On This Day, Feb. 5, 2018: Paul Simon announces his retirement from the road

On This Day, Feb. 5, 2018…

Paul Simon announced his retirement from touring after more than 60 years in music.

The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer said time away from his family and the death of his longtime guitarist Vincent Nguini played a role in his decision.

Simon didn’t give up the road without one more run. In May of the same year, he launched Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, a four-month trek that took him to North America and Europe, and wrapped in his home borough of Queens, New York.

While the show marked the end of Simon’s final tour, he said he wasn’t quitting the stage and suggested he could perform live again. He did just that in August 2019, when he headlined San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival.

Simon’s retirement didn’t last long. In April 2025, he launched the A Quiet Celebration Tour, in which he performed his 2023 album, Seven Psalms, as well newly arranged versions of tracks from his vast catalog of hits. He just announced a new North American leg of the tour, kicking off June 4 in Palo Alto, California.