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35 Years Ago Today: Iconic Singer Played Record-Setting Concert for 750,000 Fans
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Paul Simon formed one-half of the renowned folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel alongside Art Garfunkel. In 1965, they released the chart-topping hit “The Sound of Silence,” which marked their breakthrough track.
Simon & Garfunkel produced a number of generational anthems before they broke up in 1970. This included hits like “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” to name a couple.
Simon went on to have an iconic career as a solo artist. He released his first major solo album in 1972, which was the first of more than a dozen solo albums.
As a solo artist, Simon won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year twice for Still Crazy After All These Years and Graceland. This was after he also won Album of the Year with the 1970 Simon & Garfunkel album Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Paul Simon’s Historic Concert in the Park
By 1991, Simon had already cemented his status as one of the most iconic artists of his generation. A testament to this fact is how he drew three-quarters of a million fans for a historic show.
On August 15, 1991, Simon performed in a concert in New York’s Central Park. The Queens native hosted a free show in his home city, aptly titled Concert in the Park. Up to 750,000 fans showed up. Simon’s website describes it as a “record-setting” concert that drew one of the biggest crowds in history.
Simon’s memorable performance was framed against a backdrop of the New York City skyline. He took the stage with his 17-piece band for a show that went beyond two hours, according to the Los Angeles Times. Simon performed some of his most iconic songs, including “The Boxer,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “The Sound of Silence.”
The Times also reported that Simon partially compensated the city for the cost of the post-show cleanup and for overtime pay for the hundreds of police officers during the event.
Fans who expected an appearance from Garfunkel, however, were left disappointed. Garfunkel himself stated in an interview that he was “not good enough to be invited.”
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