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Art Garfunkel

 
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Art Garfunkel

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Tall, lanky, and curly topped Art Garfunkel has one of the most beautiful tenor voices in pop music. He is best known for performing with singer/songwriter Paul Simon as Simon and Garfunkel, but he has also had a sporadic acting career. He made his feature-film debut playing Nately in Mike Nichol's adaptation of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 in 1970. The following year, Garfunkel appeared opposite Jack Nicholson in another Mike Nichols film, Carnal Knowledge. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
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Art Garfunkel

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Singer, songwriter

Whether performing folk-rock melodies with Paul Simon or delivering romantic ballads as a solo artist, Art Garfunkel has left a lasting impression with his finespun yet powerful voice. Described by Tony Schwartz in Newsweek as "an effortlessly lyrical voice that is as smooth and unfettered as any in pop music," Garfunkel’s choirboy tenor lent a sparkling incandescence to the often dark and introspective compositions of partner Simon, when the duo recorded a string of hits as Simon & Garfunkel between 1964 and 1970.

Splitting to pursue separate interests in 1971, the two have forged successful solo careers, capitalizing on their individual strengths. Simon, the songwriter of the pair, has had continued success with his poetic, finelycrafted songs, experimenting with calypso, reggae, and gospel. Garfunkel has enjoyed success as a motion picture actor and as a singer of romantic standards. In an interview with Ron Givens for Stereo Review Garfunkel stated, "[I] attempt to do songs that have moved me as beautifully and interestingly as I can."

Growing up in the middle-class neighborhood of Forest Hills, New York, Garfunkel met classmate Simon in the sixth grade while preparing for their school’s graduation play, "Alice in Wonderland." Garfunkel was the Cheshire Cat; Simon the White Rabbit. After rehearsals the two walked home together, discussing their mutual interests—sports and music. Fans of such fifties rock and roll performers as Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and the Comets, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the pair listened to the radio for hours, dabbled in composition, and practiced singing together, accompanied by Simon’s acoustic guitar. Performing at school functions and parties, the pair cut a demonstration record that caught the attention of a Big Records executive, who offered them a contract and renamed them Tom & Jerry.

Singing simple teenage rock and roll tunes, the duo had their first hit single, "Hey! Schoolgirl," when they were just fifteen. Two years later, however, Big Records folded, and the duo went their respective ways, attending separate colleges after high school graduation. Garfunkel attended Columbia University, studying architecture and mathematics. There he crossed paths with Simon once more, who was studying at nearby Queens College. While neither seriously considered a professional musical career they began to perform together again, this time singing Simon’s poetic folk pieces instead of their jointly-created rock and roll. The two attracted an enthusiastic local following and were offered a contract by Columbia Records.

Simon & Garfunkel’s first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m., appeared in 1964. Released during the throes

of Beatlemania, the album was largely ignored, although one of its songs, "The Sounds of Silence," was moderately popular. Late the following year, unbeknownst to the pair according to some accounts, Columbia overdubbed drums and bass guitar and rereleased "The Sounds of Silence" as a single. This new version sold more than one million copies and became the title track for the pair’s next LP, which went gold. Subsequent Simon & Garfunkel albums also proved top sellers, introducing such folk-rock classics as "I Am a Rock," "Homeward Bound," and "Scarborough Fair."

While Garfunkel arranged the occasional piece, Simon did the lion’s share of the songwriting, and was paid commensurately from their recording and performing revenues; Garfunkel once explained that he didn’t write songs "because Paul was so good… [and] it seemed foolish to go for equal time." Still, Garfunkel was often credited for much of the duo’s success: it was his clear tenor voice that frequently soared above the pair’s seamless harmonic blend; it was Garfunkel’s easy manner and boyish looks (his bushy blond hair was described as "a huge dandelion gone to seed" by one writer) that provided an appealing counterpoint to the dark, serious man that was Simon.

In 1968 Simon & Garfunkel provided original music for the hit motion picture The Graduate; "Mrs. Robinson," the film’s theme song, earned a Grammy Award as record of the year. Nineteen seventy brought more Grammies for the duo, their album Bridge Over Troubled Waters becoming one of the top-selling LPs of all time, at nine million copies. The album’s title song, featuring an inspirational Garfunkel solo, flooded the nation’s airwaves. Yet ironically, while the two performers were at the height of their popularity—celebrating brotherhood in their hit song—their personal differences became so great that they abandoned their partnership.

Key to the split was Garfunkel’s burgeoning acting career; the singer told Stephen Holden in a 1982 interview in Rolling Stone that "I think when I went off to make Catch-22, Paul was left feeling out of it and uncomfortably dependent. Looking back, I know, too, that I felt envious of Paul’s writing and playing." While the pair did attempt to work together from time to time, it was not until 1982 that they laid old conflicts to rest, reuniting for an open-air concert in New York’s Central Park, a television special, a double album, and an international tour—thrilling longtime fans.

Garfunkel made his acting debut as Captain Nately in Mike Nichols’s 1970 film adaptation of the bestselling Joseph Heller novel Catch 22. The actor’s efforts were well received by critics; Gary Arnold wrote in the Washington Post, for instance, "[Garfunkel] embodies a kind of youthful sweetness and idealism that the material desperately needs in the face of so many manic and inhuman characters." Garfunkel gave notable performances in Nichols’s "Carnal Knowledge" and Nicholas Roeg’s "Bad Timing" as well; nonetheless, in his interview with Holden, Garfunkel admitted that his acting career had fallen short of his expectations.

As a solo vocalist the performer has enjoyed greater success: his first album, Angel Clare, was a top seller and his second LP, Breakaway, went platinum. Reviewing the first release, Loraine Alterman wrote in the New York Times, "Not only does Garfunkel emerge as the excellent singer we all knew him to be but he also reveals himself as a romantic not afraid to luxuriate in lush sounds." Singing the soft-edged works of popular composers like Van Morrison, Randy Newman, and— especially—Jimmy Webb, Garfunkel has also recorded a number of ballad favorites: his rendition of "I Only Have Eyes for You" climbed the charts in 1975.

In his interview with Schwartz, Garfunkel revealed that his simple, sentimental stylings are far more thoughtful and complicated than they first appear: "I work a lot on the crafting… emptiness vs. busyness, peaks followed by valleys, tension and then resolve," he related."I respond more to notes than to lyrics…. What I get caught up in is texture and sonority—the sound perse." Discussing his romantic inclinations, Garfunkel continued: "What that really means is that my leaning is more legato than percussive. I happen to like smooth, connected notes more than choppy, staccato ones. I find some songs too gritty, too sophisticated. My style is to sing bloody, from the heart."

Selected discography

Simon & Garfunkel LPs
Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m., Columbia, 1964.
The Sounds of Silence, Columbia, 1966.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary &Thyme, Columbia, 1966.
Bookends, Columbia, 1968.
The Graduate (soundtrack), Columbia, 1968.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Columbia, 1970.
Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits, Columbia, 1972.
Concert in Central Park, Warner Bros., 1981.

Solo LPs
Angel Clare, Columbia, 1973.
Breakaway, Columbia, 1975.
Watermark, Columbia, 1977.
Fate for Breakfast (Doubt for Dessert), Columbia,1979.
Scissors Cut, Columbia, 1981.
Lefty, Columbia, 1988.
Garfunkel (greatest hits), Columbia, 1989.

Other
(With Amy Grant)The Animals’ Christmas, Columbia, 1986.

Sources
Books
Simon, George T., and others, The Best of the Music Makers, Doubleday, 1979.
Stambler, Irwin, Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul, revised edition, St. Martin’s, 1989.

Periodicals
High Fidelity, May 1982.
Newsweek, October 8, 1973; April 3, 1978.
New York, June 29, 1970.
New York Post, May 26, 1973.
New York Sunday News, March 26, 1967.
New York Times, September 9, 1973.
New York Times Magazine, October 13, 1968.
Rolling Stone, August 3, 1972; October 30, 1980; March 18, 1982.
Seventeen, May 1968.
Stereo Review, April 1988.
Washington Post, June 25, 1970.
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Art Garfunkel

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  • Genres: Rock

Biography

After Simon & Garfunkel, one of the most successful duos in pop history, split up in 1970, Art Garfunkel became a solo artist, as well as pursuing an acting career. Garfunkel's pure, high tenor had been one of the most distinctive elements of the duo's music, yet he wasn't responsible for the songwriting -- Simon wrote all of the group's hits. Not surprisingly, Garfunkel relied on other songwriters, from Jimmy Webb and Randy Newman, in addition to rock & roll standards like "I Only Have Eyes for You," throughout his solo career. As a solo performer, he was never quite as successful as he was with Simon & Garfunkel, yet he did have a number of Top 40 hits in the mid-'70s.

Garfunkel didn't begin a solo career until 1973. Between 1970 and 1973, he acted, appearing in two Mike Nichols films, Catch 22 and Carnal Knowledge. Angel Clare, his first solo record, was co-produced with Simon & Garfunkel producer Roy Halee and released in the fall of 1973. It established the style -- a light, carefully arranged and constructed melodic soft rock -- he would follow throughout his solo career. The album became a Top Ten hit on the strength of the single "All I Know," which peaked at number nine. Two years later, he returned with the Richard Perry-produced Breakaway, the most successful album of his solo career. The record peaked at number seven, with a version of the Flamingos' "I Only Have Eyes for You" reaching number 18 on the U.S. charts; in Britain, the single topped the charts. That same fall, he reunited with Paul Simon for the first time, performing on Saturday Night Live. In December, Simon's "My Little Town," featuring Garfunkel on backing vocals, became a Top Ten hit.

In the fall of 1977, Garfunkel released his third album, Watermark, which primarily consisted of Jimmy Webb covers. However, when the first single from the album failed to chart, the album was reissued in early 1978 with a cover of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World" that featured supporting vocals from Simon and James Taylor. Released as a single, "Wonderful World" peaked at number 17. The following year, Fate for Breakfast appeared. Although it performed well in Britain, reaching number two, the album signalled that his American audience was beginning to shrink: none of the singles made the Top 40 and the album only reached number 67. In the fall of 1979, he filmed two movies, Bad Timing and Illusions. Scissors Cut, a reunion with producer Roy Halee released in 1981, did nothing to reverse his sliding commercial potential -- it didn't even break into the Top 100 albums.

After the release of Scissors Cut, Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park. The concert was so successful, the duo decided to embark on a year-long world tour. During the tour, tensions mounted between the pair and they split again after it was completed. After a lengthy quiet period, Garfunkel re-emerged in 1988 with Lefty, which spent a mere eight weeks in the American charts and failed to make the British charts. He did not release another album until 1993's rarities compilation Up 'til Now. Following its release, Garfunkel took another extended break, returning in 1997 with the live album Across America and the children's record Songs from a Parent to a Child. The (mostly) self-penned Everything Waits to Be Noticed arrived in 2002, followed by Some Enchanted Evening, a collection of renditions of classics from the American Popular Songbook, in 2007. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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"Garfunkel" redirects here. For the comedy musical duo that includes the same name, see Garfunkel and Oates.
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Art Garfunkel

Art Garfunkel in concert in Dublin, Ireland.
Background information
Birth name Arthur Ira Garfunkel
Born November 5, 1941 (1941-11-05) (age 70)
Forest Hills, Queens, New York City
Genres Folk rock, soft rock, rock, pop
Occupations Musician
Songwriter
Actor
Poet
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano, violin
Years active 1956–present
Labels Columbia Records
Atco Records
Associated acts Simon & Garfunkel
Website Official site

Arthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, and actor, best known as being a member of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel. In 1970, at the height of their popularity, the duo split.

Garfunkel also has had a brief career as an actor, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Sandy Kaufman in Carnal Knowledge.

Highlights of his solo career include one top ten hit, three top 20 hits, six top 40 hits, 14 Adult Contemporary top 30 singles, five Adult Contemporary number ones, two UK number ones and a People's Choice Award.

Through his solo and collaborative work, Garfunkel has earned six Grammys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award.[1] In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Contents

Early life and career

Art Garfunkel was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, the son of housewife Rose and traveling salesman Jacob "Jack" Garfunkel on November 5, 1941. Art has two siblings; the older one named Jules and the younger one named Jerome, who was an actor in his earlier years in Dayton, Ohio,[2] before becoming a travelling menswear salesman.[3][4][5] He is Jewish. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Iași in Romania. His cousin is con-artist and founder of 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, Lou Pearlman, on his mother's side.[6][7][8] Garfunkel attended the Forest Hills High School. According to the Across America DVD, Garfunkel's love for singing "Came in the first grade. when we were lined up in size order, and after everyone else had left, I'd stay behind and enjoy the echo sound of the stairwell tiles and sing "Unchained Melody" and "You'll Never Walk Alone", learning to love this goose-bumps song from the tender age of five." Later, Garfunkel's father bought him a wire recorder and from then on, Garfunkel spent his afternoons singing, recording and playing it back, so he could listen for flaws and learn how to improve.

At his bar mitzvah in 1954, Garfunkel performed as a cantor performing over four hours of his repertoire to his family.[9] As a young teen, Garfunkel was struck with a lung infection leading to a love for basketball. He explained his love for the sport in a 1998 Interview: "In the summer of ’55, I had a lung infection. I couldn’t run around, but I love basketball and there was a hoop nearby. Much of the summer I spent methodically hitting 96, 98 foul shots out of 100. Then 102! I never played on a team after Junior High School. Just 3 against 3, half court pick up games in the schoolyard."[10] He met his future singing partner, Paul Simon, in the sixth grade – PS 164, Queens, when they were both cast in the elementary school graduation play, Alice In Wonderland.[11] It has been said by Garfunkel that Simon first became interested in singing after hearing Garfunkel sing a rendition of Nat King Cole's "Too Young" in a school talent show.

Between 1956 and 1962, the two had performed together as "Tom & Jerry", occasionally performing at school dances. Their idols were The Everly Brothers, whom they imitated in their use of close two-part vocal harmony. In 1957, Simon and Garfunkel recorded the song "Hey, Schoolgirl" under the name Tom & Jerry, given to them by their label Big Records. The single reached number forty-nine on the pop charts. Garfunkel ("Tom Graph") chose his nickname because he liked to track, or "graph" hits, on the pop charts.[citation needed] He also released some singles as a solo artist under the name Artie Garr, a shortened version of his name. In interviews, Garfunkel has noted himself how these early singles distinguished him as a folk-styled crooner,[citation needed] with songs like "Beat Love" and "Dream Alone" (both released 1959).

After graduating from Forest Hills High School, Garfunkel studied at Columbia College at Columbia University in Manhattan in the early 1960s, where he was a brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.[12] Garfunkel was a team member in sports like Tennis, Skiing, Fencing and Bowling teams at the College.[10] He was also a member of the all-male a cappella group on campus, the Columbia Kingsmen.[13] In 1962, Garfunkel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in art history, followed by a master's degree in mathematics, while Simon attended Queens College. Garfunkel also completed coursework toward a doctorate in Mathematics Education at Teachers College, Columbia University during the peak of Simon and Garfunkel's commercial success.[14]

Simon & Garfunkel

Main article: Simon & Garfunkel
A red vinyl promotional copy of Simon & Garfunkel's single "I Am a Rock", from 1966.

In 1963, he and Simon reformed their duo under their own names as "Simon and Garfunkel" and released their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. on Columbia Records in October 1964. It was not a critical success, and the duo subsequently split again. The next year, producer Tom Wilson lifted the song "The Sounds of Silence" from the record, dubbed an electric backing onto it,[15] and released it as a single that went to #1 on the Billboard pop charts.

Simon had gone to England in 1965 after the initial failure of Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., pursuing a solo career. But he returned to the US to reunite with Garfunkel after "The Sounds of Silence" had started to enjoy commercial success, and went on to become one of the most popular acts of the 1960s. Together they recorded four more influential albums, Sounds of Silence; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme; Bookends; and the hugely successful Bridge over Troubled Water. Simon and Garfunkel also contributed extensively to the soundtrack of the 1967 Mike Nichols film The Graduate (starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft). While writing "Mrs. Robinson", Simon originally toyed with the title "Mrs. Roosevelt."[16] When Garfunkel reported this indecision over the song's name to the director, Nichols replied, "Don't be ridiculous! We're making a movie here! It's Mrs. Robinson!"[17] Simon and Garfunkel returned to England in the Fall of 1968 and did a concert appearance at Kraft Hall which was broadcast on the BBC, and also featured Art's solo performance of "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her", which received a standing ovation.

While Garfunkel was not a song-writer per se, he did write the poem "Canticle" as a re-write of Simon's "Side of A Hill" from his debut album, for "Scarborough Fair/Canticle".[18] He also worked as the vocal arranger for the duo, working out who the songs would be sung by and how each song was produced. He is also credited as having written the instrumental on "The Boxer", and creating the Audio montage, "Voices Of The Old People" on "Bookends". Citing personal differences and divergence in career interests, they split following the release of their most critically acclaimed album, Bridge over Troubled Water, in 1970.

Both Simon and Garfunkel pursued solo projects after the duo released their popular album Bridge over Troubled Water. Occasionally, they did reunite, such as in 1975 for their Top Ten single "My Little Town", which Simon originally wrote for Garfunkel, claiming Garfunkel's solo output was lacking "bite." The song was included on their respective solo albums; Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years, and Garfunkel's Breakaway. Contrary to popular belief, the song is not at all autobiographical of Simon's early life in New York City, but of Garfunkel's childhood in Queens.[19] In 1981, they got together again for the famous concert in Central Park, followed by a world tour and an aborted reunion album Think Too Much, which was eventually released (without Garfunkel) as Hearts and Bones.

Together, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

In 2003, the two reunited again when they received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This reunion led to a US tour—the acclaimed "Old Friends" concert series—followed by a 2004 international encore, which culminated in a free concert at the Colosseum in Rome. That final concert drew 600,000 people.[20]

1970–1975: Hiatus and first album

During a three-year hiatus after Simon & Garfunkel's break-up, Garfunkel starred in two Mike Nichols films, one of which had him nominated for a Golden Globe. He also spent late 1971 to early 1972 working as a mathematics teacher at Litchfield Private School, in Connecticut (by request of his fiancée Linda Marie Grossman).[10]

However, in late 1972, with Simon & Garfunkel having released their Greatest Hits album, Garfunkel felt ready to return to his musical career. His first album was 1973's Angel Clare, which contained "All I Know" along with "I Shall Sing" and "Travelling Boy" as singles. The album was received with mixed reviews, reaching no.5 in the U.S. In 1974, Garfunkel released the hit record, "Second Avenue".

On his next album, 1975 Breakaway, Garfunkel briefly reunited with Paul Simon for the 1975 hit "My Little Town". The album also included the singles "Breakaway" (B-Side: "Disney Girls") and "I Only Have Eyes For You" (a 1934 song written by Harry Warren)[21], which is noted as being Garfunkel's first UK Number One.

1976–1979: Diversity and disaster

In 1976, Garfunkel recorded background and duet vocals for several artists including; Stephen Bishop's Careless album, James Taylor's In The Pocket album and J.D. Souther's Black Rose album. Also, beginning in December 1976, right through until September 1977, Garfunkel worked on his next album.

Garfunkel's next release was the 1978 album, Watermark (US #19, UK #26), which upon initial release, failed to make an impression on the public. Its main single, "Crying In My Sleep" ("Mr. Shuck 'N' Jive") (UK #25) failed to reach the US Top 40, but after a two-month hiatus where it was taken off the market, it was re-released in January 1978, with Garfunkel's cover of Sam Cooke's "(What a) Wonderful World" (B-Side: "Wooden Planes"), which reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #17 pop, as the new single. Paul Simon and mutual friend James Taylor had contributed backing vocals to the song, making the song a huge hit on the US A.C. charts.

Garfunkel's last release of the 1970s was the 1979 album, Fate For Breakfast (US #67, UK #2), was his first US flop album. the album first single, "In A Little While (I'll Be On My Way)" (B-Side: "And I Know") (US AC #12) failed to break the top forty, as did his second single, "Since I Don't Have You" (B-Side: "When Someone Doesn't Want You") (US #53, US AC #5, UK #38). But in the UK the album was a huge success, scoring a number one hit with "Bright Eyes" (B-Side: "Sail on a Rainbow") (US AC #29, UK #1) (a song written by Mike Batt). A version of "Bright Eyes" also appeared in the movie (based on the famous novel) Watership Down. However, tragedy struck at this time when his longtime girlfriend, Laurie Bird, committed suicide in June 1979, at their Manhattan apartment, just three months after the album's release in March. Garfunkel later admitted that the incident left him in a deep depression for most of the 1980s, hence the lack of musical output during the majority of the decade.

1980–1995: Depression and disappearing

Garfunkel's next album was a low point in his career. The 1981 album, Scissors Cut (US #113, UK #51) (dedicated to Laurie Bird), contained three singles, "A Heart in New York" (B-Side: "Is This Love") (US #66, US AC #10), "Scissors Cut" and "Hang On In", with the latter two failing to chart.

Following disappointing sales of Scissors Cut, Garfunkel reunited with Simon for The Concert in Central Park and a world tour. They had disagreements during the tour. In 1984 Stereo Review Magazine reported that Simon mixed out Garfunkel's voice from a new album, initially slated to be a Simon and Garfunkel studio reunion, but ultimately released as a Simon solo album (Hearts and Bones). In 1986, Garfunkel played the part of the butcher on the Mike Batt concept album The Hunting Of The Snark. Garfunkel again left the music scene during which time his father died, leading further into depression. But in the fall of 1985 he met his future wife, Kathryn (Kim) Cermack. Garfunkel's retirement lasted a full seven years, until his 1988 album, Lefty (US, #134), which produced three singles, "So Much in Love" (US #76 AC #11), "When A Man Loves A Woman," and "This Is The Moment."

Garfunkel released his first compilation album in 1984, The Art Garfunkel Album (UK #12), never released in the US,[22] which contained the minor hit "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" (UK #77, US AC #25). This was followed by 1988 Garfunkel and 1993 Up 'til Now, neither of which received significant critical or commercial success.

1996–2006: Resurgence

His live 1996 concert Across America (UK #35), recorded at the registry hall on Ellis Island features musical guests James Taylor, Garfunkel's wife, Kim, and his son James.[23]

Garfunkel performed the theme song for the 1991 television series, Brooklyn Bridge, and "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" for a 1998 episode of the children's educational television series Arthur, where he was depicted as a singing/narrator moose.[24] Garfunkel's performance of Monty Python member Eric Idle's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" was used in the end credits of the 1997 film As Good as It Gets.

In 2003, Garfunkel made his debut as a songwriter on his Everything Waits to Be Noticed album. Teaming up with singer-songwriters Maia Sharp and Buddy Mondlock, the album contained several songs which were originally poems written by Garfunkel. The album is recognized as his first effort at songwriting since his teenage years with Tom & Jerry.

In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel reunited again for a successful world tour that extended into 2004.[25] In 2005, his song "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" from The Art Garfunkel Album (1984) (written by Mike Batt) was re-recorded by ex-ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog on her album My Colouring Book.

In 2006, Garfunkel signed with Rhino Records (revived Atco Records), and his first Rhino/Atco album Some Enchanted Evening was released in America on January 30, 2007.[26] The album was a dedicated celebration of pop standards of Garfunkel's childhood. In late February 2007 during a German television interview to promote the new album, he expressed interest in reuniting with Paul Simon on a new Simon and Garfunkel album.[citation needed]

2006–2012: Recent events

In 2009, Garfunkel appeared as himself on the HBO television show Flight of the Conchords episode entitled "Prime Minister."

He continued to tour in 2009 with four musicians and his son.[27]

On February 13, 2009, Simon and his band re-opened New York's legendary Beacon Theatre, which had been closed for seven months for a renovation. As an encore, Simon brought out "my old friend," Art Garfunkel. They sang three songs: "Sound of Silence", "The Boxer", and "Old Friends".

On April 2, 2009, the duo announced a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Japan for June/July 2009.[28] On October 29–30, they participated together in the 25th anniversary of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden. Other artists on the bill included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band; U2; Metallica; Aretha Franklin; Stevie Wonder, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.[29]

In March 2010, Simon & Garfunkel announced a 13-date spring tour, to kick off in April with a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Most performances were scheduled for Canada, with four shows in the upper Midwest of the US. According to a press release, the set list would focus on their classic catalog, as well as songs from each of their solo careers.[30] On June 17, 2010, Simon & Garfunkel canceled the tour, earlier rescheduled for July 2010, now postponed indefinitely as Garfunkel continues to recover from a vocal cord paresis.[31]

In November 2010, Garfunkel said that, having quit smoking two and a half months before, he was recovering from paresis, and would be touring in 2011.[32]

Voice classification

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Garfunkel's voice has been noted as changing over the past four decades, but virtually unnoticeably until his late fifties, when his voice began to lower after years of smoking. Garfunkel has been noted as being a natural voiced tenor who can lower his voice to a G2 on the keyboard (baritone range) and, as heard on the first chorus of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" as high as Ab4, and up to an Eb5 on his 1973 rendition of "Old Man" (though this is falsetto).

Garfunkel has suggested his next album will have songs that are more vocal based.

Acting career

Garfunkel pursued an acting career in the early 1970s, appearing in two Mike Nichols films: Catch-22 (1970), in which he played the 19-year old naive Lieutenant Nately, and Carnal Knowledge (1971), in which he played the idealistic Sandy. His role as Sandy won him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1972.

He later appeared in Nicolas Roeg's Bad Timing (1980) as Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist who serves as the film's main antagonist. The film received the Toronto Film Festival's highest honour, the People's Choice Award, in 1980 and the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director.

He appeared in Good to Go (1986) directed by Blain Novak, starring as a Washington, D.C. journalist who struggles to clear his name after being framed for rape and murder. Garfunkel then appeared in the medical crime drama Boxing Helena (1993), directed by Jennifer Lynch, as Dr. Lawrence Augustine.

Garfunkel's most recent film is The Rebound (2010), directed by Bart Freundlich, playing Harry Finklestein, the slightly senile and comedic relieving father of the film's main character, played by Justin Bartha.

Garfunkel has said he turned down numerous film offers in the 1970s. He reportedly turned down the role of Billy Pilgrim in the adaption of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and the role of Tom Hagen in The Godfather in the same year (1972). According to the response of this matter recently issued on his official website, Garfunkel has not ever turned down the role of Tom Hagen in The Godfather.[citation needed]

Poetry career

Garfunkel, an avid reader and bibliophile, has admitted that the Garfunkel household was not a literary family, but it was not until his entrance to Columbia College in 1959, that he began to "read a million books and became a reader". It was through this he began an interest in poetry.[citation needed]

Garfunkel's poetic career began in 1981, while on the Simon & Garfunkel 1981-1982 tour in Switzerland, he was riding a motorcycle and began writing a poem describing the countryside. In 1989, Still Water, Garfunkel's collection of prose poetry was released to acclaim.[citation needed] Topics included his depression over the loss of his father; Laurie Bird, his companion who committed suicide; the friendship of Paul Simon; and the joy of returning to music.[citation needed]

He reportedly has plans to release a second book in the near future.[citation needed]

Personal life

Garfunkel married Linda Marie Grossman in 1972; they divorced in 1975. He has claimed that the marriage was turbulent and ended bitterly. Garfunkel has never spoken to her since and claims he never loved her.[33]

He was also romantically involved with actress and photographer Laurie Bird from March 1974 (when he was 32 and she was 20) until her suicide in 1979.[34] According to a 1986 interview, Art said about his relationship with Laurie Bird "I asked myself constantly why I didn't marry her, because surely she was the apple of my eye. She was everything I was looking for in a woman. But I was very hurt by my first marriage, so as far as marriage to Laurie was concerned, I was extra scared. I was heartbroken. It laid me low. I used to get very sad when the sun went down. The nights were very lonely for me."[citation needed]

Garfunkel had a brief affair with actress Penny Marshall in the mid 1980s and credits her with helping him through his depression. Their friendship stayed strong even after the relationship's end. Garfunkel would later say of Marshall, "Everything changed. Penny is a sweet human being who can bring anybody down to earth. We had a lot of laughs, great sex and a ton of party nights".[35]

In fall of 1985, Garfunkel met former model Kathryn (Kim) Cermack while shooting Good To Go. They married on 18 September 1988. The two have been married for over twenty years.

The two have two children, James, born 15 December 1990, and Beau Daniel, born 5 October 2005 via a surrogate mother.[36]

Garfunkel is an avid reader and bibliophile; his website contains a year-by-year listing of every book he has read since 1968.[37] Currently the list contains more than 1,000 books. He has also read the entire Random House Dictionary.

Garfunkel is a huge fan of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, having twice read his book Confessions (according to his library, the book was the first and thousandth book he'd read).

Garfunkel has undertaken several cross-continental walks in his lifetime, writing poetry along the way. In the early 1980s, he walked across Japan in a matter of weeks.[38] From 1983 to 1997, Garfunkel walked across America,[39] taking 40 excursions to complete the route from New York City to the Pacific coast of Washington. In May 1998, Garfunkel began an incremented walk across Europe.[40]

His all-time favorite pop song is The Beatles' "Here, There and Everywhere" and his all-time favorite album is Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. When asked about his musical preferences, he answered, "I have a very sure-footed sense of what I like, and exactly how much I like it. Give me two listenings of a song, and I can tell you exactly how it sits with me, and...I know my musical taste. I know my ears, I know what I respond to."[41]

Garfunkel has been arrested twice for the possession of cannabis: once in early 2004 and again in August 2005.[42]

Garfunkel is the brother of Jerome Garfunkel, the former member of the American (ANSI) and International (ISO) Committees who wrote the specification for the COBOL programming language. His older brother Jules B. Garfunkel was a United States Navy Veteran and financial analyst who died on September 17, 2006 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Garfunkel is 6'0 (1.83 m), which is a large contrast to Paul Simon's 5'3 (1.60 m).[41]

Garfunkel is very religious, but said he has become more spiritual in his later years, often drawing from religious values for his poetry.[43]

Art Garfunkel is left-handed and is a multi-instrumentalist: he plays guitar, piano, and violin.

Nominations

Awards

Work on Broadway

Discography

Main article: Art Garfunkel discography

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1970 Catch-22 Lieutenant Edward J. Nately III Debut Screen Role
1971 Carnal Knowledge Dr. Sandy Kaufman Nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1980 Bad Timing Dr. Alex Linden Winner of the 1980 People's Choice Award
1986 Good To Go S.D. Blass Out Of Print
1993 Boxing Helena Dr. Lawrence Augustine
1998 54 Himself Cameo
2000 Longshot Himself Cameo
2010 The Rebound Harry Finklestein Most Recent Performance

References

  1. ^ "Grammy Award Winners". Grammy.com. http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx. Retrieved 2009-12-06. 
  2. ^ Pete Fornatale (November 22, 2007). Simon and Garfunkel's Bookends. St. Martin's Press. ASIN 1594864276. ISBN 978-1594864278. http://books.google.de/books?id=3xrGR7hYesYC&pg=PT24&dq=Jacob+%22Jack%22+Garfunkel. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  3. ^ Horan, Tom (February 17, 2007). "Garfunkel's ageless art". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3663214/Garfunkel%27s-ageless-art.html. Retrieved April 25, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Celebrities' moms are stars for a day". Miami Herald. May 14, 1989. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&p_text_direct-0=0EB33C7F03AF8302&p_field_direct-0=document_id. 
  5. ^ Martin Douglas (August 14, 1991). "About New York; Just Simon in the Park, to Garfunkel's Disappointment". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/14/nyregion/about-new-york-just-simon-in-the-park-to-garfunkel-s-disappointment.html. Retrieved June 2, 2009. ""Soon, he and Paul Simon, two sons of Forest Hills, Queens, who became bards of the 60's, would stride to the shimmering center of a vast Central Park stage, and a generation growing overweight and apart would for a few fleeting hours feel forever young."" 
  6. ^ "Art Garfunkel's Feelin' Groovy Again". Canadian Jewish News. Art Garfunkel's official website. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/cjn.html. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  7. ^ "Art's Sake: Is Garfunkel headed to Scarborough Fair? No, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is going to Har Zion". Jewish Exponent. Art Garfunkel's official website. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/exponent.html. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  8. ^ "The Art of Garfunkel". Dayton Daily News. Art Garfunkel's official website. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/dayton.html. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  9. ^ Tom Horan. "Garfunkel's ageless art". The Daily Teelegraph. Art Garfunkel's official website. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/telegraph07.html. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  10. ^ a b c "1998 website interview". Art Garfunkel's official website. 1998. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/may1998.html. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  11. ^ Eliot, Marc (2010). Paul Simon: A Life. Wiley. ISBN 978-0470433638. 
  12. ^ "Some of our more famous alumni". Alpha Epsilon Pi. http://undergrad.aepialpha.org/alumni.php. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  13. ^ Xfinity. "Ivy League Celebrities." Accessed December 1, 2011. http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-ivyleague/8/.
  14. ^ Jan Herman (February 6, 1977). "TV Makes You Famous; Rock'n Roll Makes You Rich". Gannett News Service. Art Garfunkel's official website. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/gannett.html. Retrieved April 23, 2011. 
  15. ^ Bruce Eder. "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.—Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://allmusic.com/album/wednesday-morning-3-am-r17998/review. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  16. ^ "Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel". Songfacts. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1283. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  17. ^ David Fricke, in the leaflet accompaniment to the Simon and Garfunkel 1997 album "Old Friends"
  18. ^ "Paul Simon". Official Website of Paul Simon. http://www.paul-simon.info/. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  19. ^ "The Boy in the Bubble" by Patrick Humphries, page 96.
  20. ^ Paul Simon News on Yahoo! Music[dead link]
  21. ^ I Only Have Eyes For You (1975 version)
  22. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. 2001-09-11. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/cds/artgar.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  23. ^ "Simon and Garfunkel the sound". Jgarfunkel.com. http://www.jgarfunkel.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  24. ^ Artgarfunkel.com[dead link]
  25. ^ By Steve Knopper (2004-08-09). "Simon Garfunkel Conquer | Music News". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/simon-garfunkel-conquer-20040809. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  26. ^ http://www.rhino.com/rzine/pressrelease.lasso?PRID=455
  27. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. 2001-09-11. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/concerts.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  28. ^ "Australia and New Zealand snare the world's only confirmed concerts for Simon & Garfunkel in 2009". http://www.simonandgarfunkel.com/news.html. 
  29. ^ "The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates its 25th anniversary with two groundbreaking concerts". http://www.simonandgarfunkel.com/news.html. 
  30. ^ "Simon and Garfunkel Confirm Spring North American Tour". http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/03/08/simon-garfunkel-confirm-spring-north-american-tour/. 
  31. ^ "Simon & Garfunkel Cancel Summer Tour". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/events/simon-garfunkel-cancel-summer-tour-1004099106.story. Retrieved 2010-06-18. 
  32. ^ By Andy Greene (2010-11-05). "Art Garfunkel Plans Return of Simon Garfunkel As His Voice Mends | Music News". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/51942/231353. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  33. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/telegraph.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  34. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/chrono/1975-1979.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  35. ^ "Artgarfunkel.com". Artgarfunkel.com. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/articles/dailymail2.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  36. ^ By KC Baker (2005-12-07). "Baker, KC, "Art Garfunkel a Father Again at 64"". People.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,1138395,00.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  37. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. 2001-09-11. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/library/list1.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  38. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/poems/america/quotes.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  39. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/poems/america/route.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  40. ^ "Official Website". Art Garfunkel. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/poems/eurowalk/ireland.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 
  41. ^ a b IMDb.com
  42. ^ Garfunkel arrested over marijuana possession. 31 August 2005. ABC News Online[dead link]
  43. ^ "Still Water". Artgarfunkel.com. http://www.artgarfunkel.com/poems/stillwater.html. Retrieved 2011-11-21. 

Sources

  • Art Garfunkel (August 1989). Still Water: Prose Poems. Dutton and Dial. ASIN 0525247955. ISBN 978-0525247951. 
  • Mitchell S. Cohen (1977). Simon & Garfunkel: A Biography in Words & Pictures. Sire Books. 
  • Patrick Humphries (August 1983). Bookends: The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Proteus. ISBN 978-0862760632. 
  • John Svenson (November 15, 1984). Simon and Garfunkel: A Musical Autobiography. W.H.Allen. ISBN 978-0491034906. 
  • Robert Matthew-Walker (1984). Simon and Garfunkel. Hippocrene Books. ISBN 9780882547299. 
  • Joseph Morella; Patricia Barey (October 1991). Simon and Garfunkel: Old Friends : A Dual Biography (1st ed.). Carol Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-1559720892. 
  • Victoria Kingston (May 1997). Simon & Garfunkel: The Definitive Biography. Trans-Atlantic Publications. ISBN 978-0330349703. 
  • Pete Fornatale (October 30, 2007). Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends (1st ed.). Rodale Books. ASIN 1594864276. ISBN 978-1594864278. 

External links

Simon & Garfunkel
Paul Simon · Art Garfunkel
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Soundtrack albums
Singles
Videos
Discographies
Other

1970: "In the Summertime" - Mungo Jerry · 1971: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison · 1972: "Amazing Grace" - The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Band · 1973: "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" - Tony Orlando and Dawn · 1974: "Tiger Feet" - Mud · 1975: "Bye Bye Baby" - Bay City Rollers · 1976: "Save Your Kisses for Me" - Brotherhood of Man · 1977: "Mull of Kintyre"/"Girls' School" - Wings · 1978: "Rivers of Babylon"/"Brown Girl in the Ring" - Boney M. · 1979: "Bright Eyes" - Art Garfunkel · 1980: "Don't Stand So Close to Me" - The Police · 1981: "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell · 1982: "Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners · 1983: "Karma Chameleon" - Culture Club · 1984: "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - Band Aid · 1985: "The Power of Love" - Jennifer Rush · 1986: "Don't Leave Me This Way" - The Communards · 1987: "Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley · 1988: "Mistletoe and Wine" - Cliff Richard · 1989: "Ride on Time" - Black Box
"Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)"* performed by Domenico Modugno (1959)
"Mack the Knife" performed by Bobby Darin (1960) "Theme from A Summer Place" performed by Percy Faith (1961)
"Moon River"* performed by Henry Mancini (1962) "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" performed by Tony Bennett (1963)
"Days of Wine and Roses"* performed by Henry Mancini (1964) "The Girl from Ipanema" performed by Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz (1965)
"A Taste of Honey" performed by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
produced by Herb Alpert & Jerry Moss (1966)		 "Strangers in the Night" performed by Frank Sinatra
produced by Jimmy Bowen (1967)
"Up, Up and Away"* performed by The 5th Dimension (Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamont McLemore, Ron Townson)
produced by Johnny Rivers & Marc Gordon (1968)		 "Mrs. Robinson" performed by Simon & Garfunkel (Art Garfunkel*, Paul Simon*)
produced by Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon & Roy Halee (1969)
"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" performed by The 5th Dimension (Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamont McLemore, Ron Townson)
produced by Bones Howe (1970)		 "Bridge over Troubled Water" performed by Simon & Garfunkel (Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon)
produced by Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon & Roy Halee (1971)
"It's Too Late" performed by Carole King
produced by Lou Adler (1972)		 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" performed by Roberta Flack
produced by Joel Dorn (1973)
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" performed by Roberta Flack
produced by Joel Dorn (1974)		 "I Honestly Love You" performed by Olivia Newton-John
produced by John Farrar (1975)
"Love Will Keep Us Together" performed by Captain & Tennille (Daryl Dragon, Toni Tennille)
produced by Daryl Dragon (1976)		 "This Masquerade" performed by George Benson
produced by Tommy LiPuma (1977)
"Hotel California" performed by The Eagles (Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Joe Walsh),
produced by Bill Szymczyk (1978)		 "Just the Way You Are" performed by Billy Joel
produced by Phil Ramone (1979)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
Related topics:
Art Garfunkel: Saturday Night Live (TV Episode) (1978 Comedy TV Episode)
The Paul Simon Special (1977 Music Film)
Best of Art Garfunkel [Germany] (2005 Album by Art Garfunkel)

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