Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo and joint projects with Art Garfunkel.
He met Garfunkel in 1956 while still in school, and the two became well-known in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel.
Profile
- Full Name: Paul Frederic Simon
- Stage Name: Paul Simon
- Born: October 13, 1941
- Age: 82 years old
- Birthplace: Newmark, New Jersey, USA
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Singer and songwriter
- Height: 1.6m
- Parent: Louis Simon, Belle Simon
- Siblings: Eddie Simon
- Spouse: Eddie Brickell, Carrie Fisher, Peggy Harper
- Children: Harper Simon, Lulu Simon, Adrian Edward Simon, Gabriel Elijah Simon
- Relationship: Married
- Net Worth: $200million
Early Life
Paul Simon was born to Hungarian-Jewish parents on October 13, 1941, in Newark, New Jersey.
His father, Louis, was a college professor and a double bass player in dance bands, while his mother, Belle, was an elementary school teacher.
Growing up in Queens, New York, Paul was exposed to music and cultural diversity from a young age. He met Art Garfunkel in elementary school, and they started singing together when they were 13 years old.
Paul wrote his first song, “The Girl for Me,” around the same time and performed it with Garfunkel.
They formed the duo “Tom and Jerry” in high school and had a minor hit with “Hey Schoolgirl” in 1957.
Education
Even if he has not pursued a formal music education, Paul Simon has a solid academic foundation. He graduated from Forest Hills High School in New York City in 1958.
Simon majored in English while attending Queens College at the City University of New York. He earned a B.A. in English from university in 1963.
He attended Brooklyn Law School for a short time in 1963. He later left after one semester to devote all my time to music.
Though Simon did not finish law school, he was awarded multiple honorary doctorates in music, such as the following Yale University’s Berklee College of Music.
Career
Born 1941 in Newark, New Jersey, he established the duo Simon & Garfunkel while still in high school after meeting Art Garfunkel.
They released “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.”, their debut album, in 1964. “Sounds of Silence,” their second album, became commercially successful in 1965.
They released several hit albums and singles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including “Bookends,” “The Graduate” soundtrack, and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” They split up in 1970.
His debut solo album, “Paul Simon,” was released in 1972. He then went on to have financial and critical success with “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” (1973) and “Still Crazy After All These Years” (1975) as solo albums.
His 1986 album Graceland was an experiment in global music, and it earned two Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
Throughout his career, he continued to release highly regarded records, such as “The Rhythm of the Saints” (1990) and “Songs from the Capeman” (1997).
He received 16 Grammy Awards, three for Album of the Year.
He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice as a solo artist and once as a part of Simon & Garfunkel.
He is regarded as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time.
Awards and Nominations
Grammy Awards:
- Wins: 16 Grammy Awards, including:
- Album of the Year: Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970), Still Crazy After All These Years (1975), Graceland (1986)
- Record of the Year: “Graceland” (1987)
- Song of the Year: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970), “Still Crazy After All These Years” (1976)
- Lifetime Achievement Award (2003)
- Nominations: Over 40 nominations across various categories
Other Major Awards:
- Academy Award: Nominated for Best Original Song for “Father and Daughter” (2002)
- Golden Globe Award: Nominated for Best Original Song for “Father and Daughter” (2002)
- American Music Awards: Won Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Album for “Graceland” (1988)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Inducted twice as a member of Simon & Garfunkel (1990) and as a solo artist (2001)
- National Recording Registry: “Sounds of Silence” and “Graceland” inducted for their cultural significance
- Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song: Inaugural winner in 2007
Additional Honors:
- MusiCares Person of the Year: Honored in 2001 for his philanthropic contributions
- Kennedy Center Honors: Recipient in 2002
- National Endowment for the Arts NEA Award: Received the A.B. Spellman Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz in 2010
Recent Nomination:
- Grammy Award for Best Folk Album: Nominated in 2024 for his album “Seven Psalms”
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @paulsimonofficial
- Facebook handle: Paul Simon
- Twitter handle: N/A
Personal Life
Paul Simon has experienced a diverse personal life over his extensive career. He was married to Peggy Harper (1969-1975), with whom he shares a son named Harper Simon, a musician.
The iconic actress and writer Carrie Fisher (1980-1984) served as an inspiration for some of his songs on albums like “Hearts and Bones” and “Graceland.”
He has been married to singer-songwriter Edie Brickell since 1992, and together they have three children.
His lifelong musical partner in Simon & Garfunkel, their personal dynamic and eventual separation are well-documented.
Discography
Solo studio albums:
- The Paul Simon Songbook (1964)
- Paul Simon (1972)
- There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973)
- Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)
- One-Trick Pony (1979)
- Hearts and Bones (1983)
- Graceland (1986)
- The Rhythm of the Saints (1990)
- Paul Simon 1964/1993 (1993)
- The Capeman (1998)
- You’re the One (2000)
- Surprise (2006)
- So Beautiful or So What (2007)
- Stranger to Stranger (2016)
- In the Blue Light (2018)
- Seven Psalms (2023)
Live albums:
- Paul Simon in Concert (1972)
- Live Rhymin’ (1974)
- Paul Simon: Concert in Central Park (1981)
- Paul Simon’s Graceland Concert: The African Tour (1987)
- Paul Simon: The Paul Simon Collection (Live) (1995)
- Live at the Capeman (1998)
- Live in New York City (2008)
- Live in Dublin (2014)
- Homeward Bound (2017)
Compilation albums:
- Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits (1966)
- The Paul Simon Anthology (1992)
- The Essential Paul Simon (2003)
- Songwriter (2011)
Soundtracks:
- The Graduate (1967)
- One-Trick Pony (1980)
Box sets
- The Complete Studio Albums (2004)
- The Box (2010)
- The Complete Simon & Garfunkel Collection (2018)
Net Worth
Paul Simon is a singer-songwriter from the United States worth $200 million.
