Titel 30 Years of "Art Garfunkel: Across America" – Art Garfunkel on the Disney Channel

Bildbeschreibung Archival program excerpt with the Disney Channel notice for the premiere of "Art Garfunkel: Across America" on October 14, 1996, at 9:30 PM

Bildbeschreibung / Alttext Archival Disney Channel program excerpt from October 14, 1996

Text On October 14, 1996, "Art Garfunkel: Across America" was broadcast for the first time on the Disney Channel. In 2026, 30 years of "Across America" on the Disney Channel mark a special milestone in Art Garfunkel's solo career. At the center of the special is Art Garfunkel immediately following the completion of his long-standing "Walk Across America".

Art Garfunkel had traversed the United States on foot in individual stages since the early 1980s, covering more than 4,000 miles. In 1996, he completed his journey across America. For the finale, he performed two concerts on April 12 and 13 in the Registry Hall on Ellis Island in New York. The recordings made there formed the basis for the television special and for the live album of the same name, which was released in December 1996.

"Across America" combines the concert recordings with footage of Art Garfunkel's journey through various regions of the United States. Between the musical performances, he speaks about his path and the experiences he gathered during his hikes. This creates a personal portrait that connects his music with a long-term personal project.

The concert program comprises tracks from various phases of Art Garfunkel's musical career and connects his solo career with well-known recordings from his shared history with Paul Simon. Among the special recordings is "Crying in the Rain", which Art Garfunkel sang together with James Taylor on Ellis Island. "Grateful", the track written by John Bucchino, is also part of the program and was released as a single in 1996.

Art Garfunkel's family can also be seen in the special. His wife, Kim Garfunkel, is present as well as his then five-year-old son, Art Garfunkel Jr. Thus, "Across America" captures not only Art Garfunkel's musical work but also a personal moment from that time. The connection between father and son was later continued musically: Art Garfunkel Jr. can be heard together with his father on "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)".

October 14, 2026, marks the 30th anniversary of the first broadcast of "Art Garfunkel: Across America". Thus, the special documents not only Art Garfunkel's music on Ellis Island but also the conclusion of an extraordinary personal journey across the United States.