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Paul Simon Announces Farewell Tour

performs onstage at The Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum All For The Hall New York Benefit Concert at PlayStation Theater on October 6, 2015 in New York City.

Like Elton John, Paul Simon is ready to get off the road for good. Rolling Stone reports that the legendary singer-songwriter has announced a series of North American dates leading up to his European tour and ultimate “farewell performance” at London’s Hyde Park, which was announced last week and is set to feature performances by James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt. In a statement to Rolling Stone, Simon wrote:

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.

Check out the new list of May and June tour dates in the U.S. and Canada below. Ticketing information is available here.

May 16 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
May 18 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
May 19 – Portland, OR @ MODA Center
May 22 & 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
May 25 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
May 27 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 30 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green
June 1 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Arena
June 2 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
June 4 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
June 6 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
June 8 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
June 10 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Center
June 12 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
June 13 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
June 15 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
June 16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
June 19 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
June 20 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena