Who plays the harmonica on Simon and Garfunkel’s 1969 song ‘The Boxer’?

Simon & Garfunkel’s 1969 song “The Boxer” features a bass harmonica played by Nashville session musician Charlie McCoy. Its low, brassy sound adds weight to the arrangement, helping to bind the song’s parts together and reinforcing its distinctive folk-rock atmosphere.

The harmonica is subtle, sitting alongside Bob Moore’s double bass rather than taking centre stage. McCoy reportedly bought the bass harmonica for the recording; he was already known for session work with artists including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. The song’s sessions ran for more than 100 hours, and some of its resonant acoustic sound was recorded at St Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University.