Paul Simon is one of the most influential singer-songwriters in American music history, celebrated first as one half of the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel and later for a solo career that helped bring South African and Brazilian musical influences into the pop mainstream.
His songwriting catalogue, including staples like “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and “You Can Call Me Al,” has earned him sixteen Grammy Awards, two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and recognition as one of the finest lyricists of his generation.
Profile
| Full Name | Paul Frederic Simon |
| Date of Birth | October 13, 1941 |
| Age | 84 |
| Birthplace | Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, actor |
| Parents | Louis Simon (father) and Belle Simon (mother) |
| Siblings | Eddie Simon (younger brother) |
| Spouse | Edie Brickell (married 1992); previously married to Peggy Harper and to actress Carrie Fisher |
| Children | Son Harper Simon (with Peggy Harper); three children with Edie Brickell |
| Net Worth | $200 million |
Early Life
Paul Simon was born on October 13, 1941, in Newark, New Jersey, to Hungarian-Jewish parents.
His father Louis was a college professor and a working jazz bassist who performed under the stage name Lee Sims, while his mother Belle worked as an elementary school teacher.
When Paul was a young child, the family relocated to the Kew Gardens Hills section of Queens, New York City, where he grew up alongside his younger brother, Eddie. It was in Queens that Simon developed his early love of music and met his future musical partner, Art Garfunkel, in school.
Education
Simon attended Queens College in New York, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English. He also briefly studied law at Brooklyn Law School before turning his full attention to music.
Career
Simon began performing with Art Garfunkel while still in school, initially recording under the duo name “Tom & Jerry” and scoring a minor hit with “Hey Schoolgirl” in 1957. After reuniting years later as Simon & Garfunkel, the pair released “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.” in 1964. Their fortunes changed dramatically when a re-released, electrically re-mixed version of “The Sound of Silence” became a chart-topping hit, launching a run of celebrated albums that included “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970), which became one of the best-selling albums of its era.
The duo split in 1970, and Simon pursued a solo career marked by stylistic experimentation. His self-titled 1972 album produced hits such as “Mother and Child Reunion,” while 1973’s “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” incorporated gospel and Dixieland influences. “Still Crazy After All These Years” (1975) won the Grammy for Album of the Year. After a commercially quiet period in the early 1980s, Simon released “Graceland” in 1986, an album built around collaborations with South African musicians such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Despite controversy over a cultural boycott of apartheid-era South Africa at the time, the album became his most successful solo work, selling millions of copies and winning the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1987 and Record of the Year in 1988 for its title track.
Simon followed with “The Rhythm of the Saints” (1990), inspired by Brazilian percussion traditions, and later ventured into musical theatre with the Broadway production “The Capeman” (1997), which was accompanied by the album “Songs from The Capeman.” His 2000 album “You’re the One” earned an Album of the Year nomination, making him the first artist nominated in that category across five consecutive decades. He continued releasing acclaimed albums into his later years, including “Surprise” (2006), “So Beautiful or So What” (2011), “Stranger to Stranger” (2016), and “Seven Psalms” (2023). Simon announced his retirement from large-scale touring in 2018, closing his farewell “Homeward Bound” tour in New York City, though he has continued to record and make occasional live appearances despite hearing challenges in his later career. In 2021, he sold his song publishing catalogue to Sony Music Publishing.
Awards & Nominations
- 1971 — Grammy Award — Album of the Year, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” — Win
- 1976 — Grammy Award — Album of the Year, “Still Crazy After All These Years” — Win
- 1987 — Grammy Award — Album of the Year, “Graceland” — Win
- 1988 — Grammy Award — Record of the Year, “Graceland” — Win
- 1990 — Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — Inducted with Simon & Garfunkel
- 2001 — Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — Inducted as a solo artist
- 2001 — Grammy Foundation — MusiCares Person of the Year
- 2007 — Library of Congress — First recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song
Social Media
Paul Simon maintains an official website rather than a highly active personal social media presence.
- Official Website: paulsimon.com
Personal Life
Simon has been married three times. His first marriage was to Peggy Harper, with whom he had a son, Harper Simon.
He was briefly married to actress Carrie Fisher in the early 1980s, and the two maintained an on-and-off relationship for years afterward.
In 1992, Simon married singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, with whom he has three children; the couple has remained together since.
A 2024 documentary, “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” directed by Alex Gibney, chronicled his life and career, including his more recent struggles with hearing loss.
Net Worth
Paul Simon’s net worth is widely estimated at around $200 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
His fortune stems primarily from decades of album sales, songwriting royalties, touring revenue, and the 2021 sale of his song catalogue to Sony Music Publishing.
Discography
- Paul Simon — 1972
- There Goes Rhymin’ Simon — 1973
- Still Crazy After All These Years — 1975
- One-Trick Pony — 1980
- Hearts and Bones — 1983
- Graceland — 1986
- The Rhythm of the Saints — 1990
- Songs from The Capeman — 1997
- You’re the One — 2000
- Surprise — 2006
- So Beautiful or So What — 2011
- Stranger to Stranger — 2016
- In the Blue Light — 2018
- Seven Psalms — 2023
Conclusion
From his beginnings as a Queens schoolboy harmonizing with a friend to becoming one of the most decorated songwriters in popular music, Paul Simon’s career reflects a restless creative curiosity that spans folk, rock, gospel, township jive, and Brazilian percussion. Decades after his first hit, his catalogue remains a benchmark for lyrical craftsmanship in American music.