Paul Simon

F. Scott Fitzgerald's contention to the contrary, Paul Simon has engineered a great American second act. As the songwriting half of Simon & Garfunkel, he penned some of the defining folk-rock hits of the '60s. In 1972, he emerged as a solo artist, scoring smashes with "Mother and Child Reunion" and "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard."

Paul Simon maintains a fascination with music from around the world, having introduced many mainstream music fans to the sounds of Africa and South America via hit albums like The Rhythm of the Saints. Simon has always managed to incorporate exotic elements into his work without compromising the intimacy of his lyrics.

GRAMMY® Albums of the Year, Still Crazy After All These Years and Graceland, represent the twin peaks of Paul Simon's solo career, but more low-key collections, ranging from his self-titled 1972 set (featuring the gorgeous "Peace Like a River") to 2000's You're the One, are rife with irresistible melodies and wise, melancholic lyrics.

Paul Simon may have been one-half of one of the most successful duos of the '60s, but his split with Art Garfunkel hardly slowed him down. Songs such as "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," "Graceland," and "The Obvious Child" defined the '70s, '80s, and '90s just as cuts like "Mrs. Robinson" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" defined the Simon & Garfunkel era. Paul Simon's solo career is proof that there are, indeed, second acts in American lives, especially for artists willing to push creative boundaries.