Paul Simon Announces Final Tour

After announcing a “Farewell Performance” in London last week, Paul Simon has revealed he will embark on his last-ever tour this year. “Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour” will include dates in North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe; it kicks off May 16 with a concert at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, and will culminate with the gig at London’s Hyde Park in July. Check out Simon’s full tour itinerary. In a statement released alongside the tour announcement, Simon reflected on his decade-spanning career and the decision to retire, which was influenced by the death of his band’s lead guitarist Vincent N’guini. The statement reads:

I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I’d consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief.

I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly. Sadly, we lost our lead guitarist and my friend of 30 years, Vincent N’guini, who died last December. His loss is not the only reason I’ve decided to stop touring, but it is a contributing factor. Mostly, though, I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing. I’d like to leave with a big Thank You to the many folks around the world who’ve come out to watch me play over the last 50 years.

After this coming tour, I anticipate doing the occasional performance in a (hopefully) acoustically pristine hall, and to donate those earnings to various philanthropic organizations, particularly those whose objective is to save the planet, ecologically.

Once again, 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.