Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and actor….whose fame, influence, and commercial success began as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel….which was formed in 1964 with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote nearly all of the pair’s songs….including three that reached No. 1 on the U.S. singles charts….including “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 as a guitarist and singer-songwriter by recording three highly acclaimed albums over the next five years. In 1986, he released Graceland….an 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 (1980)….as he performs the song by the same name in this video herewith….and then co-wrote the Broadway musical The Capeman (1998) with the poet Derek Walcott.On June 3, 2016, Simon released his 13th solo album, titled Stranger to Stranger….which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album Chart and the UK charts.
Simon has earned sixteen Grammy Awards for his solo and collaborative work….including three for Album of the Year (Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After All These Years, Graceland)…..and 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 magazine….then in 2011, Rolling Stone magazine named Simon as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists….and In 2015, he was named as one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters by Rolling Stone.Among many other honors, Simon was the first recipient of the Library of Congress’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2007.In 1986, Simon was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
Any way you look at the talents and accomplishments of Paul Simon…..they were significant and meaningful in a world that has so often been lost…..so, any time you get to listen to his music….it is simply a must.
