Paul Simon

Simon & Garfunkel were voted the 40th Greatest Artists in Rock 'n' Roll by "Rolling Stone" magazine.

Born on October 13, 1941 in Newark New Jersey, Paul Simon is one of the greatest singer/songwriters ever.

He and Art Garfunkel sang and wrote songs under the name "Tom and Jerry" in the late 1950s.

In 1957, he and high school pal, Art Garfunkel, wrote and recorded the single, "Hey Schoolgirl", under the name "Tom and Jerry". After some failures, they broke up. Simon still wrote and recorded music as "Tico and The Triumps" and "Jerry Landis". He also attended Queens College and got a B. A. in English.

Released non-charting singles using the names "True Taylor" (in 1958) and "Paul Kane" (in 1963). Also wrote songs for other artists under the name "Jerry Landis", and released a few singles using that name. He later used the name "Tico" and had some minor hit singles as "Tico & The Triumphs".

Their next album, "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme", had songs such as "Homeward Bound" "The 59th Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)".

Admits he is a highly competitive person, which has colored his relationship with Bob Dylan. He was regularly compared (sometimes unfavorably) to Dylan in the 1960s and responded by disparaging him in the press and even putting out a fairly explicit Dylan put-down song "A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)". He has since been more friendly towards Dylan, even going on tour with him once.

He also studied law but quit to pursue a music career in 1964. He and Art Garfunkel got back together as Simon & Garfunkel and recorded "Wednesday Morning 3 a. m. ". After the commercial failure of the album, they broke up again. Simon left America to go to England, where he played in folk circuits and he made a solo album. Back in America, the producer of their first album, Tom Wilson, dubbed bass, electric guitar, and drums to the all-acoustic song, "Sound of Silence", which propelled them into the folk-rock scene.

Simon & Garfunkel were back and, in 1966, they had popularity with the album, "The Sound of Silence", which features songs such as "I am a Rock", "Richard Cory" and "Kathy's Song".

In 1967, Mike Nichols asked Simon to write a score for his upcoming movie, The Graduate (1967). Their next album, "Bookends", which is considered one of the greatest albums of the sixties, featured songs such as "Mrs.

Robinson" from The Graduate (1967), "Hazy Shade of Winter", "At The Zoo", "America". Their last album, "Bridge Over Troubled Water", featured songs such as the title song, "The Boxer", "Cecilia". In the seventies, Simon emerged as a singer/songwriter with albums such as "Paul Simon", Still Crazy After All These Years", "Hearts and Bones", "Graceland", and "Songs from the Capeman".

Was slated to play Dunbar in Catch-22 (1970) before the character was dropped.

Has 4 children: son, Harper Simon (b. September 7, 1972) with ex-wife, Peggy Harper and son, Adrian Edward Simon (b. December 1992), daughter, Lulu Simon (b. April 1995) & son, Gabriel Elijah Simon (b. May 1998) with wife, Edie Brickell.

Attended a recording session in 1974 with Art Garfunkel, former The Beatles John Lennon, and singer Harry Nilsson. Lennon directed the session, and he and Simon reportedly clashed on Simon's cue in the song, leading to Simon's walking out (with Garfunkel close behind, making apologies) before anything was recorded.

Once co-hosted Saturday Night Live (1975) with like-named U.S. Senator Paul Simon.

He and friend Peter Gabriel were recognized by critics for their efforts in the 1980s to use their popularity to bring "world music" to a much bigger audience in the West. Simon covered Gabriel's song "Biko"--about a murdered black activist from South Africa--for Gabriel's tribute album "And I'll Scratch Yours", released in 2013.

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1982.

Even after their divorce in 1983, he and Carrie Fisher continued to date for eight more years before finally breaking up in 1991.

After his breakup with Carrie Fisher, he was depressed for two years. In 1985 his comeback album "Graceland" included songs about her.

Generally considers his solo work, especially the albums "Graceland" (1986) and "The Rhythm of the Saints" (1990), to be superior to his work with Simon & Garfunkel.

Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of Simon & Garfunkel) in 1990.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 (as a solo artist).

Designated a Kennedy Center Honors recipient for 2002 to replace Paul McCartney. McCartney had originally accepted the award, but later withdrew because of a "personal scheduling conflict"--the wedding of his niece.

Didn't want to return to the US from England, where he was enjoying success with his solo album there, but Columbia Records invoked the letter of his and Art Garfunkel's recording contract, forcing him to come back. His UK album went out of print, and was only reissued in 2004.

Awarded the first Gershwin Prize for Popular Music in 2007 by the Library of Congress.