Simon & Garfunkel facts for kids

Simon & Garfunkel
Art Garfunkel (left) and Paul Simon performing in Dublin, 1982
Background information
Also known as	Tom & Jerry (1956–1958)
Origin	Forest Hills, Queens, New York, U.S.
Genres	Folk rock
Years active	1956–1958 1963—1970 1972 1975–1977 1981–1984 1990 1993 2003–2005 2007–2010
Labels	Columbia
Past members	Paul Simon Art Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel was a famous American folk rock music group. It was made up of two friends, Paul Simon (who wrote songs and sang) and Art Garfunkel (who sang). They were one of the most popular music groups in the 1960s. Many of their songs became number one hits around the world. These include "The Sound of Silence" (1966), "Mrs. Robinson" (1968), "The Boxer" (1969), and "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1970).

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel first met in elementary school in Queens, New York, in 1953. They learned to sing together and started writing songs. As teenagers, they called themselves Tom & Jerry. They had a small hit song called "Hey Schoolgirl" in 1957.

In 1963, they got back together and signed with Columbia Records as Simon & Garfunkel. Their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., did not sell well. Paul Simon then went to England to start a solo music career.

In 1965, a new version of "The Sound of Silence" was released. It had electric guitar and drums added to it. This new version became a huge hit in the US, reaching number one on the Billboard music chart. Because of this success, the duo reunited. They released a second album, Sounds of Silence, and toured colleges across the country. Their music was also used in the 1967 movie The Graduate, which made them even more famous. Their album Bookends (1968) also topped the charts and included the number-one song "Mrs. Robinson" from the movie.

Simon and Garfunkel sometimes had disagreements, which led to them breaking up in 1970. Their last album together, Bridge over Troubled Water, was released in January 1970. It became one of the best-selling albums ever. After they split up, both Paul and Art had successful solo careers. Paul Simon released popular albums like Graceland. Art Garfunkel had hit songs like "All I Know" and acted in movies.

The duo reunited several times over the years. Their concert in Central Park in 1981 was huge, with more than 500,000 people attending. This was one of the largest concerts in history. Simon & Garfunkel won 7 Grammy Awards and were added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. They have sold over 100 million records, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

The Early Years of Simon & Garfunkel

How Paul and Art Met

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel grew up in the 1940s and 1950s in Queens, New York. They lived only three blocks apart and went to the same schools. Both loved music, especially rock and roll and the Everly Brothers.

Paul first noticed Art when Art was singing in a talent show in fourth grade. Paul thought it was a great way to make friends. They became friends in 1953 when they were in a school play called Alice in Wonderland. They formed a small singing group with friends and learned to sing together. They started performing as a duo at school dances.

Becoming Tom & Jerry

When they were in high school in 1956, Paul and Art wrote their first song, "The Girl for Me." They recorded another song, "Hey Schoolgirl," for $25. A music promoter named Sid Prosen heard them and signed them to his record label, Big Records. They were both 15 years old.

Under Big Records, they used the names Tom & Jerry. Art called himself Tom Graph, and Paul called himself Jerry Landis. Their first song, "Hey Schoolgirl," was released in 1957. It became a hit on the radio and sold over 100,000 copies. It even reached number 49 on the Billboard charts. They also performed on American Bandstand with Jerry Lee Lewis. Paul and Art earned about $4,000 from the song. They released two more songs, but they were not as successful.

Going to College and Solo Music

After high school in 1958, Paul and Art went to college. Paul studied English at Queens College, City University of New York. Art studied architecture and then art history at Columbia University.

While they were still with Big Records, Paul released a solo song under a different name. This made Art upset, and it caused some tension between them for a while. Both Paul and Art continued to record songs on their own for different record labels. Paul also wrote songs for other artists.

Reuniting as Simon & Garfunkel

In 1963, Paul and Art decided to perform together again. They were both interested in folk music. They performed at a club in New York City and caught the attention of Tom Wilson, a producer from Columbia Records. They sang "The Sound of Silence" for him, and Columbia Records signed them.

Their first album as Simon & Garfunkel, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., was released in October 1964. It had five songs written by Paul Simon and several traditional folk songs. However, the album did not sell well.

Rise to Fame

Paul's Time in England

After their first album didn't sell well, Paul Simon moved to England. He played music in small folk clubs and met other folk artists. He also met a girl named Kathy Chitty, who inspired some of his songs.

Paul recorded his first solo album, The Paul Simon Songbook, in June 1965. This album included songs that would later become famous Simon & Garfunkel songs, like "I Am a Rock" and "April Come She Will".

"The Sound of Silence" Becomes a Hit

Back in the United States, a radio DJ in Boston started playing "The Sound of Silence." College students loved it, and it became popular along the East Coast. When producer Tom Wilson heard about this, he decided to remix the song. He added electric guitar and drums to make it sound more like rock music. This new version was released in September 1965.

Paul Simon was surprised and "horrified" when he first heard the remixed song. But by January 1966, "The Sound of Silence" was number one on the music charts and sold over a million copies!

New Albums and Tours

Because of the huge success of "The Sound of Silence," Paul reunited with Art in New York. Columbia Records wanted a new album quickly. So, Sounds of Silence was released in January 1966. It included some songs from Paul's solo album and four new ones. This album also did very well. Soon after, songs like "Homeward Bound" and "I Am a Rock" became top hits.

Simon & Garfunkel then spent more time on their next album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, which came out in October 1966. They had more control over how this album was made. They continued to tour colleges, building their image as thoughtful and poetic artists.

Music for The Graduate

In 1967, director Mike Nichols was making a movie called The Graduate. He loved Simon & Garfunkel's music and wanted to use it in his film. Paul Simon agreed to write new songs for the movie. He and Art offered an unfinished song that became "Mrs. Robinson." Mike Nichols loved it!

Their fourth album, Bookends, was recorded between 1966 and 1968. It was very carefully produced, with the duo spending many hours on each song. Bookends was released in April 1968 and quickly became a number one album. It was their best-selling album at the time, helped by the success of The Graduate soundtrack. At the 1969 Grammy Awards, "Mrs. Robinson" won two big awards: Record of the Year and Best Contemporary Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.

The Final Album and Beyond

Bridge over Troubled Water

After Bookends and The Graduate soundtrack, Simon & Garfunkel were the biggest rock duo in the world. However, their relationship became difficult while making their next album. Art Garfunkel also started acting in movies, which took him away from recording music.

Their final studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water, was released in January 1970. It was a massive success, topping the charts in many countries. It became one of the best-selling albums of all time and CBS Records' best-selling album until Michael Jackson's Thriller in 1982. The main song, "Bridge over Troubled Water", became their biggest hit. Other popular songs from the album included "Cecilia" and "El Condor Pasa".

The album won six awards at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971, including Album of the Year.

Breaking Up and Reuniting

The recording of Bridge over Troubled Water was hard, and Paul and Art's friendship had become strained. Paul decided to end the duo. For many years, they rarely spoke.

However, they did reunite several times.

• In 1972, they performed at a concert for a political candidate.
• In 1975, they recorded one new song together called "My Little Town," which was a hit.
• In 1978, they performed together at a benefit concert.

In 1981, they held a free concert in Central Park in New York City. More than 500,000 people came, making it one of the largest concerts ever. A live album of the show, The Concert in Central Park, was very popular. This concert made people interested in Simon & Garfunkel's music again. They went on a world tour in 1982, but their relationship remained difficult.

Later Years and Awards

In 1990, Simon and Garfunkel were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Art Garfunkel thanked Paul, saying he "enriched my life." Paul Simon joked that they agreed on almost nothing.

In 2003, they received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They performed "The Sound of Silence" at the awards show, which led to a big reunion tour called "Old Friends." The tour started in October 2003 and played to sold-out crowds across the United States. They also toured Europe and performed a free concert in Rome in 2004, which attracted 600,000 fans.

In 2009, they reunited for a tour in Asia and Australia. In 2010, Art Garfunkel had vocal problems, and some tour dates were canceled. Paul Simon continued to wish Art well and praised his "angelic" voice. Art slowly regained his singing strength over the next few years.

In 2014, Art Garfunkel said he believed they would tour again. However, Paul Simon said in 2016 that they did not get along well, so another reunion tour was unlikely. In 2018, Paul Simon announced he was retiring from touring.

Simon & Garfunkel's Music Style and Impact

Simon & Garfunkel's music started as folk rock. Over time, they added new sounds like Latin and gospel music. Their songs often connected with young people who felt lonely or different.

Some critics at the time felt their music was too "clean" or "safe" compared to other artists. However, their later albums showed more complex music and included elements of gospel, rock, and classical music.

Rolling Stone magazine has listed several of their albums and songs among the greatest of all time:

• Bridge over Troubled Water (number 51 on the 500 Greatest Albums list)
• Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (number 201)
• Bookends (number 233)
• Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (number 293)
• "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (number 47 on the 500 Greatest Songs list)
• "The Boxer" (number 105)
• "The Sound of Silence" (number 156)

Awards and Achievements

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are big music awards given out every year. Simon & Garfunkel have won many of them.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1969	Bookends	Album of the Year	Nominated
	"Mrs. Robinson"	Song of the Year	Nominated
		Record of the Year	Won
		Best Contemporary Pop Performance – Vocal Duo or Group	Won
	The Graduate	Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special	Won
1971	Bridge over Troubled Water	Album of the Year	Won
		Best Engineered Recording	Won
	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	Record of the Year	Won
		Song of the Year	Won
		Best Contemporary Song	Won
		Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)	Won
		Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals	Nominated
1976	"My Little Town"	Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals	Nominated
1998	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	Grammy Hall of Fame Award	Won
1999	"Mrs. Robinson"	Grammy Hall of Fame Award	Won
	Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme	Grammy Hall of Fame Award	Won
2003	Simon & Garfunkel	Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award	Won
2004	"The Sound of Silence"	Grammy Hall of Fame Award	Won

Other Awards

• Awit Awards (1969) – Single of the Year Foreign Division (for "The Sound of Silence")
• Awit Awards (1969) – Album of the Year Foreign Division (for The Graduate)
• Brit Awards (1977) – International Album (for Bridge over Troubled Water)
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1990) – Inducted
• Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2006) – Inducted

Albums by Simon & Garfunkel

Studio albums

• Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (1964)
• Sounds of Silence (1966)
• Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966)
• Bookends (1968)
• Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)

See also

In Spanish: Simon and Garfunkel para niños