Simon & Garfunkel: From Childhood Friends to Bittersweet Legends
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel first met as schoolboys in Queens in 1953. By their teens they were already singing together under the name Tom & Jerry, scoring a minor hit with “Hey Schoolgirl.” Over the next decade the two would split and reunite multiple times before finding massive success under their real names with Columbia Records.
Their breakout came when “The Sound of Silence” unexpectedly climbed to No. 1 in 1966, launching a string of classics like “Mrs. Robinson” and their landmark album Bridge Over Troubled Water. Yet fame magnified tensions. Garfunkel’s growing interest in acting—he kept roles in Mike Nichols’ films after Simon’s part was cut—helped fracture their partnership during the making of Bridge Over Troubled Water. Released in 1970, the record became a runaway bestseller and Grammy sweeper even as the duo dissolved.
Both men led turbulent personal lives. Simon’s marriages (including a long on‑off relationship with Carrie Fisher) and battles with depression shaped his later solo work, culminating in the groundbreaking but controversial Graceland album in 1986. Garfunkel endured failed relationships and the tragic suicide of partner Laurie Bird in 1979, but eventually found stability with wife Kim Cermak.
They reunited sporadically for concerts—1980, 1983, 2003—but clashes, health setbacks (including Garfunkel’s vocal‑cord paralysis in 2010), and lingering resentments derailed lasting collaboration. Simon officially retired from touring in 2018 and has stated bluntly that performing with Garfunkel is “not fun” and will not happen again. Garfunkel, however, has continued to tour and has publicly urged his old friend to call.
Despite the estrangement, their legacy endures. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and again separately in 2001 (Simon solo), Simon & Garfunkel remain symbols of exquisite harmonies and complex friendship—a duo whose music defined an era even as their bond frayed. Whether they ever reunite is uncertain, but their songs, from “The Sound of Silence” to “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” still bridge generations.
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