The authorised biography of Paul Simon will be published on May 8th next year.

From Amazon / Simon and Schuster:

see: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Simon-Life-Robert-Hilburn/dp/1501112120/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1508312122&sr=8-4&keywords=paul+simon+biography

and here: http://www.roberthilburnonline.com/

A publishing event from music legend Paul Simon: an intimate, candid, and definitive biography written with Simon’s participation—but without editorial control—by acclaimed biographer and music writer Robert Hilburn.

Through such hits as “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “Graceland,” Paul Simon has spoken to us in songs for a half-century about alienation, doubt, resilience, and empathy in ways that have established him as one of the most honored and beloved songwriters in American pop music history. His music has gone beyond the sales charts into our cultural consciousness. He was the first songwriter awarded the Gershwin Prize by the Library of Congress and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Deeply private, Simon has said he will not write an autobiography and has refused to talk to previous biographers. But he not only opened up to acclaimed biographer Robert Hilburn for what has amounted to more than 100 hours, he also urged those around him to speak. Independently, Hilburn also interviewed others who have been important in Simon’s life, including his first two wives, Peggy Harper and Carrie Fisher, as well as, for the first time, people close to Kathy Chitty, his long-reclusive first muse.

The result is a deeply human account of the challenges and sacrifices of a life in music at the highest level, including the courage to leave Simon and Garfunkel at the peak of the duo’s popularity to pursue more fully his expanding artistic goals. Hilburn documents Simon’s search for artistry and his constant struggle to protect that artistry against distractions—fame, marriage, divorce, drugs, record company interference, rejection, and insecurity—that have derailed so many great pop figures.

Paul Simon: The Life is an intimate and inspiring narrative that helps us finally understand Paul Simon the person and the artist, including new and absorbing insights into his most enduring songs. Exploring his successes and failures onstage and off, the book combines the scholarship, passion, and storytelling grace of biography at its best.

 

During the 1966 Homecoming weekend Simon & Garfunkel were booked to perform 2 shows on November 5th (5pm and 8pm) at Mundelein College in Chicago.

The picture above comes from the student newspaper ” The Skyscraper” of October 19th 1966.

In another article about these concerts, there is mentioning of the fact that the duo has appeared at McCormick Place. That was on March 31st, earlier that same year. In my list of concerts I had it under ” Arie Crown Theater “.

About the concert is written in The Skyscraper edition of November 16th, the following:

Financially the concert seems not to have been going that well for the College, there was talk about “to alleviate the Simon & Garfunkel deficit” .

I thank Aine Boylan for sharing the info here.

 

April 25th Paul Simon played at the official opening of the exhibition ” Paul Simon: Words and Music ” at the Skirball Centre in Los Angeles.

Paul Simon played the following songs:

-Homeward bound, America, Mystery train, Mrs. robinson, Graceland, Questions for the angels (and others).

Among the guests were Mo Ostin and  Lorne Michaels. Robert Hilburn introduced Paul Simon to the audience.

Read more about this special exhibition here: http://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/paul-simon-words-music

• to be continued