Art Garfunkel: Vocal Cord Paresis and Paul Simon Rift

Few voices defined the sound of the 1960s quite like Art Garfunkel’s, and his soaring harmonies with Paul Simon made Simon & Garfunkel a household name. But behind the music, a series of health setbacks and a fractured friendship have shaped his later years, including a 2011 diagnosis of vocal cord paresis that temporarily paralyzed his left vocal cord, according to The Independent.

Born: November 5, 1941 ·
Famous for: Folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel ·
Key albums with Simon & Garfunkel: 5 studio albums (1964–1970) ·
Health condition publicly discussed: Vocal cord paresis (since 2011)

Nine key data points, one pattern: Garfunkel’s life is a story of extraordinary musical success shadowed by persistent health and relationship challenges.

What illness does Art Garfunkel have?

Vocal cord paresis explained

• Garfunkel was diagnosed with vocal cord paresis in 2010, a condition described as partial paralysis/weakness of the vocal folds, according to The Independent.
• The condition forced the cancellation of a planned Simon & Garfunkel reunion tour in 2010, the same source reported.

Vocal cord paresis means one or both vocal cords don’t open or close properly. For a singer whose instrument is his voice, this was a career-threatening diagnosis. Garfunkel later described the experience as terrifying.

How the condition affects his singing

According to a 2014 report by The Independent, Garfunkel’s vocal cord paresis caused a temporary paralysis of his left vocal cord, making it impossible to sustain notes or project his voice. The condition required extensive therapy.

Recovery and current vocal status

• Garfunkel announced he had regained his voice in January 2014 (The Independent).
• He returned to performing by 2013, with concerts resuming across the US and Europe.

However, in 2023 Garfunkel canceled remaining concert dates, and management said he would not return to touring for the foreseeable future, per Wikipedia. The exact current state of his vocal health remains private.

The pattern: despite recovery, Garfunkel’s touring schedule has been inconsistent recently.

What caused the split between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel?

Creative differences in the 1970s

By 1970, Simon & Garfunkel had released five studio albums, culminating in the masterpiece Bridge Over Troubled Water. But behind the scenes, tensions were mounting. Paul Simon told PEOPLE they were “really best friends up until Bridge over Troubled Water,” after which the friendship was “broken.” Garfunkel’s growing interest in acting and Simon’s desire for artistic independence widened the rift.

The impact of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’

The album’s massive success—it won six Grammys and sold over 25 million copies—paradoxically drove the duo apart. Simon felt Garfunkel was taking too much credit for the harmony arrangements, while Garfunkel felt sidelined as Simon increasingly dominated songwriting. The split was official by 1970.

Solo careers and estrangement

• Simon launched a highly successful solo career with albums like Still Crazy After All These Years and Graceland.
• Garfunkel released solo albums including Angel Clare and Breakaway, and acted in films like Carnal Knowledge.
• They reunited sporadically, most famously at the 1981 Central Park concert that drew 500,000 attendees (Wikipedia).

The pattern: The very success that made them legends also made collaboration impossible. Their 1960s chemistry was irreproducible in the 1970s.

What this means: the duo’s creative partnership was a double-edged sword — success led to separation.

Is Paul Simon still friends with Art Garfunkel?

Public statements from both musicians

Paul Simon has been candid about the friendship’s limits. In a 2024 PEOPLE interview, he described their working relationship as “an uneven partnership” and said they were not close friends. Garfunkel, in turn, told The Sunday Times that during their recent reunion he asked, “Why haven’t we seen each other?”

The 2023 reunion described by Garfunkel

• Reporting in 2024 revealed Garfunkel and Simon had an emotional reunion over lunch a few weeks earlier (Variety).
• Garfunkel said of the reunion, “There were tears” (Rolling Stone Australia).
• According to Rolling Stone, the meeting happened at the Pierre hotel in New York.

Current relationship status

Garfunkel has said there is still a possibility they could make music together again, as reported by The Times. However, they have not performed together since 2018. Art Garfunkel Jr. said in 2024 that he thought his father and Paul Simon would always be best friends (Rolling Stone Australia).

The catch: reunion doesn’t guarantee a musical return.

Related: Ronnie Wood: Rock Survivor and Rolling Stones Legend

Confirmed facts

• Art Garfunkel was born in 1941 (Wikipedia).
• He was diagnosed with vocal cord paresis in 2011 (The Independent).
• He and Paul Simon split in 1970 (PEOPLE).
• He married Kim Garfunkel in 1988 (Wikipedia).

What’s unclear

• The exact future of any further Simon & Garfunkel performances is unknown.
• Full details of his current vocal cord health are not publicly available.
• The accuracy of Garfunkel’s estimated net worth of $95 million is not independently verified.
• The exact year of his vocal cord paresis diagnosis is reported as both 2010 and 2011.

Quotes

“There were tears.”

— Art Garfunkel, speaking about his 2023 reunion with Paul Simon (Rolling Stone Australia)

“We had an uneven partnership.”

— Paul Simon, on his working relationship with Art Garfunkel (PEOPLE)

“What happened? Why haven’t we seen each other?”

— Art Garfunkel, asking Paul Simon during their reunion (The Times)

For fans of Simon & Garfunkel, the story of Art Garfunkel’s later years is a cautionary tale about the fragility of both the human voice and human relationships. His vocal cord paresis was a medical crisis he overcame, but the rift with Paul Simon took decades to even begin healing. The 2023 reunion offered a fleeting glimpse of reconciliation, but as of now, the duo remains inactive. For anyone holding out hope for one more show, the pattern is clear: treasured moments of reunion exist, but a full comeback is unlikely. The trade-off between preserving a legendary legacy and rebuilding a fractured friendship may have no perfect resolution.

Also see: Davy Jones: Monkees Singer and Maritime Myth

For a deeper look into Art Garfunkel’s health and career, including his vocal cord recovery and the rift with Paul Simon, see Art Garfunkels health and career.

Frequently asked questions