Art Garfunkel

Art Garfunkel was born Arthur Ira Garfunkel on November 5, 1941, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. His early life was marked by a passion for singing, starting at age four when his father brought home a tape recorder. He spent his afternoons practicing, striving for vocal perfection. He met Paul Simon in sixth grade at PS 164, where they both appeared in an elementary school play, leading to a lifelong musical partnership. They performed together as “Tom & Jerry” between 1956 and 1962, even releasing a single, “Hey, Schoolgirl,” that charted at number 49. After high school, Garfunkel pursued higher education, earning a BA in art history from Columbia University in 1965 and an MA in mathematics education from Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1967. This academic background provided a temporary diversion before his return to music.

In 1963, Garfunkel reunited with Paul Simon, forming the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Their debut album, “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.,” was released in 1964. While initially unsuccessful, a remixed version of “The Sound of Silence” propelled them to stardom in 1965. This led to a string of highly successful albums: “Sounds of Silence” (1966), “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme” (1966), “Bookends” (1968), and the critically acclaimed “Bridge over Troubled Water” (1970). Their collaboration produced numerous chart-topping hits such as “Mrs. Robinson,” “Scarborough Fair/Canticle,” and “The Boxer.” Garfunkel’s role extended beyond vocals; he was instrumental in vocal arrangements and contributing to the conceptual aspects of their albums, including “Voices of Old People” on “Bookends.” The duo’s success brought them eight Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

After the duo’s split in 1970, Garfunkel embarked on a solo career and acting roles. He appeared in Mike Nichols’ films “Catch-22” (1970) and “Carnal Knowledge” (1971), earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the latter. His solo music career began with “Angel Clare” (1973), which included the hit single “All I Know.” Subsequent albums like “Breakaway” (1975) and “Watermark” (1977) yielded further successes, including the UK number one single “I Only Have Eyes for You” and the Adult Contemporary chart-topper “(What a) Wonderful World,” featuring Paul Simon and James Taylor. Throughout his career, Garfunkel has maintained a strong connection to literature, notably publishing a collection of prose poetry, “Still Water” (1989), and a memoir, “What Is It All but Luminous: Notes from an Underground Man” (2017). His recent work includes the 2024 album “Father and Son” with his son, Art Garfunkel Jr., featuring cover songs and a new rendition of “Old Friends.”