Paul Simon's "Graceland": Days of Miracle and Wonder
Dec 4, 2026, 12:00 PM ET<a href="https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/paul-simons-graceland?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/paul-simons-graceland?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223">smithsonianassociates.org…</a>
In 1984, Paul Simon's new marriage was failing and his career was in danger of stalling. That summer, a bootleg cassette of township jive-the street music of South Africa-became his personal soundtrack. Simon grew determined to create a collaboration that included township jive musicians. The result was "Graceland," which won two Grammys and sold 16 million records. Music historian Ashley Kahn unfolds the album's history and impact, revealing Simon's creative process, the controversies the music raised, and the forces that helped the album achieve mainstream popularity.