NEVER mind Graceland, Bridge Over Troubled Water and Mrs Robinson.

When Paul Simon walks on stage at the Cornbury Festival on July 5, Hugh Phillimore, the man behind the event, will probably be waiting for one of Simon's more recent classics Father and Daughter.

With his biggest ever music extravaganza in the Oxfordshire countryside just a fortnight away, Mr Phillimore and his wife, the artist Nicola Grellier, have celebrated the birth of a baby girl, named Rose.

Becoming a father for the first time after signing up one of the biggest names in the history of popular music for his festival, means it is proving quite a summer.

Until now, he had come to regard Cornbury Festival as his 'baby', although over the last four years 'Poshstock', as the event has been dubbed, has certainly cost him far more than your average offspring.

And even by his own impressive standards, he reckons to have really pushed the boat out with this summer's Cornbury line-up.

Bringing Paul Simon to Cornbury has involved his biggest single investment yet.

The event taking place on the weekend of July 5 and 6 is going to cost £400,000 more to stage than last year's festival, which starred Blondie and David Gray. "Getting Paul Simon is a huge coup," said Mr Phillimore.

"I had been in discussion with people acting for Bob Dylan and ZZ Top. But when you are offered an artist like Paul Simon, you just cannot say no."

It was to involve three months of negotiations, leading to more sleepless nights than perhaps even baby Rose is planning for him.

Mr Phillimore has previously put on concerts involving the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, but it will be the first time he has worked with Paul Simon, who can be classed with Lennon and McCartney, and Dylan as one of the 20th century's geniuses of song.

The American has recently released an album of greatest hits, so fans can look forward to hits from a career spanning more than four decades.

But as usual Cornbury will feature acts to meet all musical tastes. Crowded House will be topping the bill on Sunday night. Also appearing are The Bangles, Nick Lowe and 10CC, along with a younger generation of stars, including KT Tunstall and Beverley Knight.

When he moved into his new home on the Cornbury Estate, near Charlbury, 12 years ago he found on his doorstep exactly what he had been looking for: a site that fitted the bill in every respect. And in 2004 the Cornbury Festival was born.

Poshstock has set new standards in comfort and facilities for the festival-goer.

Ticket sales for this year's festival, staged in the grounds of Lord Rotherwick's home, are already up by ten per cent on last year's event. Some will be available on the gate.

But as usual, Mr Phillimore's ambition is to break even. Even the sunshine and a 14,000 crowd could not avoid him sustaining a financial loss last year. His response has been to spend more on the acts and improved facilities.

In between looking after his new daughter, Mr Phillimore will also be busy delivering the biggest names in entertainment for events over the summer.

He recently arranged a Lionel Richie performance for former Liverpool FC chairman David Moores. Soon there will be private events at Chequers and Buckingham Palace to organise music for.

Even when Mr Phillimore is homeward bound after Cornbury, the sound of silence looks like being some way off.

  • Tickets for the festival are available on 0871 4720420 or at cornburyfestival.com