On Tuesday, April 1, Paul Simon will take the stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene for the first of 15 nights of performances. But some funny things happened on his way to Brooklyn. Here, GO Brooklyn has charted Simon’s progress on a trip that has been 60 years in the making.
1941
Paul Simon is born on October 13 in Newark, NJ.
1964
At 23, Simon and Art Garfunkel release their first record, “Wednesday Morning, 3 am” — which includes hits such as “The Sound of Silence” and rockets the duo to stardom.
1975
Four years after Simon and Garfunkel split, Simon releases “Still Crazy After All These Years,” his landmark solo album with the chart-topping single, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.”
1986
Utilizing African rhythms, and featuring the sounds of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Simon releases “Graceland.” The record wins two Grammy Awards — Album of the Year and Record of the Year — and lodges its songs into the heads of an entire generation.
1998
Simon mounts a five-month run of “The Capeman,” a Broadway musical about the life and times of teenage gang member Salvador Agron. Despite earning a number of Tony Award nominations and becoming a hit with Simon’s fans, the show was not well received by theatergoers and lost millions of dollars.
2003
Simon and Garfunkel receive the Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Then, the duo reunites for a globe-spanning concert series, ending with a free show at the Colosseum in Rome.
2008
With decades of experience behind him, Simon prepares to bring three separate shows to BAM. His entire life, both personal and professional, has been leading up to this trio of productions — the most exciting set of musical events to hit the borough this year. For more information, visit www.bam.org.
