The story of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel is one of the most iconic yet tumultuous in music history.

Beginning as childhood friends in Queens, New York, their harmonious voices captivated the world in the 1960s, making them the biggest musical duo of their time.

Yet beneath the perfect harmonies and chart-topping hits lay a fractured friendship marked by betrayal, silence, and decades of estrangement.

This is the story of how two boys from Queens became lifelong collaborators—and eventually bitter enemies who refused to speak for nearly a decade.

 

Paul Simon was born in 1941 in Newark, New Jersey, to Hungarian Jewish parents.

His upbringing was steeped in both music and tradition.

His father led a double life as a college professor by day and a dance band bassist by night, exposing Paul early on to the world of performance.

In 1945, the Simon family moved to Queens, New York, a vibrant neighborhood full of Jewish families who valued both education and music.

 

It was in Queens in 1953 that Paul Simon first saw Art Garfunkel perform at a school talent show.

The two were just 11 years old, but their voices blended so perfectly that it sparked a lifelong musical partnership.

They soon formed a doo-wop group called The Peptones and began performing at school dances and local events.

By age 15, under the stage names Tom and Jerry, they had recorded their first hit, “Hey Schoolgirl,” which reached number 49 on the Billboard charts.

 

Despite their early success, the partnership was never without tension.

Paul Simon was the primary songwriter and had ambitions beyond the duo, secretly recording over 30 solo songs under different pseudonyms.

He also worked behind the scenes producing and writing for other artists, gradually building a solo career.

This secretive behavior deeply hurt Art Garfunkel, who felt betrayed when he discovered Paul’s solo endeavors.

 

Their initial split in 1958 was quiet but significant.

Paul’s solo career saw modest successes, while Art struggled to find similar traction without Paul’s network and drive.

They reunited in 1963 for a studio audition that landed them a record contract and led to the release of their debut album, *Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.

* Unfortunately, the album was a commercial failure, selling only 1,000 copies in eight months.

 

However, their fortunes changed when producer Tom Wilson secretly added electric guitars and drums to their song “The Sound of Silence,” turning it into a number one hit in 1966.

This unexpected success propelled Simon & Garfunkel into the spotlight, leading to a series of successful albums including *Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme* and *Bookends*.

 

As their fame grew, so did the cracks in their relationship.

Paul Simon increasingly took control of their music, writing, producing, and directing the sound, while Art Garfunkel was primarily the voice on stage.

Paul felt overshadowed by Art’s photogenic presence and the public’s perception that Art was the star.

This imbalance fostered resentment and insecurity.

 

Their success reached a peak with the soundtrack for *The Graduate* in 1967, especially the hit “Mrs.

Robinson,” and the 1970 album *Bridge Over Troubled Water*, which became their biggest success.

Yet, during the recording of *Bridge Over Troubled Water*, the duo’s creative process suffered as Art was busy filming a movie in Mexico, forcing Paul to work alone in the studio.

This separation deepened their divide.

 

Art’s solo performances of songs like the title track earned him standing ovations, which Paul found difficult to accept, feeling sidelined despite being the songwriter.

The album marked the end of their collaboration, and they officially split in 1970.

 

After the split, Paul Simon embarked on a successful solo career, experimenting with new styles and sounds.

His 1972 self-titled album featured hits like “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.

” He continued to innovate with albums such as *There Goes Rhymin’ Simon* and *Still Crazy After All These Years*, earning critical acclaim and commercial success.

 

However, Paul’s personal life was turbulent.

His marriage to actress Carrie Fisher in 1983 was short-lived and fraught with challenges.

The pressures of fame and Fisher’s public lifestyle clashed with Paul’s more private nature, contributing to the album *Hearts and Bones*’ commercial failure despite its critical praise.

 

Meanwhile, Paul faced controversies, including backlash for recording in apartheid-era South Africa in 1985, violating a UN cultural boycott.

Although he paid musicians well and promised royalties, many accused him of exploitation, leading to protests and blacklisting.

 

Despite their fractured relationship, Simon and Garfunkel made several attempts to reunite.

In 1975, they recorded the song “My Little Town,” which appeared on both their solo albums.

The 1981 Central Park concert drew over 500,000 fans and was a historic moment, followed by a 1982 world tour.

 

Yet behind the scenes, the tension was palpable.

They stopped speaking entirely, maintaining perfect harmonies on stage but complete silence off it.

Their 1983 album *Think Too Much* was scrapped when Paul erased Art’s vocals without warning and released the work as his solo album *Hearts and Bones*.

Art considered this a betrayal, and it marked the definitive end of their musical partnership.

 

A planned 2010 reunion tour was canceled due to Art’s vocal cord paralysis, further straining their already fragile relationship.

In 2015, Art publicly criticized Paul in a harsh interview, calling him a “jerk” and accusing him of having a “Napoleon complex.

” Paul responded by confirming their estrangement and expressing finality in their relationship.

 

From 2015 to 2024, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel did not speak at all.

Their decades-long friendship, which began in childhood, dissolved into silence.

The break was only accidentally ended when Art ran into Paul’s son in their apartment building, leading to a reunion lunch and a tentative thaw.

During this period, Paul Simon faced his own personal challenges, including severe hearing loss in his left ear following a COVID-19 infection.

In 2023, he released *Seven Psalms*, an intimate acoustic album reflecting on his life and struggles.

 

In a 2024 interview, Paul expressed frustration and sadness over the silence with Art, lamenting the missed opportunities and burned bridges.

Their story is a poignant reminder of how fame, success, and personal differences can fracture even the deepest of friendships.

 

Despite their personal conflicts, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel’s musical legacy remains profound.

Their harmonies and songwriting helped define the folk-rock era and influenced countless artists.

Songs like “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and “Mrs.

Robinson” continue to resonate with audiences worldwide.

 

Their story is not just about music but about the complexities of human relationships—how friendship, ambition, jealousy, and misunderstanding can intertwine.

While the silence between them lasted decades, their music endures as a testament to what they created together.

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