Simon and Garfunkel

Legendary folk duo Simon and Garfunkel first met at elementary school in 1953 when they were both appearing in a school production of Alice in Wonderland. The pair soon began performing together as Tom (Garfunkel) and Jerry (Simon) and were recording for Big Records in 1957.Their single, Hey, Schoolgirl heavily influenced by the Everly Brothers sold 100,000 copies.

They were unable to recapture their initial success however and went their separate ways in 1958 when they each went to separate colleges.

They reconvened in 1963 releasing their folk tinged album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. under the more familiar name Simon and Garfunkel a year later, it sold poorly (despite featuring The Sound of Silence) and the pair split once again.

At this point Paul Simon came to the UK and recorded as a solo-artist releasing The Paul Simon Songbook in 1965. While Simon was on tour the popularity of the duo’s track Sound of Silence grew so their producer chose to release a revamped version of the track which was dubbed with heavier instruments becoming a successful folk-rock track.

The pair’s emerging popularity led to Simon and Garfunkel reforming and recording the successful album Sound of Silence which in addition to the title track included I Am a Rock and Kathy’s Song. After successful follow-up Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme the pair made perhaps their greatest musical contribution, the number one soundtrack album The Graduate featuring the much loved track Mrs Robinson.

Relations between the pair were in decline by the end of the sixties with Art Garfunkel looking towards an acting career and they recorded their final album together Bridge Over Troubled Water in 1969 to great acclaim they split a year later.

Simon had a hugely successful solo career with albums such as Graceland; Garfunkel pursued his acting alongside a less successful solo career with the album Watermark being his best received.

The pair often united for events such as a 1972 benefit concert and a free show in Central Park in 1981. The success of the latter prompted a tour the following year. They have continued to tour and perform one-off dates on occasion and have announced a Canadian and American tour this year.