Paul Simon reportedly reassessed his view of Frank Sinatra after seeing the singer perform live at Carnegie Hall. Although Simon had previously found Sinatra’s style uninspiring, the performance impressed him enough to recognise the power of Sinatra’s delivery and stage presence.

Simon said he “couldn’t believe how good it was”, arguing that Sinatra brought conviction and lived experience to songs regardless of their material. The article places this reaction within Simon’s wider interest in expanding beyond conventional rock and folk, including his collaborations with jazz musicians and his experimentation across his solo career.