With a career spanning almost 50 years, singer-songwriter Paul Simon's articulate sound is one of the most endearing in contemporary music. Growing up in Queens, N.Y., his first chart hit was in the winter of 1957 with friend Art Garfunkel, who sang harmony to Simon's musical compositions. Though only 16 years old at the time, their early success was a precedent for what was to come, both collectively and individually. Several years later, the 1964 album "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." firmly established the duo Simon and Garfunkel. After splitting in 1970, Simon's solo career continued to flourish. Having already found his voice with poignant melodies and lyrics, he continued to compose graceful albums on his own, including "Still Crazy After All These Years" in 1975, for which he won the Grammy for Album of the Year. In the 1980's, Simon exercised his external cultural influences, finding inspiration in South African music, upon which he leaned to write the dynamic "Graceland," for which he won the 1986 Album of the Year Grammy. His subsequent influence was Brazilian music, which fueled the 1990 multi-platinum composition "The Rhythm of the Saints." In 1991, a free concert in Central Park spawned a double-disc set, and 2000's "You're the One" earned him another Grammy nomination. Paul Simon continues to tour and record, melding his eloquent signature sound with a range of influences, and he indisputably remains one of music's most popular, enduring songwriters.