Paul Simon

Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. One of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century, Simon's career spans six decades. Born in New Jersey, Simon grew up in Queens, New York City, and developed an interest in rock music in his teens.

He began performing with his schoolfriend Art Garfunkel in 1956. They came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. Their blend of folk and rock, in hits such as "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "America" and "The Boxer", served as a soundtrack to the counterculture movement. Their final album before disbanding, Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970), is among the bestselling of all time. In his solo career, Simon has explored genres including gospel, reggae and soul. His celebrated 1970s output—comprising Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)—kept him in the public spotlight and drew acclaim, producing the hits "Mother and Child Reunion", "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", and "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover". Simon has reunited with Garfunkel for several tours, including the 1981 Concert in Central Park.

Graceland (1986) is Simon's most successful and acclaimed album, incorporating worldbeat styles. Its single "You Can Call Me Al" became one of Simon's most successful. It was followed by The Rhythm of the Saints (1990), and a second Concert in the Park, without Garfunkel, in 1991, attended by half a million people. Simon wrote a Broadway musical, The Capeman (1998), which was poorly received. In the 21st century, Simon continued to record and tour. His later albums, such as You're the One (2000), So Beautiful or So What (2011), and Stranger to Stranger (2016), have introduced him to new generations. Though he retired from touring in 2018, Simon continues to record music and his album Seven Psalms was released in May 2023.^[1]

Simon is among the most acclaimed musicians in popular music, and one of the world's best-selling music artists, both for his solo work and with Garfunkel. He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and has been the recipient of sixteen Grammy Awards, including three for Album of the Year. Two of his works, Sounds of Silence and Graceland, have seen induction into National Recording Registry for their cultural significance, and in 2007, the Library of Congress crowned him the inaugural winner of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.^[2] He is a co-founder of the Children's Health Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides medical care to children.

Paul Simon has hosted SNL four times and been a musical guest thirteen times, with another five cameo appearances and one filmed cameo over the years. He currently holds the record for oldest musical guest at 69 years, 7 months, 1 day old on May 14, 2011. (He is slated to be the musical guest on October 13, 2018, his 77th birthday.) He is a close friend of Lorne Michaels, who produced his 1977 Paul Simon Special, along with the Simon and Garfunkel concert in Central Park in 1981. He is also friends with former cast member Chevy Chase, who appeared in Simon's music video for the song "You Can Call Me Al." Chase and Steve Martin also appeared in the video for Simon's song "Proof."

Five-Timers Club[]

Though he's technically only hosted four times, Simon became the fourth person inducted into the Five-Timers Club on May 10, 1986. He's appeared in two Five-Timers themed sketches, one for the induction of Tom Hanks and one for Justin Timberlake.