Art Garfunkel Returns to Touring at 84, Reflects on Career and Simon Partnership

Art Garfunkel, one half of the folk-pop duo Simon and Garfunkel, has returned to touring at age 84 after a hiatus from singing that lasted roughly a year, according to an interview published by The Guardian.

In the interview, Garfunkel described himself first as a singer, though he emphasized that his life has extended well beyond music. "I am a singer — there, use that as the title of your article," he told The Guardian, "but he was never just a singer. I've been an actor. I am a writer. I've walked across countries, taken freighters across oceans. I've read the dictionary. I've read two books a month for 60 years: Darwin, Herodotus, Balzac, Proust, Tolstoy. I've taught maths. I have two great kids and I'm a great father, but it always does seem to come back to the singing."

Simon and Garfunkel, according to the report, sold more albums than any other pop duo in history. Garfunkel's vocals, often described as "angelic," featured on well-known songs including "The Sound of Silence" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." He also built a career as a solo artist following the duo's most active years together.

The Guardian reported that until roughly a year before the interview, Garfunkel had stepped back from singing almost entirely and had not toured since 2019. He described a period of reflection during that time. "I found myself lying on a pillow in a dream state, thinking about the meaning of being alive," he said. "What is my day? What am I supposed to do with myself?"

The interview, part of coverage tied to Garfunkel's new tour, also touched on his relationship with songwriting partner Paul Simon, with the piece's headline referencing efforts toward reconciliation between the two, though further details of that reported reconciliation were not included in the excerpt provided.