Biography

2006 – 2010 Chronology

19. September 2019

2006

Art Garfunkel and Brian Dennehy appeared at Columbia University on April 29th, for the 112th annual Varsity Show. Garfunkel, CC ’65, received the I.A.L. Diamond award, presented annually to a Columbia alumnus who has excelled in the performing arts, while Dennehy, CC ’60, opened the Sunday night show. This is the first year that the Diamond award, named for the Oscar-winning screenwriter and only alumnus to have written the Varsity Show for four consecutive years, was given to someone who had never participated in the show. Co-producer Grace Parra, CC ’06, said that Garfunkel, whom she called “a real legend,” would “jazz up the idea of the reception.” More than 150 Varsity Show alumni and other invited guests attended the ceremony before Saturday night’s show, where Garfunkel gave a speech.

Art is featured in Columbia University’s 250 Celebration. Founded in 1754, Columbia University in the City of New York celebrated its 250th anniversary with events, symposia, publications, and insights into its history.

The Wildlife Trust held its annual Conservation Awards Gala and Auction in October  at The Lighthouse located at Chelsea Piers in New York City.  Wildlife Trust is an international conservation organization pioneering the innovative field of Conservation Medicine and is working to understand the links between ecosystems, wildlife and human health. Art was the honorary event chairmen with Virginia C. Mars and Lynn Sherr, correspondent on ABC TV’s 20/20 news show.

2007

Art Garfunkel released his 12th solo album, Some Enchanted Evening, on January 30, 2007 on Atlantic/Atco Records. For the album, recorded in Los Angeles and New York over the last year, Art rejoined forces with producer Richard Perry (Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Pointer Sisters, Harry Nilsson), who recorded his 1975 platinum-selling Breakway album.

Some Enchanted Evening is a musical celebration of material from the 20th century’s greatest songwriters, including Rodgers & Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Antonio Carlos Jobim and George Gershwin. “I’ve been loving this stuff all my life,” Art says. The album is the organic next chapter in Art’s life, as he reflects on fatherhood and the chaotic world we live in: “In this nervous world I want to soothe. It’s a great time for moderation, for thoughtfulness, for dialogue, for the great Exhale, for humor. A great time for a sweet sound, a visceral, charming, prayerful sound.”

In teaming with his friend and associate, Richard Perry, Art found a forum for his revered vocal style, recapturing the spirit of their Breakway sessions, which produced the hit “I Only Have Eyes For You.” “In a sense, Richard and I picked up where we left off. This album is Richard’s elegant production, it fits me good, and I am especially proud of it” says Art. “Some of the songs I brought in like ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ and Harold Arlen’s ‘Let’s Fall In Love.’ I had my favorites and he had his, like ‘Life Is But A Dream’ and ‘Quiet Nights.’ We both love Johnny Mathis and Chet Baker.”

Art says, “Before I chased the Beatles with our Simon & Garfunkel albums, before Buddy Holly, Doo-Wop, and the Everly Brothers, there was–for me, as a kid–Jo Stafford, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, and these beautiful songs.”

Art performed his first New York City concert in four years when he made a two-night stand at The Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz @ Lincoln Center Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14. 

Art appeared on Artist Confidential. With humor, candor and intellect, Art and his band engaged the audience at XM’s studio at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York for a remarkable hour of music, Q&A and insight into his history and future.

A star-studded line-up of performers and presenters paid tribute to Paul Simon when he became the first recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Art performed “”Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Concert Gala was held May 23 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC and broadcast nationally.

2008

The Starbucks coffee chain released a new Simon & Garfunkel CD Live 1969, a disc drawn from previously unreleased recordings from the duo’s November 1969 U.S. tour.

Charles Grodin, long-time friend of Art Garfunkel’s from their days working together on the movie “Catch-22,” published “If I Only Knew Then… Learning from Our Mistakes.” Mr. Grodin asked 82 celebrity contributors to write about their biggest mistakes and the lessons learned from them. Art Garfunkel contributes a piece on finishing vocals for the Bookends album and the first concert in support of the LP. Royalties will be donated to HELP USA, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to empower the homeless and others in need to become and remain self-reliant.

Art attends the 36th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Warren Beatty at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on June 12, 2008.

ART ANSWERS FAN QUESTIONS:

In the 1975 BBC Radio 1 special Paul Simon had contributed some rare tracks and demos of his own to the radio series and the one rare AG track that I recall was a solo demo of “Scarborough Fair”. It had a slightly different melody than the released version and a totally different guitar accompaniment. Do you have anything else “laying around” that could be used to make a box set for the hardcore fans along the lines of Dylan’s “Bootleg” series? (Submitted by Roy D. from Illinois)

  • I’m sure I do. It’s down to how hard I scour the house and how deep is the interest.

At the time you and Paul recorded your albums did you know that young people today would still relate to your songs? Are you surprised when you see teenagers sing along to your songs? (Submitted by E. Pedersen from Denmark)

  • I remember standing in front of the mic in the recording studio in the 60s asking of myself a performance level that was worth a Record for time. How much time? Well I thought, if it’s superfine it may mean something in the next century.

Do you have any memories of recording with Jerry Garcia? And which track did he play guitar on “Angel Clare?”
(Submitted by Roy D. from Illinois)

  • “Down In the WIllow Garden”. I remember him saying “this is the kind of song I like.” Roy (Halee) and I overdubbed him at the Columbia – Folsom St. studio in San Francisco. He was real nice, “one of us” musicians.

If you could travel back in time and solve an unsolved murder case which one would you choose?
(Submitted by J. Carter from Spain)

  • How exactly did Napoleon die.

Do you watch television? What shows?
(Submitted by N. Mason from Canada)

  • I watch sports. NBA play-offs, baseball, some CNN, evening news, Letterman. Never 7pm-11pm TV.

Do you ever play Sudoku and do you find it difficult or easy?
(Submitted by Marcia from Ireland)

  • Don’t play.

Rolling Stone Magazine polled over 170 singers, producers, music journalists and industry executives to list his or her 20 favorite vocalists from the rock era. The top selections were tabulated for Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Top 100 Singers of All Time.” “He is a pure and beautiful tenor voice, and there really is no one like him,” says James Taylor about Art Garfunkel.

2009

Simon & Garfunkel began their “Old Friends” concert tour on June 13th in Auckland, New Zealand.

Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon performed together at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary celebration at New York’s Madison Square Garden on October 29th. The duo performed; “Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Cecelia,” “The Boxer” and a powerful version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” to a rousing ovation. Other performers included; Bruce Springsteen, U2, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin and Metallica. All proceeds go to an endowment for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and museum in Cleveland. HBO aired the show on November 29, 2009.

The Simon and Garfunkel Old Friends Concert Tour continued with performances in New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

Larry Knechtel, pianist on “BOTW” died at age 69 on August 20, 2009. Larry Knechtel earned a Grammy award for his arrangement of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” He worked closely with Art on several solo albums, including, “Angel Clare,” “Breakaway,” “Fate for Breakfast” and “Scissors Cut.”

Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon completed a critical and commercially successful 2-month tour of New Zealand, Australia and Japan. This time around, Garfunkel and then Simon each played a mini-set of their solo work. Billboard’s Lars Brandle wrote of Art’s performance, “with Garfunkel’s ethereal “Bright Eyes” both a surprise and a high point.” Art also performed “Perfect Moment” and “A Heart In New York.”

Joanne Woodward, Robert Redford and Julia Roberts hosted a Celebration of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camps on June 8 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York. At Joanne Woodward’s request, Art Garfunkel performed “Bright Eyes” and “Goodnight, My Love”. Also appearing: Harry Connick, Jr., Yo-Yo Ma, Jerry Seinfeld, James Taylor and the Hole in the Wall Campers.

Art Garfunkel made a special guest appearance as himself on the March 1 episode of HBO’s comedy, “Flight of the Conchords.” Conchords’ Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie wrote the episode, titled “Prime Minister,” around him, and then prayed he’d say yes to a cameo. Garfunkel says he took “a leap a faith” and signed on without seeing a script. In the episode, Jemaine and Bret book a gig as Simon and Garfunkel lookalikes, where they meet Karen (guest star Mary Lynn Rajskub, 24’s Chloe), a woman who asks Jemaine on a date. The catch: He has to wear his Garfunkel costume, even when they have sex — she calls it “Garfunkling.”

The beautifully restored Beacon Theatre in New York City re-opened after a seven month, $16 million renovation on February 13, 2009 with Paul Simon as the only scheduled artist for the evening. After nearly 90 minutes of a great show, the audience heard the words: “Ladies and gentlemen, my old friend Art Garfunkel.” The pair performed “The Sound of Silence,” “The Boxer” and “Old Friends” during the encore. Garfunkel had flown in from Florida, where he played in Key Largo the night before. “The fact that you still care is tremendous,” Art said, during the standing ovation that followed “The Sound of Silence”. The duo then sang (as did the audience) “The Boxer” and closed with a stirring medley of “Old Friends” and “Bookends.” In the audience were; Mayor Michael Bloomberg, James Gandolfini, Harvey Weinstein, Paul McCartney, the Jonas Brothers and Jon Bon Jovi.

Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on October 20, 2008.

On October 23rd, Art Garfunkel visited Yale for a Master’s Tea to field questions about his most successful songs, his artistic relationship with Paul, and his favorite “guilty pleasures.” The Tea had been very well-attended, with a line for seats stretching out the Swing Space door outside the office, fans mingled and waited for autographs.

2010

Legendary New York Disc Jockey Pete Fornatale published, “Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends.” Fornatale traces the social climate and popular culture of 1968 that created what he says was one of rock’s ultimate “concet’ albums. Fornatale, a dedicated archivist, was not only present at the creation, he took notes and made tapes. Purchase it online,

Art Garfunkel was forced to stop performing when doctors discovered a weakened vocal cord (possibly the result of choking on lobster while in Nicaragua). The singer was required to rest his voice for over a year to allow the damaged cord to heal.  While Art worked on mending his voice and was intent on making a full recovery, there was a real possibility Art would never sing again.

In June, media around the world reported the sad news that the planned tour of North America was “postponed indefinitely” because Art Garfunkel has a condition affecting his voice. He is recovering from a vocal paresis which “inhibits the duo from performing shows” to their normal standard, a statement on their website said. The tour had already been postponed from April to July. “I do feel bad about disrupting so many people’s plans but, as I continue to mend, I can’t yet bring my A game to a tour, and I would not perform for you with anything less,” said Art Garfunkel.

On June 10, Paul and Artie performed Mrs. Robinson, which was featured in 1967’s The Graduate, at an event honoring the film’s director, Mike Nichols. But Art would not be fit for a full tour, the duo explained. “According to his doctors, Art is expected to make a full recovery. However, they cannot predict an exact timeline,” a management statement said.

Simon & Garfunkel’s 1970 Masterpiece Celebrated with Deluxe DVD+CD Package: Bridge Over Troubled Water: 40th Anniversary Edition .is released. The deluxe package includes THE HARMONY GAME, that tells the story behind BOTW. Paul and Art share the journey in their own words and reflect back on its impact 40 years later. Also featured in the documentary are several of the duo’s collaborators from the period: Roy Halee (co-producer/engineer), Hal Blaine (drums), Joe Osborn (bass guitar), Jimmie Haskell (arranger), Mort Lewis (manager), and actor Charles Grodin, director of Songs Of America Sirius Radio produced a special to commemorate the album (aired in March 2011).