Paul Simon Announces Comeback Tour After Retirement

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Legendary musician Paul Simon, 83, has announced he will return to the stage for a North American tour titled “Paul Simon in Concert: A Quiet Celebration.” Following his retirement in 2018, the singer-songwriter revealed his plans on social media on Tuesday, indicating he will perform a series of intimate concerts beginning in April.

The tour will kick off on April 4 and 5 at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana, with additional stops planned in cities including Austin, Kansas City, Nashville, Boston, New York City, and Los Angeles. The tour will conclude with three nights at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Washington, from July 31 to August 3.

“I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing,” Simon said in a statement during his 2018 retirement announcement. He expressed gratitude to his fans for their support over his decades-long career. “I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in my music that touched their hearts,” he noted.

Simon, known for hits like “The Sound of Silence” and “You Can Call Me Al,” had initially stepped back from live performances due to significant hearing loss. In 2023, he described experiencing “near-total loss of hearing” in one ear, stating, “Quite suddenly, I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it.” However, he later mentioned that his hearing had improved sufficiently to allow him to resume performing. “That’s come back to enough of a degree that I’m comfortable singing and playing guitar and a few other instruments,” Simon shared.

For this tour, Simon is collaborating with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss to create a stage setup that optimally accommodates his hearing condition. “The acoustics are optional” in the intimate venues selected for the tour, a decision aimed at enhancing Simon’s comfort during performances.

The setlist for the tour will include songs from his latest album, “Seven Psalms,” released in 2023, alongside classics from his extensive catalog. Fans can expect a musical experience that showcases both new and beloved tracks.

Tickets for the tour will go on sale on February 21 on Simon’s official website. As he prepares to step back into the spotlight, Simon reflects on the importance of his music and the connection he shares with his audience.