Art Garfunkel says he’s “proud” of all he accomplished with Paul Simon.

Simon & Garfunkel’s Art Garfunkel reflects on recent dinner with Paul Simon: ‘There were tears’

Art Garfunkel says he's "proud" of all he accomplished with Paul Simon.

By Leigh Blickley

June 25, 2026 11:19 a.m. ET

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Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon in 2010. Credit:

Kevin Winter/Getty

- Art Garfunkel said there were "tears" during a recent dinner meetup with Paul Simon.

- He said they had a "very lovely" time reconnecting following their success as Simon & Garfunkel.

- Garfunkel added that he's not sure if the meeting will "lead to anything" but he's excited about his upcoming solo tour.

Art Garfunkel is feeling positive about his future, even if it doesn't involve a musical reunion with Paul Simon.

During an interview with PEOPLE published on Thursday, Garfunkel, 84, said he had dinner with Simon, also 84, last year, and that "it was very lovely."

"There were tears, there were hugs," Garfunkel said. "I don’t know if it’ll lead to anything. I don’t think so much about him as I think about what’s ahead of me. I’m feeling very positive now."

Garfunkel is getting ready to hit the road for his *What a Wonderful World*: *Celebration Concerts*, which will include stops in the U.S. and Europe from July 24 through Nov. 19. He said his voice sounds better than ever, telling PEOPLE, "In a way, you’re always back to square one. If you’re not alive and happening now, what are you? You can’t live on your past. You’ve got to keep going with a meaningful agenda."

Most fans know Garfunkel as one half of the esteemed musical duo Simon & Garfunkel, who were highly successful in the 1960s and ’70s with hits like "The Sound of Silence," "Mrs. Robinson," "Cecilia," and "The Boxer." Garfunkel said it's "fair enough" that people associate him with Simon, as they took home multiple Grammy Awards together and sold more than 100 million records.

"I'm proud of it," he admitted of their legacy. "I only feel great about it."

Garfunkel, who first connected with Simon as classmates in Queens, New York, added, "Before the world knew Simon & Garfunkel, our ears heard it first, and we knew it was special. We were always cracking each other up."

Garfunkel and Simon performing in 1966.

Hulton Archive/Getty

Garunkel told PEOPLE that, as a singer, he always felt he was at a "disadvantage" to songwriter Simon. That sentiment led him to accept a role in the 1970 war comedy *Catch-22*, which ultimately "disrupted" the band. They eventually split up after recording *Bridge Over Troubled Water* that same year.

Art Garfunkel reveals he had an emotional reunion with Paul Simon for first time in years

Artists who left bands for successful solo careers

"When the album was finished Artie was going to [act in the film] *Carnal Knowledge* and I went to do an album by myself," Simon told *Rolling Stone* in 1972. "We didn't say that's the end. We didn't know if it was the end or not. But it became apparent by the time the movie was out and by the time my album was out that it was over."

Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a Central Park concert in 1981, which was taped for a TV special and live album. They were also set to return to the stage together in 2010, but Garfunkel's vocal issues forced them to cancel the run of shows.

"It goes in and out," he told PEOPLE of his relationship and possible reunion with Simon. "It’s got a summer and a winter."

- Music Reunions

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Music”