’60s Folk Rock Legends’ 1981 Central Park Reunion Is Still Among ‘Greatest Live Performances of All Time’

In 1981, Simon & Garfunkel took the stage in Central Park together for a reunion show after years apart—and 45 years later, the concert they put on that evening is still considered one of the greatest live performances of all time.

The legendary ’60s folk rock duo, comprising singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel, was one of the best-selling musical acts to come out of the decade. They reportedly met as school-aged kids in Queens, N. Y. in the 1950s, performing as the teen duo Tom & Jerry in 1957 before officially regrouping as Simon & Garfunkel in 1963. They released their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., a year later, and skyrocketed to stardom in 1965 after the success of their first Billboard Hot 100 hit, a remixed version of “The Sound of Silence.”

Their biggest hits also include two more U.S. Hot 100 hits, “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” both of which earned the coveted Record of the Year awards at the Grammys in 1969 and 1971, respectively.

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Alas, the duo went their separate ways in 1970, with sources reporting the two had a “troubled relationship” and “artistic disagreements.” So when they reunited after years of ups and downs for a show in front of 500,000+ people, it was a treat for fans, to say the least—not to mention, one of the largest single-concert audiences in history.

The memorable moment was honored in a social media post highlighting its impact for longtime supporters. “The Central Park concert took place on September 19, 1981, in front of more than 500,000 people, marking the duo’s reunion after years apart,” the caption of the Instagram post explained. “’Mrs. Robinson’ was one of the standout performances of the night, connecting their 1960s work with a new generation of listeners.”

As for the backstory of the song, the tune was originally written for the 1967 film The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katharine Ross. “It became a key part of the soundtrack and helped define the movie’s cultural impact. Later released as a single, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100,” the caption noted.

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The comments section of the post was rife with fans raving over the iconic duo and their catalogue. “It was a great concert by two great talents,” one pointed out, while another dubbed Simon & Garfunkel “The best duo that ever existed,” writing, “it’s a shame that time has passed so quickly, but you can also say…. I was one of those who got to experience these super singers 👏👏👏👏👏🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹.”

A third simply proclaimed the concert was “the best,” while someone else agreed it was “unforgettable.”

“But how it was a fabulous moment and that harmonic vocal… Isn’t this just stunning!!!” yet another exclaimed.

In 1968, the Graduate soundtrack album and the duo’s fourth album, Bookends, featuring the hit version of “Mrs. Robinson,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200. Their final studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, became one of the world’s best-selling albums.

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