Paul Simon

Background

Paul Frederic Simon is an American musician whose talents have made him shine bright. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, on October 13, 1941, and is of Hungarian-Jewish descent. His father was a college professor, double-bass player, and dance bandleader known by the alias Lee Sims, while his mother was an elementary school teacher. In 1945, Simon’s family moved to Kew Gardens Hills in Queens, New York City. When he was around 12 years old, he wrote his first song, ‘The Girl for Me.’ He formed a group with his friend Art Garfunkel, and in their mid-teens, they recorded ‘Hey Schoolgirl’ under the alias Tom & Jerry. The single reached number 49 on the Billboard charts. Simon graduated from Forest Hills High School and then majored in English at Queens College, where he graduated in 1963.

Simon had written, recorded, and released over 30 songs by 1964. However, these songs were released on minor labels. In early 1964, Simon and Garfunkel signed to Columbia Records. They were called Simon and Garfunkel and released their first L.P., “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.,” in October of the same year. The duo released their third studio album, “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme,” in October 1966. Their fifth and final studio album, “Bridge over Troubled Water,” dropped in January 1970, and they disbanded soon after. However, they reunited occasionally for different projects. In 1972, Simon released his second solo studio album, “Paul Simon.” His fourth solo studio album, “Still Crazy After All These Years,” dropped in 1975 and became number one on the United States Billboard Pop Albums chart. After an almost five-year hiatus, the musician released “One-Trick Pony” with Warner. Bros. Records. In 1987, Simon’s seventh solo studio album, “Graceland,” won the Album of the Year award at the Grammys and then the Record of the Year at the 1988 Grammys. The album sold over 16 million copies worldwide and was added to the United States National Recording Registry.

Simon’s career featured 14 solo studio albums; his last, “In the Blue Light,” was released in 2018. During his time in the Simon & Garfunkel duo, he released five studio albums, 13 compilation albums, four live albums, and many E.P.s. As a talented singer, songwriter, and musician, Simon has earned 16 Grammy Awards for his solo and collaborative works. He’s been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2015, he was ranked eighth on “Rolling Stone’s” 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time list. Simon’s personal life has been somewhat public. He’s been married thrice, first to Peggy Harper from 1969 to 1975. The couple had a son, Harper, in 1972. Simon’s second marriage was to the famous actress Carrie Fisher, from 1983 to 1984. He married Edie Brickell in 1992, and they have three children together.