Art Garfunkel
Encyclopedia
Arthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American
singer-songwriter
, poet
, and actor
, best known as being a member of the folk
duo Simon & Garfunkel. In 1970, at the height of their popularity, the duo split.
Garfunkel also has had a brief career as an actor, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Sandy Kaufman in Carnal Knowledge
.
Highlights of his solo career include one top ten hit, three top 20 hits, six top 40 hits, 14 Adult Contemporary top 30 singles, five Adult Contemporary number ones, two UK number ones and a People's Choice Award
.
Through his solo and collaborative work, Garfunkel has earned six Grammys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
, New York City
, the son of housewife Rose and traveling salesman Jacob "Jack" Garfunkel on November 5, 1941. Art has two siblings; the older one named Jules and the younger one named Jerome. who was an actor in his earlier years in Dayton, Ohio
, before becoming a travelling menswear salesman. He is Jewish. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Iași
in Romania
. His cousin is con-artist and founder of 'N Sync
and the Backstreet Boys
, Lou Pearlman
, on his mother's side. Garfunkel attended the Forest Hills High School
. According to the Across America
DVD, Garfunkel's love for singing "Came in the first grade. when we were lined up in size order, and after everyone else had left, I'd stay behind and enjoy the echo sound of the stairwell tiles and sing "Unchained Melody
" and "You'll Never Walk Alone
", learning to love this goose-bumps song from the tender age of five." Later, Garfunkel's father bought him a wire recorder
and from then on, Garfunkel spent his afternoons singing, recording and playing it back, so he could listen for flaws and learn how to improve.
At his bar mitzvah in 1954, Garfunkel performed as a cantor
performing over four hours of his repertoire to his family. As a young teen, Garfunkel was struck with a lung infection leading to a love for basketball. He explained his love for the sport in a 1998 Interview: "In the summer of ’55, I had a lung infection. I couldn’t run around, but I love basketball and there was a hoop nearby. Much of the summer I spent methodically hitting 96, 98 foul shots out of 100. Then 102! I never played on a team after Junior High School. Just 3 against 3, half court pick up games in the schoolyard." He met his future singing partner, Paul Simon
, in the sixth grade – PS 164, Queens, when they were both cast in the elementary school graduation play, Alice In Wonderland. It has been said by Garfunkel that Simon first became interested in singing after hearing Garfunkel sing a rendition of Nat King Cole
's "Too Young
" in a school talent show.
Between 1956 and 1962, the two had performed together as "Tom & Jerry", occasionally performing at school dances. Their idols were The Everly Brothers
, whom they imitated in their use of close two-part vocal harmony
. In 1957, Simon and Garfunkel recorded the song "Hey, Schoolgirl" under the name Tom & Jerry, given to them by their label Big Records. The single reached number forty-nine on the pop charts. Garfunkel ("Tom Graph") chose his nickname because he liked to track, or "graph" hits, on the pop charts. He also released some singles as a solo artist under the name Artie Garr, a shortened version of his name. In interviews, Garfunkel has noted himself how these early singles distinguished him as a folk-styled crooner, with songs like "Beat Love" and "Dream Alone" (both released 1959).
After graduating from Forest Hills High School
, Garfunkel studied at Columbia College at Columbia University
in Manhattan
in the early 1960s, where he was a brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi
fraternity
. Garfunkel was a team member in sports like Tennis, Skiing, Fencing and Bowling teams at the College. In 1962, Garfunkel earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree
majoring in art history
, followed by a master's degree
in mathematics
, while Simon attended Queens College. Garfunkel also completed coursework toward a doctorate in Mathematics Education
at Teachers College, Columbia University
during the peak of Simon and Garfunkel's commercial success.
In 1963, he and Simon reformed their duo under their own names as "Simon and Garfunkel" and released their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
on Columbia Records
in October 1964. It was not a critical success, and the duo subsequently split again. The next year, producer Tom Wilson lifted the song "The Sounds of Silence" from the record, dubbed an electric backing onto it, and released it as a single that went to #1 on the Billboard pop charts.
Simon had gone to England in 1965 after the initial failure of Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
, pursuing a solo career. But he returned to the US to reunite with Garfunkel after "The Sounds of Silence" had started to enjoy commercial success, and went on to become one of the most popular acts of the 1960s. Together they recorded four more influential albums, Sounds of Silence
; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
; Bookends
; and the hugely successful Bridge over Troubled Water
. Simon and Garfunkel also contributed extensively to the soundtrack of the 1967 Mike Nichols
film The Graduate
(starring Dustin Hoffman
and Anne Bancroft
). While writing "Mrs. Robinson
", Simon originally toyed with the title "Mrs. Roosevelt." When Garfunkel reported this indecision over the song's name to the director, Nichols replied, "Don't be ridiculous! We're making a movie here! It's Mrs. Robinson!" Simon and Garfunkel returned to England in the Fall of 1968 and did a concert appearance at Kraft Hall which was broadcast on the BBC, and also featured Art's solo performance of "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
", which received a standing ovation.
While Garfunkel was not a song-writer per se, he did write the poem "Canticle" as a re-write of Simon's "Side of A Hill" from his debut album, for "Scarborough Fair/Canticle". He also worked as the vocal arranger for the duo, working out who the songs would be sung by and how each song was produced. He is also credited as having written the instrumental on "The Boxer
", and creating the Audio montage, "Voices Of The Old People" on "Bookends
". Citing personal differences and divergence in career interests, they split following the release of their most critically acclaimed album, Bridge over Troubled Water
, in 1970.
Both Simon and Garfunkel pursued solo projects after the duo released their popular album Bridge over Troubled Water. Occasionally, they did reunite, such as in 1975 for their Top Ten single "My Little Town
", which Simon originally wrote for Garfunkel, claiming Garfunkel's solo output was lacking "bite." The song was included on their respective solo albums; Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years
, and Garfunkel's Breakaway
. Contrary to popular belief, the song is not at all autobiographical of Simon's early life in New York City, but of Garfunkel's childhood in Queens. In 1981, they got together again for the famous concert in Central Park
, followed by a world tour and an aborted reunion album Think Too Much, which was eventually released (without Garfunkel) as Hearts and Bones
.
Together, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1990.
In 2003, the two reunited again when they received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
. This reunion led to a US tour—the acclaimed "Old Friends" concert series—followed by a 2004 international encore, which culminated in a free concert at the Colosseum
in Rome. That final concert drew 600,000 people.
album, Garfunkel felt ready to return to his musical career. His first album was 1973's Angel Clare
, which contained "All I Know
" (B-Side: "Mary Was An Only Child) (no.9 in the United States, US AC no.1), along with "I Shall Sing" (B-Side: "Feuilles-Oh/Do Space Men Pass Dead Souls on Their Way to the Moon?") (US no.38, US AC no.4) and "Travelling Boy" (B-Side: "Old Man")(US no.102, US AC no.30) as singles. The album was received with mixed reviews, reaching no.5 in the U.S.
In 1974, Garfunkel released the hit record, "Second Avenue" (B-Side: "Woyaya") (US no.34, US AC no.6).
On his next album, 1975 Breakaway
, Garfunkel briefly reunited with Paul Simon for the 1975 hit "My Little Town
" (B-Side: "Rag Doll") (US no.9, US AC no.1). The album also included the singles "Breakaway" (B-Side: "Disney Girls
") (US no.39, US AC no.1) and "I Only Have Eyes For You
" (a 1934 song written by Harry Warren
) (B-Side: "Looking For The Right One") (US no.18, US AC no.1, UK no.1), which is noted as being Garfunkel's first UK Number One.
's Careless
album, James Taylor
's In The Pocket album and J.D. Souther's Black Rose album. Also, beginning in December 1976, right through until September 1977, Garfunkel worked on his next album.
Garfunkel's next release was the 1978 album, Watermark
(US #19, UK #26), which upon initial release, failed to make an impression on the public. Its main single, "Crying In My Sleep" ("Mr. Shuck 'N' Jive") (UK #25) failed to reach the US Top 40, but after a two-month hiatus where it was taken off the market, it was re-released in January 1978, with Garfunkel's cover of Sam Cooke
's "(What a) Wonderful World" (B-Side: "Wooden Planes"), which reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #17 pop, as the new single. Paul Simon and mutual friend James Taylor
had contributed backing vocals to the song, making the song a huge hit on the US A.C. charts.
Garfunkel's last release of the seventies was the 1979 album, Fate For Breakfast
(US #67, UK #2), was his first US flop album. the album first single, "In A Little While (I'll Be On My Way)" (B-Side: "And I Know") (US AC #12) failed to break the top forty, as did his second single, "Since I Don't Have You
" (B-Side: "When Someone Doesn't Want You") (US #53, US AC #5, UK #38). But in the UK the album was a huge success, scoring a number one hit with "Bright Eyes
" (B-Side: "Sail on a Rainbow") (US AC #29, UK #1) (a song written by Mike Batt
). A version of "Bright Eyes" also appeared in the movie (based on the famous novel) Watership Down
. However, tragedy struck at this time when his longtime girlfriend, Laurie Bird
, committed suicide in June 1979, at their Manhattan apartment, just three months after the album's release in March. Garfunkel later admitted that the incident left him in a deep depression for most of the 80s, hence the lack of musical output during the majority of the decade.
(US #113, UK #51) (dedicated to Laurie Bird
), contained three singles, "A Heart in New York" (B-Side: "Is This Love") (US #66, US AC #10), "Scissors Cut" and "Hang On In", with the latter two failing to chart.
Following disappointing sales of Scissors Cut, Garfunkel reunited with Simon for The Concert in Central Park
and a world tour. They had disagreements during the tour. In 1984 Stereo Review Magazine reported that Simon mixed out Garfunkel's voice from a new album, initially slated to be a Simon and Garfunkel studio reunion, but ultimately released as a Simon solo album (Hearts and Bones
). In 1986, Garfunkel played the part of the butcher on the Mike Batt
concept album
The Hunting Of The Snark
. Garfunkel again left the music scene during which time his father died, leading further into depression. But in the fall of 1985 he met his future wife, Kathryn (Kim) Cermack. Garfunkel's retirement lasted a full seven years, until his 1988 album, Lefty
(US, #134), which produced three singles, "So Much in Love
" (US #76 AC #11), "When A Man Loves A Woman," and "This Is The Moment."
Garfunkel released his first compilation album in 1984, The Art Garfunkel Album
(UK #12), never released in the US, which contained the minor hit "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" (UK #77, US AC #25). This was followed by 1988 Garfunkel and 1993 Up 'til Now
, neither of which received significant critical or commercial success.
(UK #35), recorded at the registry hall on Ellis Island
features musical guests James Taylor
, Garfunkel's wife, Kim, and his son James.
Garfunkel performed the theme song for the 1991 television series, Brooklyn Bridge
, and "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" for a 1998 episode of the children's educational television series Arthur
, where he was depicted as a singing/narrator moose. Garfunkel's performance of Monty Python
member Eric Idle
's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
" was used in the end credits of the 1997 film As Good as It Gets
.
In 2003, Garfunkel made his debut as a songwriter on his Everything Waits to Be Noticed
album. Teaming up with singer-songwriters Maia Sharp
and Buddy Mondlock, the album contained several songs which were originally poems written by Garfunkel. The album is recognized as his first effort at songwriting since his teenage years with Tom & Jerry.
In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel reunited again for a successful world tour that extended into 2004. In 2005, his song "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" from The Art Garfunkel Album (1984) (written by Mike Batt
) was re-recorded by ex-ABBA
singer Agnetha Fältskog
on her album My Colouring Book
.
In 2006, Garfunkel signed with Rhino Records (revived Atco Records
), and his first Rhino/Atco album Some Enchanted Evening was released in America on January 30, 2007. The album was a dedicated celebration of pop standards of Garfunkel's childhood. In late February 2007 during a German television interview to promote the new album, he expressed interest in reuniting with Paul Simon on a new Simon and Garfunkel album.
episode entitled "Prime Minister."
He continued to tour in 2009 with four musicians and his son.
On February 13, 2009, Simon and his band re-opened New York's legendary Beacon Theatre, which had been closed for seven months for a renovation. As an encore, Simon brought out "my old friend," Art Garfunkel. They sang 3 songs: "Sound of Silence", "The Boxer", and "Old Friends".
On April 2, 2009, the duo announced a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Japan for June/July 2009. On October 29–30, they participated together in the 25th anniversary of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden
. Other artists on the bill included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band; U2
; Metallica
; Aretha Franklin
; Stevie Wonder
, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
In March 2010, Simon & Garfunkel announced a 13-date spring tour, to kick off in April with a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
. Most performances were scheduled for Canada, with four shows in the upper Midwest of the US. According to a press release, the set list would focus on their classic catalog, as well as songs from each of their solo careers. On June 17, 2010, Simon & Garfunkel canceled the tour, earlier rescheduled for July 2010, now postponed indefinitely as Garfunkel continues to recover from a vocal cord paresis
.
In November 2010, Garfunkel said that, having quit smoking two and a half months before, he was recovering from paresis
, and would be touring in 2011.
who can lower his voice to a G2 on the keyboard (baritone
range) and, as heard on the first chorus of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" as high as Ab4, and up to an Eb5 on his 1973 rendition of "Old Man" (though this is falsetto
).
Garfunkel has suggested his next album will have songs that are more vocal based.
films: Catch-22
(1970), in which he played the 19-year old naive Lieutenant Nately, and Carnal Knowledge
(1971), in which he played the idealistic Sandy. His role as Sandy fetched him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1972.
He later appeared in Nicolas Roeg
's Bad Timing
(1980) as Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist
who serves as the film's main antagonist
. The film received the Toronto Film Festival's highest honour, the People's Choice Award, in 1980 and the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director.
He appeared in Good to Go
(1986) directed by Blain Novak, starring as a Washington, D.C. journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder. Garfunkel then appeared in the medical crime drama Boxing Helena
(1993), directed by Jennifer Lynch
, as Dr. Lawrence Augustine.
Garfunkel's most recent film is The Rebound
(2010), directed by Bart Freundlich
, playing Harry Finklestein, the slightly senile and comedic relieving father of the film's main character, played by Justin Bartha
.
Garfunkel has said he turned down numerous film offers in the 1970s. He reportedly turned down the role of Billy Pilgrim in the adaption of Kurt Vonnegut
's Slaughterhouse-Five
and the role of Tom Hagen
in The Godfather
in the same year (1972). According to the response of this matter recently issued on his official website, Garfunkel has not ever turned down the role of Tom Hagen in The Godfather .
Garfunkel's poetic career began in 1981, while on the Simon & Garfunkel 1981-1982 tour in Switzerland, he was riding a motorcycle and began writing a poem describing the countryside. In 1989, Still Water, Garfunkel's collection of prose poetry was released to wide acclaim. Topics included his depression over the loss of his father; Laurie Bird, his companion who committed suicide; the friendship of Paul Simon; and the joy of returning to music.
He reportedly has plans to release a second book in the near future.
He was also romantically involved with actress and photographer Laurie Bird
from March 1974 (when he was 32 and she was 20) until her suicide in 1979. According to a 1986 interview, Art said about his relationship with Laurie Bird "I asked myself constantly why I didn't marry her, because surely she was the apple of my eye. She was everything I was looking for in a woman. But I was very hurt by my first marriage, so as far as marriage to Laurie was concerned, I was extra scared. I was heartbroken. It laid me low. I used to get very sad when the sun went down. The nights were very lonely for me."
Garfunkel had a brief affair with actress Penny Marshall
in the mid 1980s and credits her with helping him through his depression. Their friendship stayed strong even after the relationship's end. Garfunkel would later say of Marshall, "Everything changed. Penny is a sweet human being who can bring anybody down to earth. We had a lot of laughs, great sex and a ton of party nights".
In fall of 1985, Garfunkel met former model Kathryn (Kim) Cermack while shooting Good To Go
. They married on 18 September 1988. The two have been married for over twenty years.
The two have two children, James, born 15 December 1990, and Beau Daniel, born 5 October 2005 via a surrogate mother.
Garfunkel is an avid reader and bibliophile; his website contains a year-by-year listing of every book he has read since 1968. Currently the list contains more than 1,000 books. He has also read the entire Random House Dictionary.
Garfunkel is a huge fan of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, having twice read his book Confessions
(according to his library, the book was the first and thousandth book he'd read).
Garfunkel has undertaken several cross-continental walks in his lifetime, writing poetry along the way. In the early 1980s, he walked across Japan
in a matter of weeks. From 1983 to 1997, Garfunkel walked across America, taking 40 excursions to complete the route from New York City to the Pacific coast of Washington. In May 1998, Garfunkel began an incremented walk across Europe
.
His all-time favorite pop song is The Beatles
's "Here, There and Everywhere
" and his all-time favorite album is Rumours
by Fleetwood Mac
. When asked about his musical preferences, he answered, "I have a very sure-footed sense of what I like, and exactly how much I like it. Give me two listenings of a song, and I can tell you exactly how it sits with me, and...I know my musical taste. I know my ears, I know what I respond to."
Garfunkel has been arrested twice for the possession of cannabis
: once in early 2004 and again in August 2005.
Garfunkel is the brother of Jerome Garfunkel, the former member of the American (ANSI) and International (ISO) Committees who wrote the specification for the COBOL
programming language. His older brother Jules B. Garfunkel was a United States Navy Veteran and financial analyst who died on September 17, 2006 in Sofia
, Bulgaria
.
Garfunkel is 6'0 (1.83 m), which is a large contrast to Paul Simon's 5'3 (1.60 m).
Garfunkel is very religious, but said he has become more spiritual in his later years, often drawing from religious values for his poetry.
Art Garfunkel is left-handed and is a multi-instrumentalist
: he plays guitar, piano, and violin.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known as being a member of the folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
duo Simon & Garfunkel. In 1970, at the height of their popularity, the duo split.
Garfunkel also has had a brief career as an actor, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Sandy Kaufman in Carnal Knowledge
Carnal Knowledge (film)
Carnal Knowledge is a 1971 American drama film. The film was directed by Mike Nichols and written by Jules Feiffer.-Plot:Sandy and Jonathan are roommates at Amherst College whose lives are explored and seem to offer a contrast to one another...
.
Highlights of his solo career include one top ten hit, three top 20 hits, six top 40 hits, 14 Adult Contemporary top 30 singles, five Adult Contemporary number ones, two UK number ones and a People's Choice Award
People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...
.
Through his solo and collaborative work, Garfunkel has earned six Grammys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
Early life and career
Art Garfunkel was born in Forest Hills, QueensForest Hills, Queens
Forest Hills is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States.-Neighborhood:The neighborhood is home to upper-middle class residents, of whom the wealthier residents often live in the neighborhood's Forest Hills Gardens area...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the son of housewife Rose and traveling salesman Jacob "Jack" Garfunkel on November 5, 1941. Art has two siblings; the older one named Jules and the younger one named Jerome. who was an actor in his earlier years in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, before becoming a travelling menswear salesman. He is Jewish. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Iași
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. His cousin is con-artist and founder of 'N Sync
'N Sync
N Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
and the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman
Louis Jay "Lou" Pearlman is a former impresario of the successful 1990s boy bands such as The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Take 5, O-Town and US5. In 2006, it was discovered that Pearlman had perpetrated one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in American history, leaving more than $300...
, on his mother's side. Garfunkel attended the Forest Hills High School
Forest Hills High School
Forest Hills High School , dedicated in 1937, is a public secondary school in Queens, New York City. It educates students in grades 9–12 and is operated by the New York City Department of Education.- Location :...
. According to the Across America
Across America (album)
Across America is a live album by American singer Art Garfunkel.It is the only official live recording he has released. The album was recorded over three evenings between 17 and 19 September 1996 on Ellis Island, New York....
DVD, Garfunkel's love for singing "Came in the first grade. when we were lined up in size order, and after everyone else had left, I'd stay behind and enjoy the echo sound of the stairwell tiles and sing "Unchained Melody
Unchained Melody
"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It has become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages....
" and "You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone (song)
"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.In the musical, in the second act, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the female protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the...
", learning to love this goose-bumps song from the tender age of five." Later, Garfunkel's father bought him a wire recorder
Wire recording
Wire recording is a type of analog audio storage in which a magnetic recording is made on thin steel or stainless steel wire.The wire is pulled rapidly across a recording head which magnetizes each point along the wire in accordance with the intensity and polarity of the electrical audio signal...
and from then on, Garfunkel spent his afternoons singing, recording and playing it back, so he could listen for flaws and learn how to improve.
At his bar mitzvah in 1954, Garfunkel performed as a cantor
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
performing over four hours of his repertoire to his family. As a young teen, Garfunkel was struck with a lung infection leading to a love for basketball. He explained his love for the sport in a 1998 Interview: "In the summer of ’55, I had a lung infection. I couldn’t run around, but I love basketball and there was a hoop nearby. Much of the summer I spent methodically hitting 96, 98 foul shots out of 100. Then 102! I never played on a team after Junior High School. Just 3 against 3, half court pick up games in the schoolyard." He met his future singing partner, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, in the sixth grade – PS 164, Queens, when they were both cast in the elementary school graduation play, Alice In Wonderland. It has been said by Garfunkel that Simon first became interested in singing after hearing Garfunkel sing a rendition of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
's "Too Young
Too Young
"Too Young" is a popular song.The music was written by Sidney Lippman, the lyrics by Sylvia Dee. The song was published in 1951.In the United States, the best-known version of the song was recorded by Nat King Cole on February 6, 1951 and released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1449...
" in a school talent show.
Between 1956 and 1962, the two had performed together as "Tom & Jerry", occasionally performing at school dances. Their idols were The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
, whom they imitated in their use of close two-part vocal harmony
Vocal harmony
Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are sung at the same time as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical choral music and opera and in the popular styles from...
. In 1957, Simon and Garfunkel recorded the song "Hey, Schoolgirl" under the name Tom & Jerry, given to them by their label Big Records. The single reached number forty-nine on the pop charts. Garfunkel ("Tom Graph") chose his nickname because he liked to track, or "graph" hits, on the pop charts. He also released some singles as a solo artist under the name Artie Garr, a shortened version of his name. In interviews, Garfunkel has noted himself how these early singles distinguished him as a folk-styled crooner, with songs like "Beat Love" and "Dream Alone" (both released 1959).
After graduating from Forest Hills High School
Forest Hills High School
Forest Hills High School , dedicated in 1937, is a public secondary school in Queens, New York City. It educates students in grades 9–12 and is operated by the New York City Department of Education.- Location :...
, Garfunkel studied at Columbia College at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in the early 1960s, where he was a brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
. Garfunkel was a team member in sports like Tennis, Skiing, Fencing and Bowling teams at the College. In 1962, Garfunkel earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
majoring in art history
History of art
The History of art refers to visual art which may be defined as any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview...
, followed by a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, while Simon attended Queens College. Garfunkel also completed coursework toward a doctorate in Mathematics Education
Mathematics education
In contemporary education, mathematics education is the practice of teaching and learning mathematics, along with the associated scholarly research....
at Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
during the peak of Simon and Garfunkel's commercial success.
Simon & Garfunkel
Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. is the debut album by folk duo Simon & Garfunkel, released October 19, 1964. It was produced by Tom Wilson and engineered by Roy Halee. On its cover sleeve the album bears the subtitle: "Exciting new sounds in the folk tradition".The album was initially unsuccessful,...
on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in October 1964. It was not a critical success, and the duo subsequently split again. The next year, producer Tom Wilson lifted the song "The Sounds of Silence" from the record, dubbed an electric backing onto it, and released it as a single that went to #1 on the Billboard pop charts.
Simon had gone to England in 1965 after the initial failure of Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. is the debut album by folk duo Simon & Garfunkel, released October 19, 1964. It was produced by Tom Wilson and engineered by Roy Halee. On its cover sleeve the album bears the subtitle: "Exciting new sounds in the folk tradition".The album was initially unsuccessful,...
, pursuing a solo career. But he returned to the US to reunite with Garfunkel after "The Sounds of Silence" had started to enjoy commercial success, and went on to become one of the most popular acts of the 1960s. Together they recorded four more influential albums, Sounds of Silence
Sounds of Silence (album)
Sounds of Silence is the second album by Simon and Garfunkel, released on January 17, 1966. The album's title is a slight modification of the title of the duo's first major hit, "The Sound of Silence", which originally was released as "The Sounds of Silence"...
; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is the third album by Simon & Garfunkel, released in the United States on October 10, 1966. Its name comes from the second line of the album's first track, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", an English folk song from the 16th century, paired with a counter-melody and...
; Bookends
Bookends
-Charts:-Personnel:*Paul Simon - Vocals, Guitar, Producer*Art Garfunkel - Vocals, Producer*Hal Blaine - Drums, Percussion*Joe Osborn - Bass*Larry Knechtel - Piano, Keyboards*John Simon - Production Assistant...
; and the hugely successful Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge Over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list...
. Simon and Garfunkel also contributed extensively to the soundtrack of the 1967 Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols is a German-born American television, stage and film director, writer, producer and comedian. He began his career in the 1950s as one half of the comedy duo Nichols and May, along with Elaine May. In 1968 he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film The Graduate...
film The Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Mike Nichols. It is based on the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay was by Buck Henry, who makes a cameo appearance as a hotel clerk, and Calder...
(starring Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
and Anne Bancroft
Anne Bancroft
Anne Bancroft was an American actress associated with the Method acting school, which she had studied under Lee Strasberg....
). While writing "Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson
"Mrs. Robinson" is a song written by Paul Simon and first performed by Simon & Garfunkel. When released as a single in 1968, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, for their second chart-topping hit after "The Sound of Silence"...
", Simon originally toyed with the title "Mrs. Roosevelt." When Garfunkel reported this indecision over the song's name to the director, Nichols replied, "Don't be ridiculous! We're making a movie here! It's Mrs. Robinson!" Simon and Garfunkel returned to England in the Fall of 1968 and did a concert appearance at Kraft Hall which was broadcast on the BBC, and also featured Art's solo performance of "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" is a song written by Paul Simon. It is the tenth track on Simon & Garfunkel's 1966 album by Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, where it is sung by Art Garfunkel....
", which received a standing ovation.
While Garfunkel was not a song-writer per se, he did write the poem "Canticle" as a re-write of Simon's "Side of A Hill" from his debut album, for "Scarborough Fair/Canticle". He also worked as the vocal arranger for the duo, working out who the songs would be sung by and how each song was produced. He is also credited as having written the instrumental on "The Boxer
The Boxer
"The Boxer" is a folk rock ballad written by Paul Simon in 1968 and first recorded by Simon & Garfunkel. It was released as the follow-up single to their number one hit "Mrs. Robinson", and reached #7 in the US charts. It later appeared on their last studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, along...
", and creating the Audio montage, "Voices Of The Old People" on "Bookends
Bookends
-Charts:-Personnel:*Paul Simon - Vocals, Guitar, Producer*Art Garfunkel - Vocals, Producer*Hal Blaine - Drums, Percussion*Joe Osborn - Bass*Larry Knechtel - Piano, Keyboards*John Simon - Production Assistant...
". Citing personal differences and divergence in career interests, they split following the release of their most critically acclaimed album, Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge Over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list...
, in 1970.
Both Simon and Garfunkel pursued solo projects after the duo released their popular album Bridge over Troubled Water. Occasionally, they did reunite, such as in 1975 for their Top Ten single "My Little Town
My Little Town
"My Little Town" is a 1975 song by the American duo Simon & Garfunkel. It was written by Paul Simon, who produced the track along with Art Garfunkel and Phil Ramone...
", which Simon originally wrote for Garfunkel, claiming Garfunkel's solo output was lacking "bite." The song was included on their respective solo albums; Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years
Still Crazy After All These Years
Still Crazy After All These Years is the fourth studio album by Paul Simon.Recorded in 1975, the album produced four US Top 40 hits, "Gone at Last" , "My Little Town" , "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" and the title track . It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1976...
, and Garfunkel's Breakaway
Breakaway (Art Garfunkel album)
Breakaway is the second solo album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in 1975 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Richard Perry who has produced albums for other artists such as Carly Simon. It includes three Top 40 singles: "I Only Have Eyes For You" , "Break Away" and the Simon And...
. Contrary to popular belief, the song is not at all autobiographical of Simon's early life in New York City, but of Garfunkel's childhood in Queens. In 1981, they got together again for the famous concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park is a live album by Simon & Garfunkel. On September 19, 1981 the folk-rock duo reunited for a free concert on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park, attended by more than 500,000 people. They released a live album from the concert the following March...
, followed by a world tour and an aborted reunion album Think Too Much, which was eventually released (without Garfunkel) as Hearts and Bones
Hearts and Bones
Hearts and Bones is the sixth solo album by Paul Simon. It was released in 1983.The album was originally intended to be a Simon & Garfunkel reunion album called Think Too Much, following their Central Park reunion concert in 1981, and the world tour of 1982 - 1983. In fact, some of the songs...
.
Together, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1990.
In 2003, the two reunited again when they received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."...
. This reunion led to a US tour—the acclaimed "Old Friends" concert series—followed by a 2004 international encore, which culminated in a free concert at the Colosseum
Colosseum
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre , is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire...
in Rome. That final concert drew 600,000 people.
1970–1975: Hiatus and first album
During a three-year hiatus after Simon & Garfunkel's break-up, Garfunkel starred in two Mike Nichols films, one of which had him nominated for a Golden Globe. He also spent late 1971 to early 1972 working as a mathematics teacher at Litchfield Private School, in Connecticut (by request of his fiancée Linda Marie Grossman). However, in late 1972, with Simon & Garfunkel having released their Greatest HitsSimon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits is the first compilation album from Simon & Garfunkel, released on June 14, 1972 two years after the duo disbanded.-Overview:...
album, Garfunkel felt ready to return to his musical career. His first album was 1973's Angel Clare
Angel Clare
Angel Clare is the debut album by Art Garfunkel released in 1973. It is his highest charting solo album, peaking at number 5 and contains his only Top 10 hit in the US, "All I Know" which peaked at number 9. It also contained two other Top 40 hits, "Traveling Boy" and "I Shall Sing"...
, which contained "All I Know
All I Know
"All I Know" is 1973 pop ballad written by Jimmy Webb, and recorded by over 20 different artists. Art Garfunkel's original 1973 rendition for his solo debut album, Angel Clare, is the most well-known and the highest-charting version, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on...
" (B-Side: "Mary Was An Only Child) (no.9 in the United States, US AC no.1), along with "I Shall Sing" (B-Side: "Feuilles-Oh/Do Space Men Pass Dead Souls on Their Way to the Moon?") (US no.38, US AC no.4) and "Travelling Boy" (B-Side: "Old Man")(US no.102, US AC no.30) as singles. The album was received with mixed reviews, reaching no.5 in the U.S.
In 1974, Garfunkel released the hit record, "Second Avenue" (B-Side: "Woyaya") (US no.34, US AC no.6).
On his next album, 1975 Breakaway
Breakaway (Art Garfunkel album)
Breakaway is the second solo album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in 1975 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Richard Perry who has produced albums for other artists such as Carly Simon. It includes three Top 40 singles: "I Only Have Eyes For You" , "Break Away" and the Simon And...
, Garfunkel briefly reunited with Paul Simon for the 1975 hit "My Little Town
My Little Town
"My Little Town" is a 1975 song by the American duo Simon & Garfunkel. It was written by Paul Simon, who produced the track along with Art Garfunkel and Phil Ramone...
" (B-Side: "Rag Doll") (US no.9, US AC no.1). The album also included the singles "Breakaway" (B-Side: "Disney Girls
Disney Girls
"Disney Girls " is a song written by Bruce Johnston for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1971 album Surf's Up. The lead vocals are by Johnston, who also plays keyboards, moog bass, and mandolin....
") (US no.39, US AC no.1) and "I Only Have Eyes For You
I Only Have Eyes for You
"I Only Have Eyes for You" is a popular song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin, written in 1934 for the film Dames where it was introduced by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler....
" (a 1934 song written by Harry Warren
Harry Warren
Harry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
) (B-Side: "Looking For The Right One") (US no.18, US AC no.1, UK no.1), which is noted as being Garfunkel's first UK Number One.
1976–1979: Diversity and disaster
In 1976, Garfunkel recorded background and duet vocals for several artists including; Stephen BishopStephen Bishop (musician)
Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist.-History:Bishop was born in San Diego, California, and attended Will C. Crawford High School...
's Careless
Careless (album)
Careless is Micky & the Motorcars' third album. It was released in May of 2006. The last track features a member of the band doing an Elvis impersonation.-Track listing:#"Careless" - 3:45#"Carolina Morning" - 4:21#"Desperation" - 3:26...
album, James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
's In The Pocket album and J.D. Souther's Black Rose album. Also, beginning in December 1976, right through until September 1977, Garfunkel worked on his next album.
Garfunkel's next release was the 1978 album, Watermark
Watermark (Art Garfunkel album)
Watermark is the third solo album by Art Garfunkel, originally released in October 1977 on Columbia Records. When the first single, "Crying in My Sleep", failed to chart in the United States, the album was immediately withdrawn and a version of " Wonderful World" was added to the...
(US #19, UK #26), which upon initial release, failed to make an impression on the public. Its main single, "Crying In My Sleep" ("Mr. Shuck 'N' Jive") (UK #25) failed to reach the US Top 40, but after a two-month hiatus where it was taken off the market, it was re-released in January 1978, with Garfunkel's cover of Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
's "(What a) Wonderful World" (B-Side: "Wooden Planes"), which reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #17 pop, as the new single. Paul Simon and mutual friend James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
had contributed backing vocals to the song, making the song a huge hit on the US A.C. charts.
Garfunkel's last release of the seventies was the 1979 album, Fate For Breakfast
Fate for Breakfast
Fate for Breakfast is the fourth solo album by Art Garfunkel released in March 1979 on Columbia Records. It was his first album to miss the US Billboard Top 40 and his first album containing no US Top 40 singles...
(US #67, UK #2), was his first US flop album. the album first single, "In A Little While (I'll Be On My Way)" (B-Side: "And I Know") (US AC #12) failed to break the top forty, as did his second single, "Since I Don't Have You
Since I Don't Have You
"Since I Don't Have You" is a song by the doo-wop group The Skyliners. Released in 1958, the single reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also the top five of the R&B chart...
" (B-Side: "When Someone Doesn't Want You") (US #53, US AC #5, UK #38). But in the UK the album was a huge success, scoring a number one hit with "Bright Eyes
Bright Eyes (Art Garfunkel song)
"Bright Eyes" is a song written by Mike Batt, and performed by Art Garfunkel. It was used in the soundtrack of the 1978 film Watership Down and as such is considered the theme song of the film and the later television series adaptations. The track also appears on Garfunkel's fourth studio album,...
" (B-Side: "Sail on a Rainbow") (US AC #29, UK #1) (a song written by Mike Batt
Mike Batt
Michael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
). A version of "Bright Eyes" also appeared in the movie (based on the famous novel) Watership Down
Watership Down (film)
Watership Down is a 1978 English adventure drama animated film written, produced and directed by Martin Rosen and based on the book by Richard Adams. It was financed by a consortium of British financial institutions...
. However, tragedy struck at this time when his longtime girlfriend, Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird was an American actress and photographer.-Biography:Bird's mother died when she was three. Her father, an electrical engineer, was ex-United States Navy and worked long hours...
, committed suicide in June 1979, at their Manhattan apartment, just three months after the album's release in March. Garfunkel later admitted that the incident left him in a deep depression for most of the 80s, hence the lack of musical output during the majority of the decade.
1980–1995: Depression and disappearing
Garfunkel's next album was a low point in his career. The 1981 album, Scissors CutScissors Cut
Scissors Cut is the fifth solo album by Art Garfunkel released in August 1981 on Columbia Records. It was his second album to miss the US Billboard Top 40 and his second album containing no US Top 40 singles...
(US #113, UK #51) (dedicated to Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird was an American actress and photographer.-Biography:Bird's mother died when she was three. Her father, an electrical engineer, was ex-United States Navy and worked long hours...
), contained three singles, "A Heart in New York" (B-Side: "Is This Love") (US #66, US AC #10), "Scissors Cut" and "Hang On In", with the latter two failing to chart.
Following disappointing sales of Scissors Cut, Garfunkel reunited with Simon for The Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park is a live album by Simon & Garfunkel. On September 19, 1981 the folk-rock duo reunited for a free concert on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park, attended by more than 500,000 people. They released a live album from the concert the following March...
and a world tour. They had disagreements during the tour. In 1984 Stereo Review Magazine reported that Simon mixed out Garfunkel's voice from a new album, initially slated to be a Simon and Garfunkel studio reunion, but ultimately released as a Simon solo album (Hearts and Bones
Hearts and Bones
Hearts and Bones is the sixth solo album by Paul Simon. It was released in 1983.The album was originally intended to be a Simon & Garfunkel reunion album called Think Too Much, following their Central Park reunion concert in 1981, and the world tour of 1982 - 1983. In fact, some of the songs...
). In 1986, Garfunkel played the part of the butcher on the Mike Batt
Mike Batt
Michael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
The Hunting Of The Snark
The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark is usually thought of as a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll in 1874, when he was 42 years old...
. Garfunkel again left the music scene during which time his father died, leading further into depression. But in the fall of 1985 he met his future wife, Kathryn (Kim) Cermack. Garfunkel's retirement lasted a full seven years, until his 1988 album, Lefty
Lefty (album)
Lefty is the seventh solo album by Art Garfunkel, released in 1988.The album's cover photo shows a pre-teen Art Garfunkel holding a baseball bat in the front yard of his childhood home in the Forest Hills section of Queens, New York City. The picture was taken by his brother Jules...
(US, #134), which produced three singles, "So Much in Love
So Much in Love
"So Much in Love" is a popular song sung by The Tymes that was a #1 song in the United States during the year 1963. It was The Tymes first hit single, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on August 3, 1963, and remaining there for one week...
" (US #76 AC #11), "When A Man Loves A Woman," and "This Is The Moment."
Garfunkel released his first compilation album in 1984, The Art Garfunkel Album
The Art Garfunkel Album
The Art Garfunkel Album is a compilation album by Art Garfunkel released in 1984. It showed the first eleven years of his career by compiling all of his greatest hits...
(UK #12), never released in the US, which contained the minor hit "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" (UK #77, US AC #25). This was followed by 1988 Garfunkel and 1993 Up 'til Now
Up 'til Now
Up 'til Now is a compilation album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in 1993 on Columbia Records.As well as his greatest hits, the track "The break-Up" is a mock-up news flash of Art Garfunkel giving a serious Philosophical reason for the duo's break-up, with Simon continuously interrupting him, in...
, neither of which received significant critical or commercial success.
1996–2006: Resurgence
His live 1996 concert Across AmericaAcross America (album)
Across America is a live album by American singer Art Garfunkel.It is the only official live recording he has released. The album was recorded over three evenings between 17 and 19 September 1996 on Ellis Island, New York....
(UK #35), recorded at the registry hall on Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
features musical guests James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Garfunkel's wife, Kim, and his son James.
Garfunkel performed the theme song for the 1991 television series, Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge (TV series)
Brooklyn Bridge is an American television program which aired on CBS between 1991 and 1993. It is about a Jewish American family living in Brooklyn in the middle 1950s...
, and "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" for a 1998 episode of the children's educational television series Arthur
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
, where he was depicted as a singing/narrator moose. Garfunkel's performance of Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
member Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" is a popular song written by Eric Idle that was originally featured in the 1979 film Monty Python's Life of Brian and has gone on to become a common singalong at public events such as football matches as well as funerals.-History:Whilst trying to come up...
" was used in the end credits of the 1997 film As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks and produced by Laura Ziskin. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, obsessive-compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with an asthmatic son, and Greg Kinnear as a gay artist. The screenplay was...
.
In 2003, Garfunkel made his debut as a songwriter on his Everything Waits to Be Noticed
Everything Waits to Be Noticed
Everything Waits to be Noticed is the ninth solo album by Art Garfunkel, with collaboration from singer-songwriters Maia Sharp and Buddy Mondlock...
album. Teaming up with singer-songwriters Maia Sharp
Maia Sharp
Maia Sharp is an American singer and songwriter. In addition to her solo career, she has written songs for and collaborated with several country and pop musicians including Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain, and Art Garfunkel.-Early life:...
and Buddy Mondlock, the album contained several songs which were originally poems written by Garfunkel. The album is recognized as his first effort at songwriting since his teenage years with Tom & Jerry.
In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel reunited again for a successful world tour that extended into 2004. In 2005, his song "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" from The Art Garfunkel Album (1984) (written by Mike Batt
Mike Batt
Michael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
) was re-recorded by ex-ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
singer Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
on her album My Colouring Book
My Colouring Book
My Colouring Book is the name of a 2004 album by Swedish singer Agnetha Fältskog. It was her first album release for 17 years and was well received by ABBA fans, as well as the general music press, with renditions of songs which she had listened to during her teenage years in the 1960s.Hit singles...
.
In 2006, Garfunkel signed with Rhino Records (revived Atco Records
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
), and his first Rhino/Atco album Some Enchanted Evening was released in America on January 30, 2007. The album was a dedicated celebration of pop standards of Garfunkel's childhood. In late February 2007 during a German television interview to promote the new album, he expressed interest in reuniting with Paul Simon on a new Simon and Garfunkel album.
2006–2011: Recent events
In 2009, Garfunkel appeared as himself on the HBO television show Flight of the ConchordsFlight of the Conchords (TV series)
Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
episode entitled "Prime Minister."
He continued to tour in 2009 with four musicians and his son.
On February 13, 2009, Simon and his band re-opened New York's legendary Beacon Theatre, which had been closed for seven months for a renovation. As an encore, Simon brought out "my old friend," Art Garfunkel. They sang 3 songs: "Sound of Silence", "The Boxer", and "Old Friends".
On April 2, 2009, the duo announced a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Japan for June/July 2009. On October 29–30, they participated together in the 25th anniversary of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Other artists on the bill included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band; U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
; Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
; Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
; Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
In March 2010, Simon & Garfunkel announced a 13-date spring tour, to kick off in April with a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, often known as Jazz Fest, is an annual celebration of the music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana...
. Most performances were scheduled for Canada, with four shows in the upper Midwest of the US. According to a press release, the set list would focus on their classic catalog, as well as songs from each of their solo careers. On June 17, 2010, Simon & Garfunkel canceled the tour, earlier rescheduled for July 2010, now postponed indefinitely as Garfunkel continues to recover from a vocal cord paresis
Vocal cord paresis
Vocal cord paresis is weakness of one or both vocal folds. Symptoms of paresis include hoarseness; vocal fatigue; mild to severe reduction in vocal volume; pain in the throat when speaking; shortness of breath; aspiration with frequent resultant coughing, and in extreme cases may cause death...
.
In November 2010, Garfunkel said that, having quit smoking two and a half months before, he was recovering from paresis
Paresis
Paresis is a condition typified by partial loss of voluntary movement or by impaired movement. When used without qualifiers, it usually refers to the limbs, but it also can be used to describe the muscles of the eyes , the stomach , and also the vocal cords...
, and would be touring in 2011.
Voice classification
Garfunkel's voice has been noted as changing over the past four decades, but virtually unnoticeably until his late fifties, when his voice began to lower after years of smoking. Garfunkel has been noted as being a natural voiced tenorTenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
who can lower his voice to a G2 on the keyboard (baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
range) and, as heard on the first chorus of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" as high as Ab4, and up to an Eb5 on his 1973 rendition of "Old Man" (though this is falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
).
Garfunkel has suggested his next album will have songs that are more vocal based.
Acting career
Garfunkel pursued an acting career in the early 1970s, appearing in two Mike NicholsMike Nichols
Mike Nichols is a German-born American television, stage and film director, writer, producer and comedian. He began his career in the 1950s as one half of the comedy duo Nichols and May, along with Elaine May. In 1968 he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film The Graduate...
films: Catch-22
Catch-22 (film)
Catch-22 is a 1970 satirical war film adapted from the book of the same name by Joseph Heller. Considered a black comedy revolving around the "lunatic characters" of Heller's satirical anti-war novel, it was the work of a talented production team which included director Mike Nichols and...
(1970), in which he played the 19-year old naive Lieutenant Nately, and Carnal Knowledge
Carnal Knowledge (film)
Carnal Knowledge is a 1971 American drama film. The film was directed by Mike Nichols and written by Jules Feiffer.-Plot:Sandy and Jonathan are roommates at Amherst College whose lives are explored and seem to offer a contrast to one another...
(1971), in which he played the idealistic Sandy. His role as Sandy fetched him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1972.
He later appeared in Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Jack Roeg, CBE, BSC is an English film director and cinematographer.-Life and career:Roeg was born in London, the son of Mabel Gertrude and Jack Nicolas Roeg...
's Bad Timing
Bad Timing
Bad Timing is a 1980 British film directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas.-Plot:In Vienna, a young American woman in her twenties is rushed to the emergency room after apparently overdosing. With her is Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist teaching in Vienna...
(1980) as Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
who serves as the film's main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
. The film received the Toronto Film Festival's highest honour, the People's Choice Award, in 1980 and the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director.
He appeared in Good to Go
Good to Go (film)
Good to Go is a 1986 film directed by Blaine Novak, starring Art Garfunkel as a Washington, D.C. journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder.-Soundtrack:...
(1986) directed by Blain Novak, starring as a Washington, D.C. journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder. Garfunkel then appeared in the medical crime drama Boxing Helena
Boxing Helena
Boxing Helena is a 1993 romantic drama film and the debut feature film by Jennifer Chambers Lynch, daughter of David Lynch. The film stars Julian Sands and Sherilyn Fenn as the eponymous Helena.-Plot:...
(1993), directed by Jennifer Lynch
Jennifer Lynch
Jennifer Chambers Lynch is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for writing the book The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer and for being Hollywood's youngest female writer and director with her 1993 feature film Boxing Helena. -Early life:Lynch was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,...
, as Dr. Lawrence Augustine.
Garfunkel's most recent film is The Rebound
The Rebound
The Rebound is a 2009 romantic comedy film directed by Bart Freundlich, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha. The film was released in theaters in several countries in late 2009...
(2010), directed by Bart Freundlich
Bart Freundlich
Bartholomew "Bart" Freundlich is an American film, television director, screenwriter and film producer.-Life and career:...
, playing Harry Finklestein, the slightly senile and comedic relieving father of the film's main character, played by Justin Bartha
Justin Bartha
Justin Lee Bartha is an American actor, known for his co-starring role as Riley Poole in the National Treasure films and as Doug Billings in The Hangover and The Hangover Part II.-Early life:...
.
Garfunkel has said he turned down numerous film offers in the 1970s. He reportedly turned down the role of Billy Pilgrim in the adaption of Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
's Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a satirical novel by Kurt Vonnegut about World War II experiences and journeys through time of a soldier called Billy Pilgrim...
and the role of Tom Hagen
Tom Hagen
Thomas "Tom" Feargal Hagen is a fictional character in the Godfather books and films. He was portrayed by Robert Duvall in the films. He is the informally adopted son of Don Vito Corleone and serves as the family lawyer and consigliere . Mild-mannered and soft-spoken, he often serves as a voice of...
in The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
in the same year (1972). According to the response of this matter recently issued on his official website, Garfunkel has not ever turned down the role of Tom Hagen in The Godfather .
Poetry career
Garfunkel, an avid reader and bibliophile, has admitted that the Garfunkel household was not a literary family, but it was not until his entrance to Columbia College in 1959, that he began to "read a million books and became a reader". It was through this he began an interest in poetry.Garfunkel's poetic career began in 1981, while on the Simon & Garfunkel 1981-1982 tour in Switzerland, he was riding a motorcycle and began writing a poem describing the countryside. In 1989, Still Water, Garfunkel's collection of prose poetry was released to wide acclaim. Topics included his depression over the loss of his father; Laurie Bird, his companion who committed suicide; the friendship of Paul Simon; and the joy of returning to music.
He reportedly has plans to release a second book in the near future.
Personal life
Garfunkel married Linda Marie Grossman in 1972; they divorced in 1975. He has claimed that the marriage was turbulent and ended bitterly. Garfunkel has never spoken to her since and claims he never loved her.He was also romantically involved with actress and photographer Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird was an American actress and photographer.-Biography:Bird's mother died when she was three. Her father, an electrical engineer, was ex-United States Navy and worked long hours...
from March 1974 (when he was 32 and she was 20) until her suicide in 1979. According to a 1986 interview, Art said about his relationship with Laurie Bird "I asked myself constantly why I didn't marry her, because surely she was the apple of my eye. She was everything I was looking for in a woman. But I was very hurt by my first marriage, so as far as marriage to Laurie was concerned, I was extra scared. I was heartbroken. It laid me low. I used to get very sad when the sun went down. The nights were very lonely for me."
Garfunkel had a brief affair with actress Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
in the mid 1980s and credits her with helping him through his depression. Their friendship stayed strong even after the relationship's end. Garfunkel would later say of Marshall, "Everything changed. Penny is a sweet human being who can bring anybody down to earth. We had a lot of laughs, great sex and a ton of party nights".
In fall of 1985, Garfunkel met former model Kathryn (Kim) Cermack while shooting Good To Go
Good to Go (film)
Good to Go is a 1986 film directed by Blaine Novak, starring Art Garfunkel as a Washington, D.C. journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder.-Soundtrack:...
. They married on 18 September 1988. The two have been married for over twenty years.
The two have two children, James, born 15 December 1990, and Beau Daniel, born 5 October 2005 via a surrogate mother.
Garfunkel is an avid reader and bibliophile; his website contains a year-by-year listing of every book he has read since 1968. Currently the list contains more than 1,000 books. He has also read the entire Random House Dictionary.
Garfunkel is a huge fan of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, having twice read his book Confessions
Confessions (Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
Confessions is an autobiographical book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In modern times, it is often published with the title The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in order to distinguish it from St. Augustine of Hippo's Confessions...
(according to his library, the book was the first and thousandth book he'd read).
Garfunkel has undertaken several cross-continental walks in his lifetime, writing poetry along the way. In the early 1980s, he walked across Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in a matter of weeks. From 1983 to 1997, Garfunkel walked across America, taking 40 excursions to complete the route from New York City to the Pacific coast of Washington. In May 1998, Garfunkel began an incremented walk across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
His all-time favorite pop song is The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
's "Here, There and Everywhere
Here, There and Everywhere
"Here, There and Everywhere" is a song written primarily by Paul McCartney , recorded for The Beatles 1966 album Revolver. In his biography Many Years From Now, McCartney said the song is one of his favourites. Beatles' producer George Martin has also mentioned it as one of his favourite McCartney...
" and his all-time favorite album is Rumours
Rumours
Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Largely recorded in California during 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut and was released on 4 February 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The record peaked at the top of both the...
by Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
. When asked about his musical preferences, he answered, "I have a very sure-footed sense of what I like, and exactly how much I like it. Give me two listenings of a song, and I can tell you exactly how it sits with me, and...I know my musical taste. I know my ears, I know what I respond to."
Garfunkel has been arrested twice for the possession of cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
: once in early 2004 and again in August 2005.
Garfunkel is the brother of Jerome Garfunkel, the former member of the American (ANSI) and International (ISO) Committees who wrote the specification for the COBOL
COBOL
COBOL is one of the oldest programming languages. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, defining its primary domain in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments....
programming language. His older brother Jules B. Garfunkel was a United States Navy Veteran and financial analyst who died on September 17, 2006 in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
Garfunkel is 6'0 (1.83 m), which is a large contrast to Paul Simon's 5'3 (1.60 m).
Garfunkel is very religious, but said he has become more spiritual in his later years, often drawing from religious values for his poetry.
Art Garfunkel is left-handed and is a multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
: he plays guitar, piano, and violin.
Nominations
- 1972 Golden Globe, Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture, for Carnal KnowledgeCarnal knowledgeCarnal knowledge is an archaic or legal euphemism for sexual intercourse. The term derives from the Biblical usage of the verb know/knew, as in the King James and other versions, a euphemism for sexual conduct...
Awards
- 1969 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Record of the YearRecord Of The YearRecord of the Year may refer to:*Grammy Award for Record of the Year*The Record of the Year, a British award based on public polling...
, for "Mrs. RobinsonMrs. Robinson"Mrs. Robinson" is a song written by Paul Simon and first performed by Simon & Garfunkel. When released as a single in 1968, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, for their second chart-topping hit after "The Sound of Silence"...
" (with Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
) - 1969 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Best Contemporary Pop Performance, for "Mrs. Robinson" (with Paul Simon) - 1970 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Best Pop Album, for Bridge Over Troubled WaterBridge over Troubled WaterBridge Over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list... - 1970 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Best Single Record, for "Bridge Over Troubled WaterBridge over Troubled Water (song)"Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's album of the same name. The single was released on January 26, 1970, though it also appears on the live album Live 1969, released in 2008. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970, and stayed at...
" - 1970 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists, for Bridge Over Troubled Water - 1977 Britannia Award, Best International Pop LP and Single, 1952–77, for "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
- 1998 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Best Children's AlbumGrammy Award for Best Album for ChildrenThe Grammy Award for Best Album for Children has been awarded since 1959. Prior to 1992, the award was known as Best Recording for Children and was therefore open to any audio recording, whether it was an album, a single song, a recording of a book, or the audio from a television show or movie...
, for Songs From A Parent To A ChildSongs from a Parent to a ChildSongs from a Parent to a Child is the eighth solo album by Art Garfunkel and his first release since Lefty nine years earlier. Released as a concept album in 1997, it features his son, wife and a host of celebrity musicians, and was built on the concept of children's songs...
Work on Broadway
- Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years (1982) - revueRevueA revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
- featured singer for Mrs. RobinsonMrs. Robinson"Mrs. Robinson" is a song written by Paul Simon and first performed by Simon & Garfunkel. When released as a single in 1968, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, for their second chart-topping hit after "The Sound of Silence"... - Mike NicholsMike NicholsMike Nichols is a German-born American television, stage and film director, writer, producer and comedian. He began his career in the 1950s as one half of the comedy duo Nichols and May, along with Elaine May. In 1968 he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film The Graduate...
and Elaine MayElaine MayElaine May is an American film director, screenwriter and actress. She achieved her greatest fame in the 1950s from her improvisational comedy routines in partnership with Mike Nichols...
: Together Again on Broadway (1992) - concertConcertA concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
- performer - The GraduateThe GraduateThe Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Mike Nichols. It is based on the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay was by Buck Henry, who makes a cameo appearance as a hotel clerk, and Calder...
(2002) - play - featured songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Discography
- Angel ClareAngel ClareAngel Clare is the debut album by Art Garfunkel released in 1973. It is his highest charting solo album, peaking at number 5 and contains his only Top 10 hit in the US, "All I Know" which peaked at number 9. It also contained two other Top 40 hits, "Traveling Boy" and "I Shall Sing"...
(1973) - BreakawayBreakaway (Art Garfunkel album)Breakaway is the second solo album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in 1975 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Richard Perry who has produced albums for other artists such as Carly Simon. It includes three Top 40 singles: "I Only Have Eyes For You" , "Break Away" and the Simon And...
(1975) - WatermarkWatermark (Art Garfunkel album)Watermark is the third solo album by Art Garfunkel, originally released in October 1977 on Columbia Records. When the first single, "Crying in My Sleep", failed to chart in the United States, the album was immediately withdrawn and a version of " Wonderful World" was added to the...
(1978) - Fate For BreakfastFate for BreakfastFate for Breakfast is the fourth solo album by Art Garfunkel released in March 1979 on Columbia Records. It was his first album to miss the US Billboard Top 40 and his first album containing no US Top 40 singles...
(1979) - Scissors CutScissors CutScissors Cut is the fifth solo album by Art Garfunkel released in August 1981 on Columbia Records. It was his second album to miss the US Billboard Top 40 and his second album containing no US Top 40 singles...
(1981) - The Animals' ChristmasThe Animals' ChristmasThe Animals' Christmas is the sixth solo album by vocalist Art Garfunkel. It is a Christmas-themed album which also has Garfunkel teamed with Amy Grant...
(with Amy GrantAmy GrantAmy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
) (1986) - LeftyLefty (album)Lefty is the seventh solo album by Art Garfunkel, released in 1988.The album's cover photo shows a pre-teen Art Garfunkel holding a baseball bat in the front yard of his childhood home in the Forest Hills section of Queens, New York City. The picture was taken by his brother Jules...
(1988) - Songs from a Parent to a ChildSongs from a Parent to a ChildSongs from a Parent to a Child is the eighth solo album by Art Garfunkel and his first release since Lefty nine years earlier. Released as a concept album in 1997, it features his son, wife and a host of celebrity musicians, and was built on the concept of children's songs...
(1997) - Everything Waits to Be NoticedEverything Waits to Be NoticedEverything Waits to be Noticed is the ninth solo album by Art Garfunkel, with collaboration from singer-songwriters Maia Sharp and Buddy Mondlock...
(2002) - Some Enchanted EveningSome Enchanted Evening (Art Garfunkel album)Some Enchanted Evening is the tenth and most recent album by Art Garfunkel released in 2007. It is Garfunkel's interpretation of many standards of the Great American Songbook...
(2007)
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Catch-22 Catch-22 (film) Catch-22 is a 1970 satirical war film adapted from the book of the same name by Joseph Heller. Considered a black comedy revolving around the "lunatic characters" of Heller's satirical anti-war novel, it was the work of a talented production team which included director Mike Nichols and... |
Lieutenant Edward J. Nately III | Debut Screen Role |
| 1971 | Carnal Knowledge Carnal knowledge Carnal knowledge is an archaic or legal euphemism for sexual intercourse. The term derives from the Biblical usage of the verb know/knew, as in the King James and other versions, a euphemism for sexual conduct... |
Dr. Sandy Kaufman | Nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
| 1980 | Bad Timing Bad Timing Bad Timing is a 1980 British film directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas.-Plot:In Vienna, a young American woman in her twenties is rushed to the emergency room after apparently overdosing. With her is Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist teaching in Vienna... |
Dr. Alex Linden | Winner of the 1980 People's Choice Award |
| 1986 | Good To Go Good to Go (film) Good to Go is a 1986 film directed by Blaine Novak, starring Art Garfunkel as a Washington, D.C. journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder.-Soundtrack:... |
S.D. Blass | Out Of Print |
| 1993 | Boxing Helena Boxing Helena Boxing Helena is a 1993 romantic drama film and the debut feature film by Jennifer Chambers Lynch, daughter of David Lynch. The film stars Julian Sands and Sherilyn Fenn as the eponymous Helena.-Plot:... |
Dr. Lawrence Augustine | |
| 1998 | 54 54 (film) 54 is a 1998 drama film written and directed by Mark Christopher, starring Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, and Neve Campbell... |
Himself | Cameo |
| 2000 | Longshot Longshot (film) Longshot: The Movie , originally titled Jack Of All Trades is a teen film directed by Lionel C. Martin. It opened briefly in select theaters in Germany. The film was not shown in theaters in North America, but rather was released as a video and DVD only available through the film's web site... |
Himself | Cameo |
| 2010 | The Rebound The Rebound The Rebound is a 2009 romantic comedy film directed by Bart Freundlich, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha. The film was released in theaters in several countries in late 2009... |
Harry Finklestein | Most Recent Performance |
External links
- Official Website
- Art Garfunkel MySpace
- Official Facebook Page
- Arthur Ira Garfunkel - Columbians Ahead of Their Time, article at Columbia University.
- The Life and Music, Thus Far, Of Art Garfunkel - An Interview