It is the end of the road for Paul Simon. The legendary singer-songwriter revealed that "Homeward Bound" will be his final tour.
Farewell Tour
On a statement released on Twitter, the music icon explained that, while he is still of perfect health, the strain of the time spent away from his family is what led him to decide to retire from live performances. He also cited the loss of his band's lead guitarist, Vincent N'guini, who died in December, as a contributing factor.
"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," he wrote. "Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief."
He, however, assured that he will not stop making music. The Hall of Famer added that he wants to perform occasionally for charity.
"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," he said.
The North American leg of Simon's tour will kick off on May 16 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver. He will also stop by major cities in the United States, including Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas, Houston, and others. His final performance as part of the tour will take place in Nashville on June 20.
He will also perform in London in July. Officially billed as "Homeward Bound: The Farewell Performance," the concert will also feature James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt.
Tickets for Simon's farewell tour will go on sale starting Friday, Feb. 9.
Legends Retire
The multi-Grammy award winner is only one of the many music icons who recently decided to retire from live performances. Elton John announced last month that the lengthy 300-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour will be his last.
"I'm not going to be touring and traveling the world. My priorities have changed. I have young children," he told host Anderson Cooper at a press conference in New York City. "That doesn't mean I won't still be creative. But I won't travel any more ... I don't want to go out with a whimper. I want to go out with a bang...It'll be the most produced, fantastic show I've ever done."
Ozzy Osbourne, in November, also revealed that he will retire from the road after a series of performances in major cities around the world later this year.
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