Prepare yourselves now for The Sound of Silence. Singer-songwriter Paul Simon announced Monday he would embark on a farewell tour.
The 76-year-old, who put out five studio albums with Art Garfunkel as a duo, is calling it Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour.
"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," Simon said in a statement shared to Twitter. "Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief."
Though Simon said his voice, band and love for making music are intact, he shared that the death of his friend and lead guitarist Vincent Nguini in December influenced his decision.
"His loss is not the only reason I've decided to stop touring, but it is a contributing factor," Simon said. "Mostly though, I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing."
Simon said he anticipates "doing the occasional performance in a (hopefully) acoustically pristine hall" following the farewell tour and giving those earnings to charity.
He concluded his statement with a message to his fans. "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."
Tickets for the tour, which kicks off May 16 in Vancouver, go on sale beginning Thursday. Simon will also be making stateside stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago and Boston. A complete touring schedule can be found on his website.
