Our Songs, Our Story, Our Love.

Chapter 1

Art Garfunkel didn't mind admitting it, but that one single event in the fall of 1981 had surpassed all others as being the best day of his entire life.
Never had he felt so humbled, so confident, so at peace with the world and oh, so very much loved.

It was a strange feeling to now look out and see just how the world had changed but the songs which he and his friend had sang then, had remained exactly the same.
He now took the mug of cold coffee to his lips and sipped at it. He suddenly grimaced for it tasted decidedly awful and for a moment he contemplated on getting himself another more appealing one.
However, he now found it almost impossible to tear himself away  from this very special moment of reminiscing.
He had to saviour it again, just like he had done so many, many times before and even though he was well used to this view, he somehow never ever got tired of it, for it remained a constant reminder of that fantastic day.
He now took in a big breath, narrowed his eyes and continued to  remember that unique, unforgettable evening of Saturday September 19th 1981, when he first stepped out onto that stage, waved his both arms high  into the air and then began to do the one thing that he felt he was put on this earth to do.
Share with everyone the wonderful voice that he knew God had so very kindly gifted to him.

It had been such a wonderful night, a night like no other and everything had eventually gone according to plan although, at the time Artie forever the self critic, actually thought he could have performed better!
It wasn't until his partner, friend and the person he singularly  trusted the most about his performances, had rung him early the next morning and told him to look at all the news bulletins on the tv and the headlines in all the daily newspapers.
Artie was somewhat nervous.
Had there been an incident?
Were the police involved?
Or was it that the concert had been so badly received that the audience were now baying for their blood!! Although, in truth he was finding this idea very hard to believe. The vibes of love and support last night had been unmeasurable. Plus the actual number of people who had turned up just to see the two of them perform far surpassed anything he'd ever witnessed before.

In fact it was later recorded that the event had broken all records for the highest ever attended concert in history!

Art Garfunkel could hardly believe it!

The day itself had started off really quite dismally. It had rained constantly the night before and continued to do so throughout the day. A low, grey mist also hung heavily around the tall buildings and skyscrapers of New York City as if shrouding the place in a blanket of impending doom.
Art Garfunkel remembered feeling so nervous and apprehensive on that very morning, that he constantly felt the need to vomit as he now realised the enormity that the past three weeks of highly intensified preparation had been leading up to and wished that the whole thing was over with already.

Rehearsals had gone very badly.
Artie and his friend, allie and partner had actually fought bitterly with one another over pretty much everything.
From the song choices, Artie's apparent reluctance to learn some new songs, to the inclusion of a brass section that threatened to drown out the super softness of the pure angelic voice that Art Garfunkel had become so famous for.
Artie worried that his friend's band, of whom he had never even met before rehearsals began, would be too loud and overpowering.  He was at pains to constantly point out to him that this was not what their band was all about.

During the 1960's the duo had become very famous and well known for doing close, two part harmony singing with their unique blend of two different voices combining into just one.
It had always just been their own voices and one guitar.
The inclusion of a 9 piece band that incorporated a brass section, two drum kits, electric keyboard and 3 other guitars really put Artie totally on edge. He was concerned that his soft, angelic voice would just become lost and fade into obscurity into the background whilst his friends own, stronger, deeper one took centre stage.
Artie now had wished that this concert was all done and over with just so that he could move along with his life again, without all of this constant bickering, sniding and general unpleasantness that he had so far been subjected to.