It’s hard to remember it now, but in the early 80s, Paul Simon’s career and personal life had hit a low. His 1983 Hearts and Bones didn’t sell well and his marriage fell apart. A bootleg cassette of South African township music would ultimately lift him out of his depression and right his career. The bootleg was titled Gumboots: Accordion Jive Hits, Volume II, and Simon got his people at Warner Brothers Records to track down the artists on the tape. They confirmed that it was either Lady Smith Black Mambazo or Boyoyo Boys. Both were from South Africa, which was trouble for Simon as recording them required breaking the cultural boycott due to the apartheid. Ultimately, Simon wrote a set of songs based largely on what he heard and recorded in South Africa. The result, of course, is Graceland, Simon’s seventh album.

Lineup:

• Graceland choir: Led by Will Robertson
• Danielle Sansone,
• David Berkeley
• Gayanne Weiss
• Rhett McAllister
• Jill McAllister
• Micah Dalton
• Brad Davidorf
• Matthew Smith
• Joel Nettesheim