Simon & Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel
Eddie Mallin · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Simon & Garfunkel
Caption	Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel in 1968
Origin	Queens, New York City, New York City
Genres	Folk rock, Pop music, Rock
Years active	1956–1970, 1972–2010 (occasional reunions)
Labels	Columbia Records, Warner Bros. Records
Associated acts	Art Garfunkel (solo), Paul Simon (solo), The Turtles, Bob Dylan

Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo composed of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and vocalist Art Garfunkel. Rising from the Greenwich Village and Brill Building scenes of the early 1960s, they blended close harmony singing with contemporary songwriting and studio production, achieving international success with chart-topping singles and landmark albums during the 1960s and beyond. Their career intersected with key figures and institutions in popular music, including Columbia Records, producer Tom Wilson, and cultural moments such as the Vietnam War era and the 1969 Woodstock Festival period.

History

Formed as teenagers in Forest Hills, Queens, Simon and Garfunkel first recorded as Tom & Jerry before signing with Columbia Records and adopting the duo name; their early career involved sessions produced by Milt Okun and arrangements influenced by the New York folk revival and venues like Cafe Wha? and The Gaslight Cafe. Breakthroughs came after Bob Dylan's electric turn and producer Tom Wilson's role in overdubbed singles, leading to mainstream exposure via radio stations such as WABC and programs on BBC Radio 1. Recording albums at Columbia Studios, they collaborated with arrangers and session musicians linked to The Wrecking Crew and engineers from CBS Records. Internal tensions, notably artistic disagreements and interpersonal rifts exacerbated during the production of albums recorded in studios in New York City and on location in California, culminated in a split after their concert film and soundtrack for The Graduate's success, with both pursuing solo careers while periodically reuniting for events like the Central Park concert and tours promoted by agencies such as William Morris Agency.

Musical Style and Influences

Their sound combined close harmonies reminiscent of The Everly Brothers with songwriting drawn from American folk music traditions and contemporary pop structures associated with Rock and Roll and Chamber pop. Influences included songwriters and performers such as Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and contemporaries like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue collaborators; producers and arrangers like John Simon and Paul Buckmaster shaped orchestral textures. They employed studio techniques popularized at Abbey Road Studios and Columbia Records' 30th Street Studio, integrating session players from groups like The Wrecking Crew and string arrangers connected to Motown Records and Atlantic Records sessions. Lyrically, songs drew upon narratives associated with New York City, literary references linked to T.S. Eliot and Allen Ginsberg, and themes resonant in the cultural discourse of the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, and 1960s counterculture.

Major Works and Discography

Key albums included Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., Sounds of Silence, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, Bookends, and Bridge over Troubled Water, produced under Columbia Records with singles that charted on Billboard Hot 100. Signature songs such as "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", "The Boxer", and "Bridge over Troubled Water" connected them to film soundtracks like The Graduate and to compilations issued by labels including CBS Records and later Warner Bros. Records. Albums featured contributions from musicians tied to Session musicians, arrangers connected to Baroque pop movements, and engineers associated with landmark recordings in studios across New York City and Los Angeles. Their discography influenced subsequent singer-songwriters cataloged alongside artists such as Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carole King, and Neil Young.

Live Performances and Tours

Their live history ranged from intimate folk clubs in Greenwich Village to stadium concerts and televised appearances on programs like The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show and benefit concerts affiliated with organizations like Amnesty International and events connected to the Vietnam War era protest movement. Memorable performances include the commission and free concert in Central Park promoted by Radio City Music Hall affiliates and major reunion tours arranged by agencies such as William Morris Agency and Creative Artists Agency. They played festivals and venues associated with the 1960s and 1970s concert circuit alongside acts including The Rolling Stones, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Santana, and their 1981 and 2003 reunions generated wide media coverage from outlets like Rolling Stone and The New York Times.

Legacy and Cultural Impact

Their influence permeates popular music history, informing the careers of artists like Paul Simon (solo), Art Garfunkel (solo), Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Radiohead, and Coldplay in aspects of harmony, songwriting, and studio production. They received honors and recognition from institutions including the Grammy Awards, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and music critics at publications such as Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. Their recordings have been preserved in archives at entities like Library of Congress and have appeared in films, television series, and advertisements connected to cultural touchstones like The Graduate and retrospectives on the 1960s. Academic study of their work appears in musicology and cultural studies programs at universities such as Columbia University, New York University, and Harvard University, and their songs continue to be covered by performers including Adele, Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, and Beyoncé in benefit concerts and anniversary tributes.

Category:American musical duos Category:Folk rock groups