Paul Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and actor….whose musical career has spanned seven decades….with his fame and commercial success beginning as half of the duo Simon & Garfunkel (originally known as Tom & Jerry)…..that was formed in 1956 with Art Garfunkel. Simon was responsible for writing nearly all of the pair’s songs including three that reached # 1 on the U.S. singles charts…. “The Sound of Silence”, “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge over Troubled Water”.
The duo split up in 1970 at the height of their popularity…..and Simon began a successful solo career by recording three acclaimed albums over the next five years….when in 1986, he released his Graceland album inspired by South African township music….which sold 14 million copies worldwide on its release and remains his most popular solo work. Simon also wrote and starred in the film One-Trick Pony in 1980…..and co-wrote the Broadway musical The Capeman in 1998. with the poet Derek Walcott. On June 3, 2016, Simon released his 13th solo album, Stranger to Stranger, which debuted at # 1 on the Billboard Album Chart and the UK charts.
Simon has earned sixteen Grammys for his solo and collaborative work….including three for Album of the Year with Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After All These Years and Graceland ….along with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2001, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2006 was selected as one of the “100 People Who Shaped the World” by Time. In 2011, Rolling Stone named Simon one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists. In 2015, he was named one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by Rolling Stone. Among many other honors, Simon was the first recipient of the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2007.
