Early Life

Art Garfunkel was born on November 05, 1941, in Forest Hills, New York. His father, Jacob “Jack” Garfunkel, was a traveling salesman who later owned a florist business, his mother’s name was Rose. Art is the middle child of three, his older brother Jules was born in 1939 and his younger sister Laurie was born in 1950. Growing up Jewish in the 1940s and ’50s, Garfunkel attended elementary school at P.S. 164 in Queens where he befriended another student named Paul Simon. The two would go on to become one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of all time.

Career

In 1955, Simon & Garfunkel released their first album, Wednesday Morning, which was met with little fanfare. It wasn’t until the release of their second album, Sounds of Silence, in 1966 that the duo found commercial success. The album spawned the hit single “The Sound of Silence,” which shot to the top of the charts and made Simon & Garfunkel household names.

The duo would go on to release five more studio albums over the next eight years, including such classics as Bridge Over Troubled Water and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. But by 1974, tensions between Simon and Garfunkel had reached a boiling point and they decided to call it quits.

Garfunkel went on to enjoy a successful solo career, releasing 11 studio albums and scoring such hits as “All I Know” and “Bright Eyes.” He has also appeared in a number of films, most notably Catch-22 and The Harrisons.

In recent years, Simon & Garfunkel have reunited on occasion for live performances. But despite rumors of a new album or tour, nothing has materialized as of yet.

Garfunkel’s work – both with Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist – has earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards over the years, including five Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.

Personal Life

Garfunkel has been married three times. His first marriage, to Linda Marie Moore, lasted from 1972 to 1975. He was married to Carrie Fisher from 1983 to 1984, the couple had no children. Garfunkel wed his current wife, Kim Cermak, in 1988. The couple has two sons: James (born 1990) and Beau Daniel (born 1992).

In 2009, Garfunkel published his autobiography, What Is It All but Luminous: Notes From an Artist’s Life. The book received mixed reviews but was generally praised for its candor and insights into Garfunkel’s life and career.

Despite his success as a musician, Art Garfunkel remains something of an enigma – a private man who has nonetheless led a very public life. But there is no denying his talent as a singer and songwriter, or the lasting impact he has had on the music industry. Garfunkel’s legacy is sure to endure for many years to come.