born Oct. 13, 1941, Newark, N.J., U.S.
U.S. pop singer and songwriter.
Simon began performing with Art Garfunkel (b. 1941) in the 1950s, using the name Tom and Jerry. After a break, the two reunited in 1964 as Simon and Garfunkel. Their first hit single was "Sounds of Silence" (1966); others over the next six years included "Mrs. Robinson" (for the film The Graduate ) and "Bridge over Troubled Water." After the two parted company, Simon released several hit albums, including Still Crazy After All These Years (1975). His Graceland (1986) album, recorded with African musicians, became the most successful and influential of the new genre of world music . Both African music and Brazilian music informed his album The Rhythm of the Saints (1990). With the West Indian poet Derek Walcott he wrote the Broadway musical The Capeman (1998).