New Jersey boasts the birth of many famous artists. Frank Sinatra, Queen Latifah, Jon Bon Jovi, Springsteen, and of course, Paul Simon. Maybe there’s something in the water there, or maybe it’s all a big coincidence – we’ll never know. That’s not to say that New Jersey deserves any of the credit for Paul Simon’s career – he earned all the success he has himself, with some help from his partner, Art Garfunkel. Between his solo career and his genre and decade-spanning time in the group Simon & Garfunkel, Simon has left a lasting mark on American music.

Early Life

Paul Simon didn’t grow up glamorously. He was born to two working-class Jewish parents, in 1941. His mother taught English (which he partly thanks for his songwriting skills) and his father was the leader of a big TV band. Simon knew he loved music, but didn’t know he was any good at it until he met Art Garfunkel, in the 4th grade. The two became fast friends and immediately started making music together, after one fateful talent show. They’d go on to play at high school events, sell songs to other artists, and finally put out their first single in 1957. Though the two were full of confidence (like most people are at 15), they never knew how far their career together would go!

Simon Goes Solo

Simon & Garfunkel was one of the most successful musical acts of the 20th century, but Simon spent some time creating works that were just his own. Those include writing music for broadway musicals, winning Tony Awards, and putting out solo studio albums. He’s even toured with Sting, been the musical performance guest on SNL 15+ times, and won countless music awards. When he’s not performing solo or being featured next to another artist, he’s doing charity events. He lends his voice to causes he cares about, and the public lends their funds. There’s pretty much nothing Paul Simon can’t do.