with Los Lobos in "All Around
636-433: A manhole cover may be used as a base, or buildings for foul lines. The game is a variation of stick and ball games dating back to at least the 1750s. This game was widely popular among youths during the 20th century until the 1980s. In fungo, the batter tosses the ball into the air and hits it on the way down or after one or more bounces. Another variant is Vitilla , a popular variation of stickball played primarily in
742-501: A 25th anniversary box set of Graceland which included a remastered edition of the original album; the 2012 documentary film Under African Skies; the original 1987 "African Concert" from Zimbabwe ; and an audio narrative, The Story of Graceland , related by Simon; as well other interviews and memorabilia. He played a few concerts in Europe with the original musicians to commemorate the anniversary. On December 19, 2012, Simon performed at
848-508: A Man Loves a Woman", and "This Is the Moment". Garfunkel's live 1996 concert Across America (UK No. 35), recorded at the registry hall on Ellis Island , featured musical guests James Taylor , Garfunkel's wife, Kim, and their son James. Garfunkel performed the theme song for the 1991 television series Brooklyn Bridge and "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" for a 1998 episode of the children's educational television series Arthur , where he
954-482: A duo since their hit single "My Little Town" in 1975 and their first album of new material since Bridge over Troubled Water in 1970. Simon ultimately decided to wipe Garfunkel's vocals from the mix, and in 1983, Simon released the album Hearts and Bones as a solo album. This was a polished and confessional album that was eventually viewed as one of his best works, but it achieved the lowest sales of his career. Hearts and Bones included " The Late Great Johnny Ace ",
1060-623: A lot of friends there and a girlfriend. I could play music there. There was no place to play in New York City. They wouldn't have me." He was welcomed by England's bohemian folk scene, learned how to finger-pick acoustic guitar from Martin Carthy , and was introduced to English folk music. He recalled, "I had never heard anything like those old English songs. I was 21, 22, and emotionally open to everything." The folk music he heard in England in
1166-458: A lung infection, leading to a love for basketball. He explained in a 1998 interview: "In the summer of '55, I had a lung infection. I couldn't run around, but I loved basketball and there was a hoop nearby. Much of the summer I spent methodically hitting 96, 98 foul shots out of 100. Then 102! I never played on a team after junior high school. Just 3 against 3, half court pick up games in the schoolyard." He met future singing partner Paul Simon in
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#17327808079251272-557: A mathematics teacher teaching geometry to high school sophomores at the short-lived Litchfield Academy in Connecticut. In late 1972, with Simon & Garfunkel having released their Greatest Hits album and briefly reuniting to perform a benefit concert for presidential candidate George McGovern , Garfunkel felt ready to return to his musical career. His first album was 1973's Angel Clare , which contained " All I Know ", "I Shall Sing" and "Travelling Boy" as singles. The album
1378-417: A movie here! It's Mrs. Robinson!" Simon and Garfunkel's relationship became strained and they split in 1970. At the urging of his wife, Peggy Harper, Simon called Davis to confirm the duo's breakup. For the next several years, they spoke only two or three times a year. In 1970, Simon taught songwriting at New York University . He said he had wanted to teach for a while, and hoped to help people avoid some of
1484-888: A song he wrote for the show's 10th anniversary. Simon's next album, So Beautiful or So What , was released on the Concord Music Group label on April 12, 2011, and Simon said it was the best work he had done in 20 years. It was reported that he had wanted to have Bob Dylan perform on the album. At the end of his 2011 World Tour, which had included the United States, the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany, Simon appeared at Ramat Gan Stadium in Israel in July 2011, his first concert appearance in Israel since 1983. On
1590-477: A song partly about Johnny Ace , an American R&B singer, and partly about John Lennon . In January 1985, Simon performed for USA for Africa and on the relief fundraising single " We Are the World ". In 1986, Simon was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music , where he had served on the board of trustees. Simon decided to record an album of South African music after hearing
1696-404: A soundtrack to the counterculture movement. Their final album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), is among the bestselling of all time. As a solo artist, Simon has explored genres including gospel , reggae and soul . His albums Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975) kept him in the public eye and drew acclaim, producing
1802-543: A standing ovation. While Garfunkel was not a songwriter, he did write the poem "Canticle" as a re-write of Simon's "Side of A Hill" from his debut album, for " Scarborough Fair/Canticle ". He worked as the vocal arranger for the duo, working out by whom the songs would be sung and how each song was produced. He is also credited as having written the arrangement on " The Boxer " and creating "Voices of Old People" (an audio montage) on Bookends . Citing personal differences and divergence in career interests, they split following
1908-447: A successful world tour that extended into 2004. That same year, his song "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" from The Art Garfunkel Album (1984) (written by Mike Batt ) was re-recorded by ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog on her album My Colouring Book . In 2006, Garfunkel signed with Rhino Records (revived Atco Records ), releasing his first Rhino/Atco album Some Enchanted Evening in the United States on January 30, 2007. The album
2014-497: A supporting role as the 19-year-old naive Lieutenant Nately , and Carnal Knowledge (1971), a co-starring role in which he played the idealistic character Sandy. His role as Sandy secured him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 1972 Golden Globe Awards . He later appeared in Nicolas Roeg 's Bad Timing (1980) as Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist who serves as the film's main antagonist . The film received
2120-580: A surprise appearance in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 11, 2015. He performed " Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard " with Colbert, having been billed before the show as a Simon & Garfunkel Tribute Band. He also performed "An American Tune", which was posted on the show's YouTube channel. In 2015, Dion released the single " New York Is My Home " with Simon. Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941)
2226-709: A three-month North American tour with Bob Dylan , in which he and Dylan alternated as the headline act with a middle section where they performed together. The collaboration was generally well-received, with just one critic, Seth Rogovoy of the Berkshire Eagle , questioning the collaboration. In 2000, Simon wrote and recorded a new album, You're the One , very quickly. The album was released in October and consisted mostly of folk-pop writing combined with foreign musical sounds, particularly grooves from North Africa. You're
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#17327808079252332-528: A traveling salesman. Art was a middle child with two brothers, the older Jules and the younger Jerome. Jacob's parents had immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century and settled in Manhattan. Before his career in sales, Jacob worked as an actor in Dayton, Ohio . Garfunkel is of Romanian-Jewish descent, his paternal grandparents having emigrated from the city of Iași . When he
2438-467: A world tour. They had significant disagreements during the tour. In 1984, Stereo Review Magazine reported that Simon mixed out Garfunkel's voice from a new album. It was initially slated to be a Simon & Garfunkel studio reunion, but was ultimately released as a Simon solo album ( Hearts and Bones ). In 1986, Garfunkel played the part of the butcher on the Mike Batt concept album The Hunting of
2544-804: Is The Rebound (2010), directed by Bart Freundlich . He played Harry Finklestein, the slightly senile and comic-relief father of the film's main character. Garfunkel is a tenor who usually sang the higher parts in Simon & Garfunkel's harmonies. Garfunkel's voice changed almost imperceptibly until his late fifties, when it began to lower after years of smoking. He quit smoking around 2010 to aid his recovery from vocal cord paresis . Garfunkel married Linda Marie Grossman (b. 1944), an architect, in Nashville on October 1, 1972, and they divorced in 1975. He has claimed that not only did he not love her, he did not even like her much. Stickball Stickball
2650-480: Is a street game similar to baseball , usually formed as a pick-up game played in large cities in the Northeastern United States , especially New York City and Philadelphia . The equipment consists of a broom handle and a rubber ball, typically a spaldeen , pensy pinky, high bouncer or tennis ball . The rules come from baseball and are modified to fit the situation. For example,
2756-574: Is an American singer, actor and poet who is best known for his partnership with Paul Simon in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel . Born in Forest Hills, Queens , New York, Garfunkel became acquainted with Simon through an elementary school play, a production of Alice in Wonderland . Their combined presence in music began in the 1950s, and throughout the 1960s the duo of Simon & Garfunkel achieved great chart success with tracks such as " The Sound of Silence ", " Mrs. Robinson " (written for
2862-449: Is noted as Garfunkel's first UK number one. In 1976, Garfunkel recorded both background and duet vocals for several artists, including Stephen Bishop 's Careless album, James Taylor 's In The Pocket album and JD Souther 's Black Rose album. From December 1976 to September 1977, Garfunkel worked on his next album. Garfunkel's next release was the 1977 album Watermark (US No. 19, UK No. 26). It failed to make an impression on
2968-680: The African National Congress protested that it was a violation of the boycott. The Congress voted to ban Simon from South Africa and he was added to the United Nations blacklist, from which he was removed in January 1987. In 1989, Simon appeared on Dion 's song "Written on the Subway Wall"/"Little Star" from Yo Frankie which peaked at number 97 in October 1990. After Graceland , Simon extended his roots with
3074-614: The Brazilian -flavored The Rhythm of the Saints . Sessions for the album began in December 1989 in Rio de Janeiro and New York and featured guitarist J.J. Cale , and Brazilian and African musicians. The tone of the album was more introspective and low-key than the upbeat feel of Graceland . Released in October 1990, the album received excellent reviews and sold well, peaking at number 4 in
3180-535: The Cashbox album charts. It was released in 1974 as a live album, titled Live Rhymin' , and contained elements of world and religious music. His next album, produced by Simon and Phil Ramone , was Still Crazy After All These Years , released in October 1975. The mood of the album, written after Simon's divorce, was darker, and contained "Gone at Last" (a Top 25 hit) and the Simon & Garfunkel reunion track "My Little Town" (a number 9 on Billboard ). The album
3286-531: The George McGovern 1972 presidential campaign , and he and Garfunkel reunited in mid-June that year at Madison Square Garden in another political concert for McGovern. Garfunkel joined Simon again on the 1975 Top 10 single " My Little Town ". Simon wrote this song for Garfunkel, whose solo output Simon felt lacked "bite", and it was included on Simon's album Still Crazy After All These Years and Garfunkel's album Breakaway . Contrary to popular belief,
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3392-571: The Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, awarded by the Library of Congress , and he later performed as part of a gala of his work. After living in Montauk, New York , for many years, Simon relocated to New Canaan , Connecticut. Simon is one of a small number of performers who are named as the copyright owner on their recordings (most records have the recording company as the named owner of
3498-575: The Gershwin Prize for Popular Song . He is a co-founder of the Children's Health Fund , a nonprofit organization that provides medical care to children. Simon was born on October 13, 1941, in Newark, New Jersey , to Hungarian-Jewish parents. His father, Louis (1916–1995), a professor of education at the City College of New York , was a double-bass player and dance bandleader who performed under
3604-466: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Another Simon & Garfunkel reunion took place in September 1993 and Columbia released Paul Simon 1964/1993 . Originally a three-disc compilation, this became a reduced version on the two-disc album The Paul Simon Anthology one month later. In 1995, Simon appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and performed the song "Ten Years", which he had composed for
3710-772: The Toronto Festival of Festivals ' highest honor, the People's Choice Award, and the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Best Director. He appeared in Good to Go (1986), directed by Blain Novak, starring as a Washington, D.C., journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder. Garfunkel then appeared in the medical crime drama Boxing Helena (1993), directed by Jennifer Lynch , as Lawrence Augustine. Garfunkel's most recent film
3816-723: The 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in 2011, he performed " The Sound of Silence " at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, on the site of the destroyed World Trade Center . On February 26, 2012, Simon paid tribute to fellow musicians Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen , who had received the first annual PEN Awards for songwriting excellence at the JFK Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2012, Simon released
3922-605: The 1967 film The Graduate ), " Scarborough Fair ", " The Boxer " and " Bridge over Troubled Water ". The latter song's title also served as the name of Simon & Garfunkel's final album in 1970. Simon & Garfunkel split for personal reasons, but the pair have occasionally reunited in the years since. Both men experienced success in solo careers in the years following the duo's breakup. Highlights of Garfunkel's solo music career include one top 10 hit, three top 20 hits, six top 40 hits, 14 Adult Contemporary top 30 singles, five Adult Contemporary number ones, two UK number ones and
4028-512: The 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In October 2009, Dion performed " The Wanderer " with Simon at the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert . In April 2010, Simon & Garfunkel performed together again at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival . Simon released a new song called "Getting Ready for Christmas Day" on November 10, 2010. The song
4134-523: The Big Apple to The Big Easy – The Concert for New Orleans (eventually released as a DVD) for Hurricane Katrina victims. In 2004, Simon's studio albums were re-released, both individually and as a collection in a limited-edition, nine-CD boxed set, Paul Simon: The Studio Recordings 1972–2000 . Simon was then working on a new album with Brian Eno called Surprise , which was released in May 2006. Most of
4240-633: The One received favorable reviews, reached both the British and American Top 20, and received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year . Simon toured extensively to promote the album, and one performance in Paris was released to home video. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in America, Simon sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on America: A Tribute to Heroes , a multi-network broadcast to benefit
4346-755: The Seekers' catalog with "Someday One Day", which was released in March 1966, charting around the same time as Simon and Garfunkel's " Homeward Bound ". The song was a Top 10 hit from their second UK album, Sounds of Silence , and later included on their third U.S. album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme . Radio stations on the American East Coast began receiving requests for the Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. track " The Sound of Silence ". Simon & Garfunkel's producer, Tom Wilson , overdubbed
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4452-407: The September 11 Telethon Fund, and performed "The Boxer" at the start of the first episode of Saturday Night Live after September 11. In 2002, he wrote and recorded " Father and Daughter ", the theme song for the animated family film The Wild Thornberrys Movie . The track was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song . In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel performed together again when they received
4558-781: The September 30, 2015, episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , Garfunkel took part in the spoof "Black Simon & Garfunkel" skit with members of The Roots . The Simon and Garfunkel song " America " was used by Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign ; Garfunkel appreciated Sanders' fight against wealth inequality. On September 26, 2017, Knopf Doubleday published in hardcover Garfunkel's memoir What Is It All but Luminous: Notes from an Underground Man . Penguin Random House has published it in softcover and audiobook. On April 10, 2023, Garfunkel canceled his remaining concert dates and his management announced that he "that he has decided not to return to touring for
4664-467: The Simon & Garfunkel catalog. In February 2009, Simon performed back-to-back shows in New York City at the recently renovated Beacon Theatre . He was joined by Art Garfunkel and the cast of The Capeman in the first show. The band included Graceland bassist Bakithi Kumalo . In May 2009, Simon toured with Garfunkel in Australia, New Zealand and Japan; and in October 2009 they appeared together at
4770-702: The Snark . Garfunkel released his first compilation album in 1984, The Art Garfunkel Album (UK No. 12), never released in the US, which contained the minor hit "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" (UK No. 77, US AC No. 25). Garfunkel again left the music scene when his father died. In the fall of 1985, he met his future wife, Kathryn "Kim" Cermak; they were married in September 1988. Garfunkel's retirement lasted until his 1988 album, Lefty (US, No. 134), which produced three singles, " So Much in Love " (US No. 76, US AC No. 11), "When
4876-592: The U.S. and number 1 in the UK and Japan, and later produced another Top 30 hit, " Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard ". Simon's next project, the pop-folk album There Goes Rhymin' Simon , was released in May 1973. The lead single, " Kodachrome ", was a number 2 hit in America. The follow-up, the gospel-flavored " Loves Me Like a Rock ", topped the Cashbox charts. Other songs like " American Tune ", or "Something So Right" (a tribute to Simon's first wife Peggy), became part of his repertoire. The album reached number 1 on
4982-550: The U.S. and number 1 in the UK. The lead single, "The Obvious Child", featuring the Grupo Cultural Olodum , became Simon's last Top 20 hit in the UK and appeared near the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100 . Although not as successful as Graceland , The Rhythm of the Saints received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Simon's ex-wife Carrie Fisher said in her autobiography Wishful Drinking , that
5088-465: The US to reunite with Garfunkel. The duo recorded four more influential albums: Sounds of Silence ; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme ; Bookends ; and the hugely successful Bridge over Troubled Water . They contributed to the soundtrack of the 1967 Mike Nichols film The Graduate (starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft ). While writing " Mrs. Robinson ", Simon originally considered
5194-463: The United Nations ). Simon denied that he had gone to South Africa to "take money out of the country", and stated that he paid the black artists and split royalties with them, and was not paid to play to a white-only audience. The United Nations Anti-Apartheid Committee supported Graceland , as it showcased black South African musicians and offered no support to the South African government, but
5300-588: The United States. In 1980, Simon released One-Trick Pony , his first album with Warner Bros. Records and his first in almost five years. The album was paired with the motion picture of the same name , which Simon wrote and starred in. It produced his last Top 10 hit, the upbeat "Late in the Evening" (also a number 1 hit on the Radio & Records American charts), but did not sell well. In 1981, Simon & Garfunkel included eight songs from Simon's solo career in
5406-409: The World or The Myth of Fingerprints". Before leaving for Johannesburg, Simon contributed to " We Are the World ", a charity single for African famine relief. The resulting album, Graceland , became Simon's most successful studio album and his highest-charting album in over a decade. It was estimated to have sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. Graceland won the 1987 Grammy for Album of
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#17327808079255512-561: The Year . In 2006, the album was added to the United States' National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically or aesthetically important". Simon faced accusations that he had broken the cultural boycott imposed by the rest of the world against the apartheid regime in South Africa by organizations such as Artists United Against Apartheid , anti-apartheid musicians (including Billy Bragg , Paul Weller and Jerry Dammers ), and James Victor Gbeho (then Ghanaian Ambassador to
5618-459: The age of 13, occasionally performing at school dances. At the age of 12 or 13 Simon wrote his first song, "The Girl for Me", for him and Art Garfunkel to perform. According to Simon, it became the "neighborhood hit". His father wrote the words and chords on paper for the boys to use, and that paper became the first officially copyrighted Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel song. It is now in the Library of Congress . In 1957, in their mid-teens, they recorded
5724-763: The album's release in March. Garfunkel later admitted that the incident left him in a deep depression. In 1980, he sang on the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song " Daylight Again ", featured on the album of the same name. Garfunkel's next album was a low point in his career. The 1981 album, Scissors Cut (US No. 113, UK No. 51) (dedicated to Bird), contained three singles, "A Heart in New York" (B-Side: "Is This Love") (US No. 66, US AC No. 10), "Scissors Cut", and "Hang On In". The latter two failed to chart. Following disappointing sales of Scissors Cut , Garfunkel reunited with Simon for The Concert in Central Park and
5830-461: The bestselling album of all time . Simon & Garfunkel also contributed to the soundtrack of the Mike Nichols film The Graduate (1967), starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft . While writing " Mrs. Robinson ", Simon toyed with the title "Mrs. Roosevelt". When Garfunkel reported this indecision over the song's name to the director, Nichols replied, "Don't be ridiculous! We're making
5936-549: The combination of doo-wop , rockabilly and Caribbean music that the album contained, but Songs from The Capeman was a failure, and for the first time in Simon's career he did not reach the Top 40 of the Billboard charts. The cast album was never released on CD but eventually became available online. After The Capeman , Simon's career was in an unexpected crisis, but he continued to record new material. In 1999, he embarked on
6042-492: The duo announced a tour of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan for summer 2009. In late October, they participated together in the 25th anniversary of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden . Other artists on the bill included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band , U2 , Metallica , Aretha Franklin , Stevie Wonder , and Crosby, Stills, & Nash . In January 2010, Garfunkel developed vocal problems following damage to his vocal cords as
6148-633: The duo split. The next year, producer Tom Wilson lifted the song " The Sound of Silence " from the record, dubbed an electric backing onto it, and released it as a single that went to number one on the Billboard pop charts. Simon had gone to the United Kingdom in 1965 after the initial failure of Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. , to pursue a solo career. He briefly teamed with songwriter Bruce Woodley of The Seekers . After "The Sound of Silence" had started to enjoy commercial success, he returned to
6254-545: The foreseeable future." Garfunkel, an avid reader and bibliophile , has admitted that while growing up the Garfunkel household was not a literary family and that it was not until entering Columbia University in 1959 that he began to "read a million books and became a reader." Thus began his interest in poetry. Garfunkel's poetic career began in 1981 while on the Simon & Garfunkel 1981–1982 tour in Switzerland. He
6360-806: The funeral of Victoria Leigh Soto , a teacher killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting . On June 14, 2013, on Sting 's Back to Bass Tour , Simon performed " The Boxer " and Sting's " Fields of Gold " with Sting. In September 2013, Simon delivered the Richard Ellmann Lecture in Modern Literature at Emory University . In 2014, Simon embarked on a joint 21-date concert tour of North America, titled On Stage Together , with English musician Sting . The tour continued in 2015 with ten shows in Australia and New Zealand and 23 concerts in Europe. Simon made
6466-740: The group Tico and the Triumphs, including "Motorcycle", which reached number 99 on the Billboard charts in 1962. Tico and the Triumphs released four 45s. Marty Cooper, known as Tico, sang lead on several of these releases, but "Motorcycle" featured Simon's vocal. Also in 1962, Simon reached number 97 on the pop charts as Jerry Landis, with the novelty song "The Lone Teen Ranger". Both chart singles were released on Amy Records . In early 1964, Simon and Garfunkel auditioned for Columbia Records , whose executive Clive Davis signed them to produce an album. Columbia decided to call them Simon & Garfunkel instead of Tom & Jerry, and according to Simon, this
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#17327808079256572-407: The hits " Mother and Child Reunion ", " Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard ", and " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover ". Simon reunited with Garfunkel for several tours and the 1981 Concert in Central Park . In 1986, Simon released his most successful and acclaimed album, Graceland , incorporating South African influences. " You Can Call Me Al " became one of Simon's most successful singles. Graceland
6678-631: The largest concert audiences in history. He later remembered the concert as "the most memorable moment in my career." The success of the show led to a live album and an Emmy -winning TV special. Simon embarked on the Born at the Right Time Tour and promoted the album with further singles, including "Proof", which was accompanied by a humorous video that featured Chevy Chase and Steve Martin . On March 4, 1992, Simon performed in his own episode of MTV Unplugged . Simon and Garfunkel were inducted into
6784-448: The list contains more than 1,000 books. He has also read the entire Random House Dictionary. Garfunkel has an interest in the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau , having read his book Confessions at least three times (according to Garfunkel's website, the book was the 1st, 252nd, and 1,000th book he read). Garfunkel pursued an acting career in the early 1970s, appearing in two Mike Nichols films: Catch-22 (1970), in which he played
6890-522: The mid-sixties became one of his two big influences. He wrote " Homeward Bound " and " I Am a Rock ", and learned Davey Graham 's guitar instrumental "Anji", which later appeared on Sounds of Silence . In England, he produced Jackson C. Frank 's first and only album and co-wrote several songs with Bruce Woodley of the Australian pop group the Seekers , including "I Wish You Could Be Here", "Cloudy" and " Red Rubber Ball ". Simon also contributed to
6996-583: The mistakes he had made: "You can teach somebody about writing songs. You can't teach someone how to write a song ... I'd go to a course if the Beatles would talk about how they made records because I'm sure I could learn something." Simon pursued solo work, reuniting occasionally with Garfunkel for various projects. He gave a solo performance at the Cleveland Arena in April 1972 in a benefit concert for
7102-509: The name Lee Sims. His mother, Belle (1910–2007), was an elementary-school teacher. In 1945, his family moved to the Kew Gardens Hills section of Flushing, Queens , in New York City. The musician Donald Fagen described Simon's childhood as that of "a certain kind of New York Jew , almost a stereotype really, to whom music and baseball are very important. I think it has to do with the parents. The parents are either immigrants or first-generation Americans who felt like outsiders, and assimilation
7208-421: The peak of Simon & Garfunkel's commercial success; however, he later dropped out. In 1963, Garfunkel and Simon (who graduated from Queens College before dropping out of Brooklyn Law School ) reformed their duo under their own names as "Simon and Garfunkel". They released their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. on Columbia Records in October 1964. It was not a critical or commercial success, and
7314-445: The public upon release. Its main single, "Crying in My Sleep" ("Mr. Shuck 'N' Jive") (UK No. 25) didn't reach the US Top 40. After a two-month hiatus, it was re-released in January 1978, with Garfunkel's cover of Sam Cooke 's " (What a) Wonderful World " (B-Side: "Wooden Planes"), reaching number one on the Adult Contemporary chart and seventeen on the pop chart. Paul Simon and mutual friend James Taylor had contributed backing vocals to
7420-530: The recording). This development followed the successful $ 200 million lawsuit against RSO Records by the Bee Gees , the largest successful lawsuit against a record company by an artist or group. All of Simon's solo recordings, including those originally issued by Columbia Records , are currently distributed by Sony Records ' Legacy Recordings unit. His albums were issued by Warner Music Group until mid-2010, when Simon moved his catalog of solo work from Warner Bros. Records to Sony/Columbia Records , which holds
7526-472: The release of their most critically acclaimed album, Bridge over Troubled Water , in 1970. Each pursued solo projects after 1970. They occasionally reunited, as in 1975 for their Top Ten single " My Little Town ", which Simon originally wrote for Garfunkel, claiming Garfunkel's solo output was lacking "bite". The song was included on their respective solo albums: Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years and Garfunkel's Breakaway . Contrary to popular belief,
7632-466: The result of an incident in which he had briefly choked on a piece of lobster. In March 2010, Simon & Garfunkel announced a 13-date tour. According to a press release, the set list would focus on their classic catalog as well as songs from each of their solo careers. The first date in the tour was on April 24, a headlining set at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival . Due to his vocal cord injury, singing proved difficult for Garfunkel. "I
7738-518: The second half of the 1970s on various projects, including writing music for the film Shampoo , which became the music for the song "Silent Eyes" on the Still Crazy album, and acting (he was cast as Tony Lacey in Woody Allen 's film Annie Hall ). He achieved another hit with " Slip Slidin' Away ", the lead single of his 1977 compilation Greatest Hits, Etc. , which reached number 5 in
7844-428: The set list of their September 19 concert in Central Park . Five were rearranged as duets and Simon performed the other three solo. The resulting live album, TV special and videocassette (later DVD) releases were all major hits. Following the success of The Concert in Central Park, Simon & Garfunkel returned to the studio, planning to record an album of new material. This would have been their first new recordings as
7950-595: The shows were canceled. Garfunkel was due to perform at Night of The Proms in Gothenburg and Malmö , Sweden, on September 28 and 29, 2012, but canceled at the last minute due to an "unforeseen vocal issue". Speaking about his voice in February 2013, Garfunkel said "It's getting mostly better; I'm pretty much there" and that he was starting to book small shows again. In 2014, he resumed touring, with Tab Laven accompanying him on acoustic guitar, his voice restored. On
8056-607: The sixth grade at PS 164, when they were both cast in the elementary school graduation play, Alice in Wonderland . It has been said by Garfunkel that Simon first became interested in singing after hearing Garfunkel sing a rendition of Nat King Cole 's " Too Young " in a school talent show. Between 1956 and 1962, the two performed together as "Tom & Jerry", a moniker coined by their label Big Records, occasionally performing at school dances. Their idols were The Everly Brothers , whom they imitated in their use of close two-part vocal harmony . In 1957, Simon & Garfunkel recorded
8162-500: The song " She Moves On " was about her. "If you can get Paul Simon to write a song about you, do it. Because he is so brilliant at it." The success of both albums allowed Simon to stage another concert in New York. On August 15, 1991, almost a decade after his concert with Garfunkel, Simon staged a second concert in Central Park with African and South American bands. The success of the concert surpassed all expectations, and over 750,000 people were reported to have attended, making it one of
8268-873: The song "Hey, Schoolgirl" under the name "Tom & Jerry", a name that was given to them by their label, Big Records. The single reached number 49 on the pop charts. After graduating from Forest Hills High School , Simon majored in English at Queens College and graduated in 1963. Garfunkel studied mathematics education at Columbia University in Manhattan . Simon was a brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, and attended Brooklyn Law School for one semester in 1963. Between 1957 and 1964, Simon wrote, recorded and released more than 30 songs. He and Garfunkel occasionally reunited as Tom & Jerry to record singles, including "Our Song" and "That's My Story". Most of
8374-497: The song "Hey, Schoolgirl" under the name Tom & Jerry. The single reached number 49 on the pop charts. After Tom & Jerry came to a close, Garfunkel released two singles under the name Artie Garr: "Dream Alone"/"Beat Love" and "Forgive Me"/"Private World" with Warwick and Octavia Records respectively. Both singles would fail to chart. After graduating from Forest Hills High School alongside Simon, Garfunkel initially majored in architecture at Columbia University , where he
8480-481: The song is not autobiographical of Simon's early life but of Garfunkel's childhood in Queens. In 1981, they got together again for a concert in Central Park , followed by a world tour and an aborted reunion album Think Too Much , which was eventually released, by Simon without Garfunkel, as Hearts and Bones . They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2003, they reunited when they received
8586-753: The song was not based on Simon's early life in New York City. Simon also provided guitar on Garfunkel's 1973 album Angel Clare , and added backing vocals to the song " Down in the Willow Garden ". Simon's next album, Paul Simon , was released in January 1972, following his first experiment with world music , the Jamaican-inspired song " Mother and Child Reunion ", which reached both the American and British Top 5. The album received universal acclaim and critics praised its variety of styles and confessional lyrics. Paul Simon reached number 4 in
8692-464: The song, which was a huge hit on the US A.C. charts. In 1978, Garfunkel toured the U.S. and Canada extensively with noted guitarist Arlen Roth , John Barlow Jarvis on piano, and Leah Kunkel on second vocals. Garfunkel's last release of the 1970s was the 1979 album Fate for Breakfast (US No. 67, UK No. 2). It was his first US flop. The album's first single, "In A Little While (I'll Be on My Way)" (B-Side: "And I Know") (US AC No. 12) failed to break
8798-551: The songs Simon recorded during that time he performed alone, or with musicians other than Garfunkel. They were released on minor record labels including Amy, Big, Hunt, King , Tribute and Madison. Simon used several pseudonyms for these recordings, usually "Jerry Landis", but also "Paul Kane" and "True Taylor". By 1962, working as Jerry Landis, he was a frequent writer/producer for several Amy Records artists, overseeing material released by Dotty Daniels, The Vels and Ritchie Cordell . Simon enjoyed moderate success with singles as part of
8904-555: The songs on the album were inspired by the September 11 terrorist attacks , and the Iraq invasion and the war that followed. Simon also took inspiration from having reached the age of 60 in 2001, which he humorously referred to in "Old" from You're the One . Surprise was a commercial hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard 200 and number 4 in the UK. Most critics praised the album, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote "Simon doesn't achieve his comeback by reconnecting with
9010-528: The sound and spirit of his classic work; he has achieved it by being as restless and ambitious as he was at his popular and creative peak." The album was supported by the Surprise Tour in 2006. In March 2004, Walter Yetnikoff published a book called Howling at the Moon , in which he criticized Simon and his previous business partnership with Columbia Records . In 2007, Simon was the inaugural recipient of
9116-532: The story of a real-life Puerto Rican youth, Salvador Agron , who wore a cape while committing two murders in New York in 1959. He became a writer while in prison. Featuring Marc Anthony as the young Agron, and Rubén Blades as the older Agron, the play was not a success and received terrible reviews and poor box office receipts. Simon recorded an album of songs from the show which was released in November 1997. The album received mixed reviews. Some critics praised
9222-499: The tender age of five." Later, Garfunkel's father bought him a wire recorder , and from then on, Garfunkel spent his afternoons singing, recording, and playing it back, so he could listen for flaws and learn how to improve. At his bar mitzvah in 1954 in the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills, Garfunkel performed as a cantor , singing over four hours of his repertoire for his family. As a young teen, Garfunkel became ill with
9328-621: The tenth anniversary of the show. In 1995 he also featured in the Annie Lennox version of his 1973 song "Something So Right", which appeared briefly on the UK Top 50 after it was released as a single. Simon had been involved in creating a musical, The Capeman , that eventually opened on January 29, 1998. He had worked enthusiastically on the project for many years, and described it as "a New York Puerto Rican story based on events that happened in 1959—events that I remembered." The musical told
9434-489: The title "Mrs. Roosevelt". When Garfunkel reported this indecision over the song's name to the director, Nichols replied, "Don't be ridiculous! We're making a movie here! It's Mrs. Robinson!" Simon & Garfunkel traveled together to England in the fall of 1968. They made a concert appearance at Kraft Hall, which was broadcast on the BBC and featured Garfunkel's solo performance of " For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her ". He received
9540-575: The top forty, as did his second single, " Since I Don't Have You " (B-Side: "When Someone Doesn't Want You") (US No. 53, US AC No. 5, UK No. 38). The album was a huge success in the UK, scoring a number one hit with " Bright Eyes " (B-Side: "Sail on a Rainbow") (US AC No. 29, UK No. 1) (a song written by Mike Batt ). A version of "Bright Eyes" also appeared in the movie Watership Down . Garfunkel's girlfriend since 1974, Laurie Bird , died by suicide in June 1979 at their Manhattan apartment, three months after
9646-516: The track with electric guitar, bass guitar and drums and it was released as a single, eventually reaching number 1 on the US pop charts. Wilson did not inform the duo of his plan, and Simon was "horrified" when he first heard it. The success of the single drew Simon back to the US to reunite with Garfunkel, and they recorded the albums Sounds of Silence (1966), Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966) and Bookends (1968). Their final album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), became at that time
9752-416: Was Tishman Speyer founder Jerry Speyer . Greenberg later gave Garfunkel $ 500 to go and record a demo of "The Sound of Silence". Garfunkel ultimately earned a BA in art history in 1965, followed by an MA in mathematics education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1967. He also completed coursework toward a doctorate in the latter discipline at Teachers College, Columbia University during
9858-606: Was a brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and lived in Carman Hall . Garfunkel was a team member in tennis, skiing, fencing, and bowling at the college and also joined the all-male a cappella group on campus, the Columbia Kingsmen. While at Columbia his roommate, Sanford Greenberg , developed glaucoma and went blind. Garfunkel assisted him in his homework by reading his textbooks to Greenberg, who went on to graduate with honors. Another roommate of his
9964-673: Was a dedicated celebration of pop standards of Garfunkel's childhood. In 2009, Garfunkel appeared as himself on the HBO television show Flight of the Conchords episode entitled "Prime Minister". Garfunkel continued to tour in 2009 with four musicians and his son. On February 13, 2009, Simon and his band re-opened New York's Beacon Theatre, which had been closed for seven months for renovation. As an encore, Simon brought out "my old friend, Art Garfunkel". They sang three songs: "Sound of Silence", "The Boxer", and "Old Friends". On April 2, 2009,
10070-571: Was depicted as a singing moose. Garfunkel's performance of Monty Python member Eric Idle 's " Always Look on the Bright Side of Life " was used in the end credits of the 1997 film As Good as It Gets . In 2003, Garfunkel made his debut as a songwriter on his Everything Waits to Be Noticed album. Teaming up with singer-songwriters Maia Sharp and Buddy Mondlock, the album contained several songs which were originally poems written by Garfunkel. In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel reunited again for
10176-610: Was followed by The Rhythm of the Saints (1990), and a second Concert in the Park in 1991, without Garfunkel, which was attended by half a million people. In 1998, Simon wrote a Broadway musical , The Capeman , which was poorly received. In the 21st century, Simon continued to record and tour. His later albums, such as You're the One (2000), So Beautiful or So What (2011) and Stranger to Stranger (2016), introduced him to new generations. Simon retired from touring in 2018, but continued to record music. An album, Seven Psalms ,
10282-619: Was his only number 1 on the Billboard charts to date. The 18th Grammy Awards named it the Album of the Year , and his performance on it the year's Best Male Pop Vocal . The third single from the album, " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover ", reached the top spot on the Billboard charts. On May 3, 1976, Simon put together a benefit show at Madison Square Garden for the New York Public Library which raised over $ 30,000. After releasing three successful studio albums, Simon worked in
10388-487: Was postponed indefinitely while Garfunkel attempted to recover from a vocal cord paresis . In November 2010, Garfunkel said that because of quitting smoking he was recovering from paresis and would be touring in 2011. He tried to resume touring in August 2012 just after releasing a 34-song retrospective, The Singer . Garfunkel scheduled 19 solo shows in the United States and Sweden between August and December 2012. 16 of
10494-451: Was premiered on National Public Radio , and was included on the album So Beautiful or So What . The song sampled a 1941 sermon by the Rev. J. M. Gates . Simon performed the song live on The Colbert Report on December 16, 2010. In the first show of the final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show on September 10, 2010, Simon performed a song that commemorated the show's 25 years, an update of
10600-399: Was received with mixed reviews, reaching number 5 in the U.S. In 1974, Garfunkel released the hit single " Second Avenue ". On his next album, 1975's Breakaway , Garfunkel briefly reunited with Simon for the 1975 hit " My Little Town ". The album also included the singles "Break Away" (B-Side: " Disney Girls ") and " I Only Have Eyes for You " (a 1934 song written by Harry Warren ), which
10706-486: Was released in May 2023. Simon has twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and has been the recipient of sixteen Grammy Awards , including three for Album of the Year. Two of his works, Sounds of Silence and Graceland , were inducted into the National Recording Registry for their cultural significance, and in 2007, the Library of Congress voted him the inaugural winner of
10812-446: Was riding a motorcycle and began writing a poem describing the countryside. In 1989, Still Water , Garfunkel's collection of prose poetry, was released to acclaim. Topics included his depression over the loss of his father; Laurie Bird, his companion who committed suicide; his friendship with Paul Simon; and the joy of returning to music. Garfunkel's website contains a year-by-year listing of every book he has read since 1968. Currently
10918-433: Was terrible, and crazy nervous. I leaned on Paul Simon and the affection of the crowd," he told Rolling Stone several years later. Several months later on June 10, they performed " Mrs. Robinson " at an AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to director Mike Nichols , in what proved to be their last performance together to date. On June 17, Simon & Garfunkel canceled the tour, previously rescheduled for July 2010, which
11024-424: Was the first time artists' surnames had been used in pop music without their first names. Simon and Garfunkel's first LP, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. , was released on October 19, 1964. It consisted of 12 songs, five of which were written by Simon. The album initially flopped. In 1965, after the album's release, Simon moved to London and performed in folk clubs. He enjoyed his time in England and said in 1970, "I had
11130-504: Was the key thought—they gravitated to black music and baseball, looking for an alternative culture." Simon said Fagen's description was not far from the truth. Simon played baseball and stickball as a child. He described his father as funny and smart, but said he worked late and did not see his children much. Simon met Art Garfunkel when they were 11 years old and performed together in a production of Alice in Wonderland for their sixth-grade graduation. The two began singing together at
11236-602: Was young, he often sang in synagogue. His maternal cousin was Lou Pearlman , founder of the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC . According to the Across America DVD, Garfunkel's love of singing originated in the first grade. "When we were lined up in size order, and after everyone else had left, I'd stay behind and enjoy the echo sound of the stairwell tiles and sing ' Unchained Melody ' and ' You'll Never Walk Alone ', learning to love this goosebumps song from
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