While not reaching the commercial heights of previous albums, it managed at least to reach both the British and American Top 20. The mood of the album was darker, as he wrote and recorded it in the wake of his divorce. 1 on this list. During his distinguished career Paul Simon has been the recipient of many honors and awards including 12 Grammy Awards, three of which (“Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “Still Crazy After All These Years” and “Graceland”) were albums of the year. The two met up in July 2011 when Simon was touring behind So Beautiful or So What in Milan, Italy. [44] The album received high marks from the artist, "It's the best work I've done in 20 years. Paul Simon married singer-songwriter Edie Brickell (now 52), in 1992. Simon's solo concert albums often have songs he originally recorded with Simon and Garfunkel, and many Simon and Garfunkel concert albums contain songs Simon first recorded on solo albums. [11][12][13][14] His father, Louis (1916–1995), was a college professor, double-bass player, and dance bandleader who performed under the name "Lee Sims". According to Simon, this was the first time artists' surnames had been used in pop music without their first names. On one appearance in the late 1980s, he worked with the politician who shared his name, Illinois Senator Paul Simon. The 18th Grammy Awards named it the Album of the Year and Simon's performance the year's Best Male Pop Vocal. [49] On September 11, 2011, Paul Simon performed "The Sound of Silence" at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, site of the World Trade Center, on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Simon invited the six teens to experience recording at Columbia studios with engineer Roy Halee. [47] The first video featured J.M. [24] Wilson did not inform the duo of his plan, and Simon was "horrified" when he first heard it. In 2003 he was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel. At age 45, Simon found himself back at the forefront of popular music. [2] In 1986, following a career slump, he released Graceland, an album inspired by South African township music, which sold 14 million copies worldwide and remains his most popular solo work. Simon's musical career has spanned over six decades. [citation needed] In January 1985, Simon lent his talent to USA for Africa and performed on the relief fundraising single "We Are the World". Columbia decided that the two would be called "Simon & Garfunkel" instead of "Tom & Jerry". In the premiere show of the final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show on September 10, 2010, Simon surprised Oprah and the audience with a song dedicated to Oprah and her show lasting 25 years (an update of a song he did for her show's 10th anniversary).[48]. 2 in the U.S. Simon also contributed to the Seekers' catalogue with "Someday One Day", which was released in March 1966, charting around the same time as Simon and Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound" (a Top 10 hit from their second U.K. album, Sounds of Silence and later included on their third U.S. album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme). Simon released Hearts and Bones in 1983. Robinson” – Simon & Garfunkel, 1975 GRAMMY: Best Pop Vocal Male – “Still Crazy After All These Years”, 1982: Paul Simon inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 2001: Paul Simon inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sessions for the album began in December 1989, and took place in Rio de Janeiro and New York, featuring guitarist J. J. Cale and many Brazilian and African musicians. Boycott List", "Paul Simon's Graceland: the acclaim and the outrage", "Bob Dylan and Paul Simon: A mismatch made in heaven? As of 2005, he has amassed nearly 75 million broadcast airplays, according to BMI surveys. In May 2012, Paul Simon performed at a benefit dinner for the Turkana Basin Institute in New York City, raising more than $2 million for Richard Leakey's research institute in Africa. He was at work until late at night. I can think of a few who have expressed my words and music far better than I. I'm excited at the prospect of that happening again. Featuring Marc Anthony as the young Agron and Rubén Blades as the older Agron, the play received terrible reviews and very poor box office receipts from the very beginning, and closed on March 28 after just 68 performances—a failure that reportedly cost Simon 11 million dollars. In an attempt to capitalize on his renewed success, WB Records released the album Negotiations and Love Songs in November 1988, a mixture of popular hits and personal favorites that covered Simon's entire career and became an enduring seller in his catalog. Paul Simon was born on October 13, 1941, to Jewish American parents living in New Jersey. The following year, he was one of the five recipients of the annual Kennedy Center Honors, the nation's highest tribute to performing and cultural artists. When Garfunkel reported this indecision over the song's name to the director, Nichols replied, "Don't be ridiculous! Surprise was a commercial hit, reaching No. A compelling book that inspires and empowers people to act now to address global poverty. One year later, Simon's studio albums were re-released both individually and together in a limited-edition nine-CD boxed set, Paul Simon: The Studio Recordings 1972–2000. It was also his 77th birthday. Paul Simon during his winter vacation in Sri Lanka 2006/07, with the band he was jamming with. Uploaded by . Highly anticipated, Still Crazy After All These Years was his next album. [82] Simon's 1972 song "Run That Body Down", from his second solo album, casually mentions both himself and his then-wife ("Peg") by name. A Simon & Garfunkel reunion took place in September 1993, and in another attempt to capitalize on the occasion, Columbia released Paul Simon 1964/1993 in September, a three-disc compilation that received a reduced version on the two-disc album The Paul Simon Anthology one month later. The album consisted mostly of folk-pop writing combined with foreign musical sounds, particularly grooves from North Africa. [69] At the same time, it was announced that he would embark on his farewell concert tour on May 16 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at Rogers Arena. Most critics also praised the album, and many of them called it a "comeback". Lorne Michaels had introduced Simon to Berg when Berg was working as the bandleader for Michael's The New Show. While driving his car in late 1984 in this state of frustration, Simon listened to a cassette of the Boyoyo Boys' instrumental Gumboots: Accordion Jive Volume II which had been lent to him by Heidi Berg, a singer-songwriter he was working with at the time. On November 10, 2010, Simon released a new song called "Getting Ready for Christmas Day". by Seth Rogovoy", "Sex, Drugs and Ego: A Music Mogul's Swath of Destruction; A Deposed President of CBS Records Chronicles His Debauchery and Detox", "Paul Simon To Be Awarded First Annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by Library of Congress", "Star-Studded Lineup Confirmed for Library of Congress Concert Honoring Gershwin Prize Recipient Paul Simon", "Paul Simon May Record with Bob Dylan, Taking Catalog Back to Sony", "Book Review – Finishing The Hat – By Stephen Sondheim", "Premiere: New Music From Paul Simon : All Songs Considered Blog", "Includes complete recording of 'Getting Ready for Christmas Day, "Live performance by Paul Simon on The Colbert Report", "Paul Simon Surprise Oprah with a Special Performance – Video", "Paul Simon Concert Tour Starts April 15th! His mother, Belle (1910–2007), was an elementary school teacher. He is also a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; as a solo artist in 2001, and in 1990 as half of Simon & Garfunkel. Paul Simon made the 911 call that led to the arrests last week of him and his wife, singer Edie Brickell, on disorderly conduct charges, according to a police report. [57] The tour continued in early 2015, with ten shows in Australia and New Zealand,[58][59] and 23 concerts in Europe,[60] ending on April 18, 2015. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that "Simon doesn't achieve his comeback by reconnecting with 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, which makes Surprise all the more remarkable." [9] Simon was the first recipient of the Library of Congress's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2007. Simon's first song written for himself and Garfunkel, when Simon was 12 or 13, was called "The Girl for Me," and according to Simon became the "neighborhood hit." After three successful studio albums, Simon became less productive during the second half of the 1970s. Simon also wrote and performed the theme song for the comedian Louis C.K. In particular, Garfunkel agreed to star in the film, Carnal Knowledge, leaving Simon to work on the duo's new musical material by himself. Simon enjoyed moderate success with singles as part of the group Tico and the Triumphs, including "Motorcycle", which reached No. Simon & Garfunkel's producer, Tom Wilson, overdubbed the track with electric guitar, bass guitar and drums, releasing it as a single that eventually went to No. At the time, reviewers noted how the songs were fresh and unworried on the surface, while still exploring socially and politically conscious themes on a deeper level. In one SNL skit from 1986 (when he was promoting Graceland), Simon plays himself, waiting in line with a friend to get into a movie. Sessions with African musicians took place in Johannesburg in February 1985. He had a brief relationship with Shelley Duvall and they lived together for two years until she introduced him to Carrie Fisher. The success of both albums allowed Simon to stage another New York concert. Will he get worse face like John Travolta and Eminem? Advertised in The Village Voice, the auditions brought hundreds of hopefuls to perform for Simon. They have three children: Adrian, Lulu, and Gabriel. In 1957, he and high school pal, Art Garfunkel, wrote and recorded the single, "Hey Schoolgirl", under the name "Tom and Jerry".After some failures, they broke up. When Simon returned to the U.S. with the growing success of "The Sound of Silence", Kathy, who was quite shy,[80] wanted no part of the success and fame that awaited Simon and they ended their relationship. The couple had a son Harper Simon in 1972 and divorced in 1975. This reunion led to a US tour—the acclaimed "Old Friends" concert series—followed by a 2004 international encore that culminated in a free concert at the Colosseum in Rome that drew 600,000 people. 's show Horace and Pete, which debuted January 30, 2016. Slowly climbing the worldwide charts, it reached No. While writing "Mrs. Robinson", Simon originally toyed with the title "Mrs. Roosevelt". The song was included on their respective solo albums: Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years and Garfunkel's Breakaway. In 2005, Simon was saluted as a BMI Icon at the 53rd Annual BMI Pop Awards. In 1957, he and high school pal, Art Garfunkel, wrote and recorded the single, "Hey Schoolgirl", under the name "Tom and Jerry". He received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1987 and also Grammy Award for Record of the Year for the title track one year later. [65][66], On July 25, 2016, he performed "Bridge over Troubled Water" at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Paul Simon Has 50 Ways to Charm an Audience ... Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief,” he wrote. The parents are either immigrants or first-generation Americans who felt like outsiders, and assimilation was the key thought—they gravitated to black music and baseball looking for an alternative culture. ", "Belfast date added for 'Paul Simon & Sting: On stage together' 2015 European toue", "Billy Joel Concert Setlist at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale on August 4, 2015", "Watch Stephen Colbert, Paul Simon Perform as Troubled Waters", "Paul Simon Plots Expansive Tour Ahead of New Album 'Stranger to Stranger, "Inside Paul Simon's Genre-Bending New Album 'Stranger to Stranger, "Paul Simon Hints at Retirement: 'I Am Going to See What Happens If I let Go, "Could This Be the End of Paul Simon's Rhymin'? [18][16] Simon was a brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity,[19] earned a degree in English literature, and briefly attended Brooklyn Law School for one semester after graduation in 1963.[20][21]. In an attempt to return successfully to the music market, Simon wrote and recorded a new album very quickly, with You're the One arriving in October 2000. On June 3, 2016 Simon released his thirteenth solo studio album, Stranger to Stranger via Concord Records. 3 in the U.S. It contained some of his most popular and polished recordings. It was the first composition of a new musical project that became the Grammy Award-winning album Graceland, a mixture of musical styles including pop, a cappella, isicathamiya, rock, zydeco and mbaqanga. Clap! Simon recorded an album of songs from the show, which was released in November 1997. In 1970, after recording his "Bridge Over Troubled Water", at the invitation of the NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Simon held auditions for a young songwriter's workshop. In February 2009, Simon performed back-to-back shows in New York City at the Beacon Theatre, which had recently been renovated. Their first bus was in the impoverished South Bronx of New York City, but they now operate in 12 states, including on the Gulf Coast. He is a member of The Songwriters Hall of Fame, a recipient of their Johnny Mercer Award and is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Simon and Garfunkel and as a solo artist. In May 2009, The Library of Congress: Paul Simon and Friends Live Concert was released on DVD, via Shout! In 2001, Simon was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year. [72], In an in-depth interview reprinted in American Songwriter, Simon discusses the craft of songwriting with music journalist Tom Moon. I think it has to do with the parents. Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor. Among the six teenage songwriters Simon selected for tutelage were Melissa Manchester, Tommy Mandel and rock/beat poet Joe Linus, with Maggie and Terre Roche (the Roche Sisters), who later sang back-up for Simon, joining the workshop in progress through an impromptu appearance. The album was supported with the successful Surprise Tour from May–November 2006. [7] In 2011, Rolling Stone named Simon one of the 100 greatest guitarists,[8] and in 2015 he was ranked eighth in their list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. Paul Simon during his winter vacation in Sri Lanka 2006/07. J.M. In August 2010, The Capeman was staged for three nights in the Delacorte Theatre in New York's Central Park. Simon wrote it for Garfunkel, whose solo output Simon judged to be lacking "bite". Rounding off his 2011 World Tour, which included the United States, the U.K., the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany, Simon appeared at Ramat Gan Stadium in Israel in July 2011, making his first concert appearance in Israel since 1983. They first met in the sixth grade in 1953 and went on to sell more than 40 million albums in the U.S. "We met when we were 11; we started to sing when we were 13," Simon once joked. Among the performers who paid tribute to Simon were Stevie Wonder, Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Lyle Lovett, James Taylor, Dianne Reeves, Marc Anthony, Yolanda Adams, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. [70], On September 7, 2018, Simon released his fourteenth album, In the Blue Light, consisting of re-recordings of select lesser-known songs from his catalog, often altering their original arrangements, harmonic structures, and lyrics. Listen to Paul Simon narrate chapter 2, “Is it Wrong Not to Help?” of Peter Singer’s book The Life You Can Save. Moreover, he married singer Edie Brickell on May 30, 1992. It's like a puzzle to find the right words to express what the music is saying. [5] He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: first in 1990 as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and again in 2001 for his solo career. Paul Simon plastic surgery simply lengthens bad male celebrity plastic surgery list. Simon is also a major benefactor and one of the co-founders, with Dr. Irwin Redlener, of the Children's Health Project and The Children's Health Fund[92][93] which started by creating specially equipped "buses" to take medical care to children in medically underserved areas, urban and rural. He also embarked on the very successful Graceland Tour, which was documented on music video. He is one of only six artists to have won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year more than once as the main credited artist. Also, on May 3, 1976, Simon put together a benefit show at Madison Square Garden to raise money for the New York Public Library. Back on the American east coast, radio stations began receiving requests for the Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. track "The Sound of Silence". [63] He began writing new material shortly after releasing his twelfth studio album, So Beautiful or So What, in April 2011. 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 the recording). The success of the concert surpassed all expectations, and reportedly over 750,000 people attended—one of the largest concert audiences in history. [23] While in the UK, Simon 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". 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. The credit on this song reads: "Words by Paul Simon, Music by Paul Simon and General M.D. On March 4, 1992, he appeared on his own episode of MTV Unplugged, offering renditions of many of his most famous compositions. When I was 11, Paul Simon, my fast friend, would say to people, “Look at my friend Artie, he’s the human typewriter.” It was sweet. The audiobook is now available for free on all major podcast platforms, including… 10. Also in 1962, Simon reached No. Laird-Clowes has credited Simon with helping to shape the band's biggest hit, "Life in a Northern Town".[91]. Later that year they visited the U.S. together, touring around mainly by bus. [22] Simon and Garfunkel's first LP, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., was released on October 19, 1964, with 12 folk songs, five of which were written by Simon. ", Simon's album So Beautiful or So What[43] was released on the Concord Music Group label on April 12, 2011. Unfortunately there are no concert dates for Paul Simon scheduled in 2021. They have three children: Adrian, Lulu, and Gabriel. There is a photo of Simon and Kathy on the cover of his 1965 album The Paul Simon Songbook. "[26], Simon and Garfunkel returned to the UK in the fall of 1968 and did a church concert appearance at Kraft Hall, which was broadcast on the BBC, and also featured Paul's brother Ed on a performance of the instrumental "Anji". [25], The success of "The Sound of Silence" drew Simon back to the United States to reunite with Garfunkel. Simon has appeared on Saturday Night Live (SNL), either as host or musical guest, 14 times. Five of those were rearranged as duets; Simon performed the other three songs solo. After Simon and Garfunkel split in 1970, Simon began writing and recording solo material again. The melody Paul Simon borrowed from Bach. He made his 45 million dollar fortune with Graceland. 14 in the Billboard 200 and No. In 1995 he made news for appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where he performed the song "Ten Years", which he composed specially for the tenth anniversary of the show. They had a son, Harper Simon in 1972, and divorced in 1975. This song marks the end of the post-marriage relationship, and was an album track on Simon's 1990 album The Rhythm of The Saints.