"asNeilStraussdescribedArt’svoiceinTheNewYorkTimes,isclearandresonant,surelyoneofthefinestinstrumentsinallofpopularmusic,andatime-honoredfriendtoaworldoflisteners.

ThedialoguebeganforArtatagefour,whenhisfatherbroughthomeoneofthefirstwirerecorders."Thatgot

meintomusicmorethananythingelse,"herecalls,"singingandbeingabletorecordit."SevenyearslaterhewassingingEverlyBrotherssongsatschooltalentshowswithapartner,PaulSimon,fromhisForestHillsneighborhoodinQueens,NewYork."Thenrhythm’nblues,rock’nrollcamealong."HeandPaulsettheir

sightsontheBrillBuilding."Wepracticedinthebasementsomuchthatwegotprofessionalsounding.

WemadedemosinManhattanandknockedonallthedoorsoftherecordcompanieswithourheartsinourthroats."In1957,’TomandJerry'(astheywerecalledthen)landedarecordingcontract.

Theirfirst45,"Hey,Schoolgirl"(whichtheywrotetogether)scoredamoderatehitandtheyappearedon

"AmericanBandstand"ashighschoolseniors."Wegotaquickeducationintherecordbusiness,"Artrecounts.

"ButIleftandwenttocollege.Iwasthekidwhowasgoingtofindsomewaytomakea’decent’living."HeearnedhisBachelorofArtsdegreeatColumbiaCollege,majoringinArtHistory;laterheearnedhisMastersdegreeinMathematicsatColumbiaUniversity.Butheneverstoppedsinging,andevenrecordedseveralsolosingles(as’ArtieGarr’)whileinschool.WhenhemetupagainwithSimonin1962andtheybegantorehearse,thedecisionwascleartogetbacktogetherasaduo.

TheystartedperformingasSimon&Garfunkelattheheightofthefolkmusicboominlate-1963,andwithinayearweresignedtoColumbiaRecords,whopairedthemwithproducer/engineerRoyHalee.Simon&Garfunkelmaintainedatirelesspaceintherecordingstudioandontheroad,reachingawideandloyalinternationalaudience.From1964to1970theyrecordedagroundbreakingstringofclassicLPs(WednesdayMorning3A.M.,SoundsOfSilence,Parsley,Sage,RosemaryandThyme,TheGraduate,Bookends,andBridgeOverTroubledWater)andanequallyimpressivebodyofsongs,manyofwhichbecamepopstandards,amongthem;"TheSoundOfSilence,""HomewardBound,""IAmaRock,""Kathy’sSong,""AprilComeSheWill,""ForEmily,WheneverIMayFindHer,""AttheZoo,""AHazyShadeofWinter,""America,""ScarboroughFair/Canticle,""Mrs.Robinson,""TheBoxer,""BridgeOverTroubledWater,""Cecilia,""ElCondorPasa,"and"MyLittleTown."

Simon&GarfunkelwonfiveGrammyawardstogether,twoin1968(RecordoftheYearandBestContemporaryPopPerformance/DuoorGroupfor"Mrs.Robinson");andthreein1970(RecordoftheYear,AlbumoftheYear,andBestArrangementAccompanyingVocalistsfor"BridgeOverTroubledWater,"whichalsowonSongoftheYearandBestEngineeredRecording).In1977,"BridgeOverTroubledWater"receivedtheprestigiousBritanniaAwardfor"BestInternationalPopLPandSingle,1952-77,"asvotedbythemusicindustryofGreatBritain.

"Theywerefabulousyears,"Artrememberswarmly."I’llalwaysbehappytosayalittleonbehalfoftheduo.I’mproudofsingingthosegreatsongs.NowtheyteachPaulSimonsongsinchurchesandschoolsaspartofthecurricula…itseemsthatpartofgoodcitizenshipistheknowledgeofthesongswedid.HowcanIgraspthat?"

Meanwhile,havingalreadyworkedwithdirectorMikeNicholsonTheGraduatesoundtrack,GarfunkelwentontofeatureactingrolesinMikeNichols’moviesCatch-22(1969);andCarnalKnowledge(1971),oppositeAnn-Margret,CandiceBergenandJackNicholson.