Happy 75th Birthday Paul Simon: Performing Live Through The Decades

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Paul Simon celebrates the milestone of his 75th birthday today. A quintessential New Yorker, Simon is equal parts poignant lyricist, master of melody and genius rhythmic architect who first gained popularity alongside Art Garfunkel in the early 1960s. Though Simon & Garfunkel would break up at the start of the next decade, Simon’s solo career has continued to evolve with each subsequent era, developing a beloved songbook adored by fans around the globe.

For Paul’s 75th today, here’s a retrospective look back a him performing in various capacities in each decade starting in the 1960s and continuing through this year. First is black and white footage from 1966 of Simon & Garfunkel performing for Canadian television. Here’s their rendition of “Sounds Of Silence” from an episode of Let’s Sing Out:

Late great The Beatles guitarist George Harrison was not only a friend of Paul’s but a collaborator as well. The pair performed together during one of Simon’s many appearances on Saturday Night Live back in November 1976. Watch their duet on “Homeward Bound” below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UODI6JmUnMA

By the 1980s African music began to have a greater influence on Simon’s compositions, extensively collaborating with South African collective Ladysmith Black Mambazo and others on the 1986 album Graceland. The video below features the group performing a concert in Africa in 1987 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Check out “Under African Skies”:

From the 1990s decade below is a highlight of Paul’s set at the 1992 edition of Farm Aid. Held in Irving, Texas on March 14 the clip features outlaw country legend Willie Nelson trading verses with Simon on “Graceland.” Here’s the official footage from Texas Stadium:

Simon began the 2000s with the release of his album You’re The One in October 2000. Though it’s now been 16 years since it came out, the LP at the time included a track titled “Old” that dealt with the experience of aging. This video showcases Paul and his talented band playing the song live in Paris shortly after the record was issued:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPzkHPF3ldM

On June 13, 2016 Simon’s 13th solo LP Stranger To Stranger was released. One of the tracks on the album was the single “Wristband” which was performed live for the first time back in February for A Prairie Home Companion. Watch the live premiere of “Wristband” featuring Andrew Bird, Sarah Jarosz, Chris Thile and members of Punch Brothers here: