Art Garfunkel & Paul Simon

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Paul Frederic Simon was born on October 13, 1941, in Newark, New Jersey, to Hungarian-Jewish parents Louis and Belle Simon. His father was a college professor and professional musician who played the double bass, exposing Paul to music from an early age. Arthur Ira Garfunkel was born on November 5, 1941, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, to a Romanian-Jewish father and a Polish-Jewish mother. Both boys grew up in Jewish households in the New York City area during the post-World War II era, attending synagogue and celebrating Jewish traditions. They met in elementary school in the sixth grade when they were cast together in a production of "Alice in Wonderland"—Paul as the White Rabbit and Art as the Cheshire Cat. Their shared love of the Everly Brothers' close harmony singing style sparked an immediate musical connection, and they began performing together as teenagers under the name "Tom and Jerry," even scoring a minor hit with "Hey Schoolgirl" in 1957 while still in high school. 

After pursuing separate paths through college—Simon studying English literature at Queens College and Garfunkel studying mathematics and architecture at Columbia University—they reunited in 1963 as Simon & Garfunkel and began performing in the Greenwich Village folk scene. Their breakthrough came with the album "Sounds of Silence" (1966), which captured the emerging counterculture zeitgeist with sophisticated folk-rock arrangements and introspective lyrics. Paul Simon's gift for poetic songwriting combined with Art Garfunkel's soaring tenor voice created a unique sound that resonated with audiences seeking more thoughtful, literary popular music. They released a series of critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums including "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" (1966), "Bookends" (1968), and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (1970), their final studio album together. Their music served as the soundtrack for the 1967 film "The Graduate," which became a cultural phenomenon and helped define the disillusionment and uncertainty felt by many young Americans during the Vietnam War era. Despite their immense success, creative tensions and personal differences led to their breakup in 1970, though they would reunite periodically for concerts over the decades, including a historic free concert in Central Park in 1981 that drew over 500,000 people.  

Simon & Garfunkel transformed popular music by proving that folk-rock could be both commercially successful and artistically sophisticated, paving the way for singer-songwriters and thoughtful lyricists in popular music. Their songs tackled themes of alienation, social change, spirituality, and the search for meaning in modern life with a literary sensibility that elevated the entire genre. The duo's influence extended beyond music into broader culture—their work captured the anxieties and aspirations of the 1960s generation and continues to resonate with new audiences discovering timeless songs about human connection, loss, and hope. They won multiple Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Their meticulous approach to recording, innovative use of studio techniques, and insistence on artistic integrity helped establish new standards for production quality in popular music. Both artists have continued successful solo careers, with Paul Simon in particular becoming recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, exploring world music and pushing creative boundaries throughout his career. Their reunion concerts have become multigenerational events, with grandparents, parents, and children singing along together, demonstrating the enduring power of their music to bridge divides and bring people together.  

• Elevated popular music as an art form: Brought literary sophistication and poetic depth to folk-rock, proving commercial music could be intellectually and emotionally complex
• Defined a generation's soundtrack: Captured the spirit, anxieties, and aspirations of the 1960s through songs that became cultural touchstones
• Pioneered folk-rock fusion: Successfully blended folk music traditions with rock arrangements, influencing countless artists across multiple genres
• Advanced recording techniques: Set new standards for production quality and studio craftsmanship in popular music
• Demonstrated the power of vocal harmony: Showcased how two distinct voices could blend to create something greater than the sum of their parts
• Bridged cultural divides: Created music that appealed across generational, cultural, and political boundaries, bringing diverse audiences together
• Inspired singer-songwriters: Paved the way for subsequent generations of artists who prioritized thoughtful lyrics and musical authenticity
• Preserved folk traditions: Kept folk music relevant for contemporary audiences while honoring its roots

• HARMONY
• GRADUATE
• FOLKROCK
• QUEENS
• SONGWRITER
• BRIDGE
• BOOKENDS
• SILENCE
• CENTRAL
• GRAMMY

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