Simon "Garfunkel" turns 64

Paul Simon was born 64 years ago today (Thursday, October 13th). Simon, along with partner Art Garfunkel during the '60s, was a major force in bridging the gaps between folk, the British Invasion and eventually the singer-songwriter movement. He and Garfunkel became friends towards the end of elementary school and by their mid-teens had recorded their debut single "Hey Schoolgirl" under the name Tom & Jerry.

After Simon & Garfunkel's split in 1970, Simon released the scaled-down acoustic-based Paul Simon album in 1972. Although it was a commercial success, it paled in comparison to the duo's last album -- the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning Bridge Over Troubled Water. Although Simon never veered far from his artistic compass, his solo works differed greatly from his work with Garfunkel. 1973's There Goes Rhymin' Simon dabbled in New Orleans jazz and pop-gospel on the hit single "Love Me Like A Rock."

Throughout his career, Simon has embraced many different types of music -- African on his Graceland album, South American -- he even ventured into writing for Broadway with 1997's The Capeman. He's tried his hand acting as well, appearing in Woody Allen's 1977 Annie Hall and his own 1980 flop, One Trick Pony. Despite his many solo achievements, he'll always be defined by his years with Garfunkel. Their various reunions throughout the years do little to quench the public's desire to see them perform together.

Although they've reunited many times, most notably at New York's Central Park in 1981, after which they hit the road for an extended two year tour, an ill-fated attempt at a studio reunion put the duo's relationship on the skids until their next series of shows in 1993 and their eventual 2003/2004 Old Friends reunion tour, which broke box office records worldwide. The pair have also recently teamed up again in New York City to aid Hurricane Katrina victims.

Art Garfunkel told us that their combined talents are bigger than the both of them:
[ click here to listen if you have a Backstage Pass] "It delights us to see, when we try and combine, there's that third thing that's beyond the two of us, and there it is, bouncing against the walls, reverberating in the mic, this buzzy thing that is neither Paul nor Artie. We suddenly disappear as the people we are, and we become this Simon & Garfunkel thing."
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