The 43rd Annual John Lennon Tribute in New York City reached a breathtaking crescendo when folk-rock icons Graham Nash, Judy Collins, and Art Garfunkel joined forces for a spellbinding rendition of “Imagine”. Nash, bathed in a soft blue spotlight, opened the song with tender sincerity on piano, his weathered voice lending Lennon’s lyrics a poignant, reflective weight.
As the first verse unfolded, Collins—radiant in a flowing silver gown—stepped forward, her crystalline soprano weaving seamlessly with Nash’s harmonies, while Garfunkel, standing motionless with eyes closed, elevated the chorus with his angelic tenor, hitting the “you may say I’m a dreamer”* line with heartbreaking purity.
The trio’s minimalist arrangement—just piano, acoustic guitar, and their three legendary voices—stripped the anthem to its emotional core, with Collins’ delicate vibrato on *“no possessions”* drawing audible sighs from the star-studded crowd. Midway through, Nash subtly nodded to Lennon’s ghost by incorporating a fleeting “Give Peace a Chance” riff into the piano outro, while Garfunkel held the final “and the world will live as one”* note until the audience erupted in a tearful standing ovation.
Filmed in stark black-and-white close-ups that captured every wrinkle and smile line, the performance felt less like a cover and more like a sacred passing of the torch—three 80-something legends keeping Lennon’s dream alive with quiet, defiant grace.
Art Garfunkel’s April is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that showcases the legendary singer’s angelic tenor and poetic sensibility. Released in 1978 as part of his “Watermark” album, the song—written by Jimmy Webb—captures the bittersweet essence of fleeting love and seasonal change. Garfunkel’s voice floats effortlessly over a lush orchestral arrangement, his delicate phrasing and emotive vibrato turning lines like “April, come she will” into a wistful meditation on time’s passage. The track’s gentle acoustic guitar arpeggios and sweeping strings create a dreamlike atmosphere, evoking the fragility of spring blossoms and lost romance.
Though not as widely known as his Simon & Garfunkel hits, April remains a fan favorite, often praised for its quiet intensity and Garfunkel’s ability to convey profound emotion with understated elegance. A masterclass in vocal purity and lyrical depth, the song is a hidden gem in his solo catalog—proof that even without Paul Simon, Garfunkel’s voice could still break and mend hearts in a single breath.