Paul Simon Kicks Off Comeback Tour

Legendary American singer-songwriter Paul Simon kicked off his "A Quiet Celebration Tour" in New Orleans on Friday night (April 4), and it was a special moment for music lovers, because it marked his return to performing roughly two years after he said he would likely never be able to perform live again due to hearing loss.

Simon, 83, showed that age is just a number, performing an impressive 19 songs. The set started with music from his latest album, Seven Psalms, and he continued on to play a mix of new songs and classic. His wife, Edie Brickell, even joined him for performances of "The Sacred Harp" and "Wait," which made for an extra beautiful moment.

Some of the hits Simon pulled out included "Graceland," "Slip Slidin' Away," "Homeward Bound" and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard." The encore consisted of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer" and "The Sound of Silence." View the full setlist and watch some fan-filmed video of the concert below.

Simon worked with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss when putting together this tour to come up with a way to reposition the monitors on stage to help with his hearing issues. He also decided to play in small venues where the acoustics are better. The result is that he's still able to bring his talents to the world in a live setting.

Paul Simon, "A Quiet Celebration," Opening Night Setlist:
The Lord (Live debut)
Love Is Like A Braid (Live debut)
My Professional Opinion (Live debut)
Your Forgiveness
Trail of Volcanoes (Live debut)
The Sacred Harp (with Edie Brickell) (Live debut)
Wait (with Edie Brickell) (Live debut)
Graceland
Slip Slidin’ Away
Train in the Distance
Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song)
St. Judy’s Comet
The Late Great Johnny Ace
Spirit Voices
Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
Under African Skies (with Edie Brickell)

Encore:
The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel song)
The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel song)