Paul Simon was once considered as Bob Dylan's disciple, but the singer got tired of being second to him.
Amid Dylan's success and popularity in the 1960s, Simon followed in his footsteps and modeled some of his early work. He sang songs the way Dylan did, but he soon got tired of being "second" to him.
Paul Simon Became Successful In His Own Way
In a past interview with The Rolling Stone in 2011, the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" hitmaker opened up about constantly coming in second to Dylan. He then declared he never liked coming to that place.
"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," he said. "But I left that feeling around The Graduate and 'Mrs Robinson'. They [my songs] weren't folky anymore."
Simon started working on himself to remove the "second" title from him. However, he noted that their differences made him feel frustrated.
He compared himself to Dylan, saying that one of his deficiencies was his voice sounding sincere. The "End of the Line" singer reportedly sang while offering two meanings.
Although Simon started to create his own path, they worked together on a 199 tour. At that time, Simon reportedly requested him to record "So Beautiful or So What" with him. Unfortunately, he never got a response.
After staying second to Dylan for decades, the singer-songwriter enjoyed skyrocketing career and success in the past few decades.
Paul Simon Net Worth 2023
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Paul Simon's net worth as of 2023 shows how much he is loved by the public. After years of performing, the singer officially reached the $200 million mark on his net worth.
His fortune spiked in 2021 when he sold his entire music catalog to Sony Music Publishing. The exact amount of the deal was never publicized, but initial reports said Simon got $250 million from it.
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Simon also surpassed his own expectations and released successful albums in the past years. Among his solo studio albums that sold millions of copies worldwide include "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."
Simon has a whopping estate. In 2012, he and Erid Brickell acquired a property in New Canaan, Connecticut, for $16 million. They soon sold it, but the couple still has their own duplex in New York City building.
They also have a 10-acre ranch in Allen, Texas, and an oceanfront estate in the Hamptons.
