Art Garfunkel and his 33-year-old son Art Jr. recently released an album of duets, aptly titled Father and Son, that features them singing an interesting selection of cover tunes. Shortly after the album’s November 8 arrival, the 83-year-old singer and three of his family members, including Art Jr., played a sold-out five-night engagement at Café Carlyle in New York City.
The residency, which ran from November 12 to November 16, featured Garfunkel; his wife, Kathryn; Art Jr.; and Art’s younger son, 19-year-old Beau.
Videos by American Songwriter
Felix Gauder, who produced Father and Son, shared a video on his Instagram capturing Art and Art Jr. performing a beautiful duet version of 1959 Everly Brothers ballad “Let It Be Me” at Café Carlyle. The song is one of 12 featured on Father and Son.
In the clip, Art introduces the tune by explaining, “I toured in my Simon & Garfunkel days with Don and Phil [Everly.] … [And] this was … Don’s favorite Everly Brothers song.”
Art Jr. sweetly handles the soaring high harmonies, while his dad sings the lower melody of the delicate love song. Unfortunately, the clip cuts off after the first chorus.
The Everly Brothers toured with Simon & Garfunkel in 2003 and 2004. The siblings usually played a four-song set at the shows that always included “Let It Be Me.”
Fans React to the Garfunkels’ Duet
Several fans took to the comments section of Gauder’s Instagram post to share their reactions to the Garfunkels’ performance.
“My heart is smiling at this duet with the two glorious men,” one fan wrote. “How lucky we are that [they] recorded and posted it for all of us to share.”
A second fan commented, “Wow…your voices give me goosebumps… it’s so incredibly good.”
A third wrote, “Garfunkel and Garfunkel are the greatest!”
The clip also inspired singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop, a longtime friend of Art’s, to respond with the simple comment, “Legends!”
More About “Let It Be Me”
The Everly Brothers’ recording of “Let It Be Me” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. The song actually was an English-language reworking of the 1955 French tune “Je t’appartiens,” which was co-written and recorded by Gilbert Bécaud.
In a trailer for the Father and Son album, Garfunkel explains that he and Art Jr. have been singing “Let It Be Me” together on stage for many years.
“Oh, how I love singing that with my son,” Art enthuses in the promo. “I stole it from the Everly Brothers. They do it so beautifully. I fell in love with it, and [Art Jr. and I] developed it together. And we get very close. I have sung that song with Junior where the two heads are so close and the temples are touching. And it’s a Divine experience to be father [and] son so harmonically close.”
You can check out the studio version of Art and Art Jr.’s “Let It Be Me” cover on YouTube.
More About the Father and Son Album
As previously reported, the Father and Son album, which is credited to Garfunkel & Garfunkel, features renditions of 12 popular songs from various eras selected by Art and Art Jr. Besides “Let It Be Me,” the album includes tunes by The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Cyndi Lauper, Eurythmics, Don McLean, and a few of Garfunkel’s favorite older pop standards. It also features a version of the Paul Simon-penned 1968 Simon & Garfunkel song “Old Friends.”
Father and Son is available now.
Father and Son Track List:
- “Blue Moon”
- “Vincent”
- “Blackbird”
- “Old Friends”
- “Time After Time”
- “Once in a While”
- “I Won’t Let You Down”
- “Let It Be Me”
- “Nature Boy”
- “You Belong to Me”
- “Here Comes the Rain Again”
- “Father and Son”
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