Simon & Garfunkel Reunited: A Look at Their Rocky Relationship and Recent Reunion
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel have had a tumultuous relationship over the years
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon formed one of the most iconic folk music duos of all time, Simon & Garfunkel. Known for hit songs like “Mrs. Robinson,” “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and dozens of others, the Grammy Award-winning music duo, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, have certainly left their musical mark on the world. However, as is the case with so many of our most beloved musical duos and groups, tensions grew and ultimately, Simon & Garfunkel went their separate ways.
Art Garfunkel on their recent reunion
Despite how their relationship deteriorated over the years and the public jabs taken at one another, Art Garfunkel recently revealed during an appearance on Live With Kelly and Mark that the musical duo had met up for the first time in many years not too long ago—a tidbit that left many fans hopeful.
“This is the question they always ask me about that,” Garfunkel said after Ripa asked if he and Simon would ever reconnect. “I can’t speak for him. It’s really his life. I know we met up recently for the first time in years. We had a period of estrangement for some years until—he has a son that moved into the place that I live in and I knew I was going to run into Harper [Simon] and Harper set up a dinner and Paul and I hung out, first time in years. And it was very touching.”
What happened between Simon & Garfunkel?
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met as children growing up in Queens in New York City. They first crossed paths in elementary school and bonded over a shared love of music. By their early teens, they began performing together under the name “Tom & Jerry,” experimenting with harmonies and songwriting that would later become their trademark. This early connection laid the foundation for them to become one of the most iconic duos in folk-rock history.
While many things contributed to the breaking point that led to Simon & Garfunkel going their separate ways, the particular situation that stands out as the catalyst was when Garfunkel took on a role in the film Catch-22 (1970). As Simon recalled it in the 2023 film In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Art believed that while he was away for several months doing his film, Paul would have written several songs on his own and when Art returned, the duo could record them for an album—an arrangement Simon wasn’t a fan of.
While they called it quits in 1970, over the years, Simon & Garfunkel reunited countless times for various performances and even a reunion tour, despite their differences. While their relationships seemed to go back and forth between tense and friendly, it’s safe to say that these days, things seem to be looking up for the two of them. In a recent interview with The Times of London with Art Garfunkel and his son Art Jr., the elder Garfunkel got candid about his recent meeting with his old music partner, sharing that he was brought to tears “when he told me how much I had hurt him.”
As for another reunion, Garfunkel Jr. was hopeful. “I do think there is a possibility of them getting together musically. I’m speaking hypothetically here, but maybe a big TV/charity event. And with a bit of encouragement from their peers in the music industry, that could lead to some new material. A new generation discovering the beautiful music they make together.”
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