Paul Simon was once considered Bob Dylan’s disciple, but the singer grew tired of always coming in second.
Simon followed in Dylan’s footsteps and modeled some of his early work during Dylan’s success and popularity in the 1960s. He sang songs in the style of Dylan but grew tired of being “second” to him.
In a previous interview with The Rolling Stone in 2011, the “Bridge Over Troubled Water” hitmaker revealed that he was always second to Dylan. He then stated that he disliked visiting that location.
He said:
“In the beginning, when we were first signed to Columbia, I really admired Dylan’s work. ‘The Sound of Silence’ wouldn’t have been written if it weren’t for Dylan. But I left that feeling around The Graduate and ‘Mrs Robinson’. They [my songs] weren’t folky anymore.”
Simon began working to rid himself of the “second” title. He did, however, express his frustration with their differences.
He compared himself to Dylan, saying that one of his flaws was that his voice lacked sincerity. The “End of the Line” singer allegedly sang with two meanings in mind.
Even though Simon began to forge his path, they collaborated on a 199 tour. Simon reportedly asked him to record “So Beautiful or So What” with him then. Unfortunately, he has yet to receive a response.
After trailing Dylan for decades, the singer-songwriter’s career and success have skyrocketed in the last few decades.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Paul Simon’s net worth as of 2023 demonstrates how much the public adores him. After years of performing, the singer’s net worth has surpassed $200 million.
His fortune skyrocketed when he sold his entire music catalog to Sony Music Publishing in 2021. The exact amount of the deal was never disclosed, but initial reports said Simon received $250 million.
Simon has also outperformed his expectations by releasing successful albums in recent years. “The Paul Simon Songbook,” “Paul Simon,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Hearts and Bones,” “Graceland,” “The Rhythm of the Saints,” “Songs from The Capeman,” “Surprise,” “So Beautiful or So What,” and “In The Blue Light” are among his solo studio albums that have sold millions of copies worldwide.
Simon has a massive estate. He and Erid Brickell paid $16 million for a home in New Canaan, Connecticut, in 2012. They quickly sold it, but the couple still owns a duplex in a New York City building.
They also have a 10-acre ranch in Allen, Texas, and a Hamptons oceanfront estate.