Art Garfunkel celebrates his 80th birthday on November 5th. His son Art Garfunkel Jr. reveals how the family celebrates together.
Art Garfunkel celebrates his 80th birthday on November 5th. He had great success with the duo Simon & Garfunkel, among others with “The Sound of Silence” or “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. On his special day, his son Art Garfunkel jr. (30) A special gift for him: He sang his father’s hits in German in the studio, the result was his debut album “Wie Du – Hommage an mein Vater”. The album has been available since October 29th.
Art Garfunkel jr. brought numerous stars to the side, including Marianne Rosenberg (66), Eloy de Jong (48), Ross Antony (47), Bernhard Brink (69) – and of course his father Art Garfunkel himself. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the 30-year-old tells how similar he is to his father, what he wishes for his birthday and how the family will celebrate the festival.
Your debut album is also your birthday present for your father. What was his reaction to that?
Art Garfunkel jr .: My father was absolutely thrilled. He’s more the man who values emotional values more than material ones, so my idea really touched him. He sees my album the way I wanted it to: as a tribute to him – my great father. He told me straight away that this project shows him how much I love him.
What do you wish your father for his birthday?
Garfunkel jr .: I wish my father inner peace, above all health, of course, and many more great performances in interesting cities, countries and stages around the world with a large audience. My father lives for the stage, music is his one and only!
How are you going to spend the birthday?
Garfunkel jr .: Since my father is not that great birthday person, we will rather do something at home. We have a good family friend who plays the piano and is often our guest. He will definitely come for his birthday too. Then we all go together into the room where our piano is, it accompanies us and we all sing together for pure pleasure. It’s always great fun!
What do the hits by Simon & Garfunkel mean to you personally and how did you come to sing the songs in German?
Garfunkel jr .: My father’s hits mean a lot to me. I grew up with them and they are now a part of me – just like the German language. The opportunity to put two such great things together with all my heart and soul is an incredibly good feeling. I always knew that my father’s songs could sound good in German. And the great reaction my father gave the first time he listened to the record gave me final confirmation of that, of course.
You have brought big stars to your side, including René Kollo and Ross Antony. What was it like working with them?
Garfunkel jr .: I had the chance to record this album with great artists last year. I was really excited by how down-to-earth and loving everyone was to me. Maybe we were just lucky or we chose them well. But it is much more important for me that everyone said yes to my project. And I’m really grateful for that. Incidentally, I thought it was great how two English-speaking people like Ross and I almost always spoke to each other in German in the studio.
Your father took you on tours as a child. How has this life shaped you to this day?
Garfunkel jr .: This way of life made me a very efficient traveler (laughs). On a tour like this, you learn a lot about logistics and how to get from A to B in the easiest and most economical way. I can adapt well to new situations and environments and quickly get along with new people from different backgrounds.
What are you particularly grateful to your father for?
Garfunkel jr .: I am grateful to him that he always supports me in everything until today. I grew up in a wonderful, loving atmosphere. My father is always there for me and wanted me to have my own experiences and live out my passions according to my ideas. It could have been music, or gardening, or anything else. “The main thing is that you are a good person,” he said. “Always try hard in what you do!” Really true words from a great father!
In what ways are you similar to your father, how are you different?
Garfunkel jr .: We have a similar sense of humor. We notice that immediately when we keep coming back together. We just feel that we probably get along better with each other than anyone else. We are of course not completely one, but we are very similar. Each of us has our own slightly different key. Additionally, we both share a similar love for hiking and just being in the country in general.
In which situations has your motto “Pay attention to your thoughts – they are the beginning of your deeds” already helped you?
Garfunkel jr .: Like every other person, I am not always in a good mood or happy. Of course, I also have my lows, and over the past few years I’ve noticed how far positive thinking can go. A positive mindset can transform the whole day into an advantage – and vice versa with negative thinking. That doesn’t mean that you have to walk around smiling everywhere or not catch up on current events in order to be optimistic. But I think you can go far with a private inner joy and a positive attitude. You have to decide every morning: Do I want beautiful things to rule my life or do I want to encourage negativity? You can be positive and yet sober thinking at the same time!
You now live in Europe. How often do you still visit the United States? Why did you move the center of your life to Germany and Switzerland?
Garfunkel jr .: It is always different for me, but I am usually in the USA three times a year. Yes, I came to Europe at a very early age. I have made all the important experiences on the way to growing up here. That, of course, has a very strong impact on you. On top of that, what I like about Europe is that I have the opportunity to travel from one country to the next so easily, to experience other cultures and ways of life. I think we should really appreciate all the positive things we have here in Europe.