Leonard Cohen

Canadian poet and singer-songwriter

1934   -   2016

genre: rock music, spoken word, folk rock, sophisti-pop, world music, soft rock, pop music, folk music, pop rock, blues
country of citizenship: Canada
languages spoken, written or signed: French, English
educated at: McGill University, Columbia University, Westmount High School
occupation: singer-songwriter, poet, street artist, novelist, writer, musician, pianist, screenwriter, film actor, record producer, singer, lyricist, author
award received: Companion of the Order of Canada, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Glenn Gould Prize, Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec, Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Princess of Asturias Literary Prize, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Juno Award for Video of the Year, Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year, Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Juno Award for Artist of the Year, Governor General's Award for English-language poetry or drama, Canada's Walk of Fame, Companion of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, AAAS Fellow, Prix Denise-Pelletier
student of: Solomon Klonitzky-Kline
influenced by: Federico García Lorca
www.leonardcohen.com
leonardcohen
leonardcohen

Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011, he received one of the Prince of Asturias Awards for literature and the ninth Glenn Gould Prize. Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s, and did not begin a music career until 1967 at the age of 33. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more albums of folk music: Songs from a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). His 1977 record Death of a Ladies' Man, co-written and produced by Phil Spector, was a move away from Cohen's previous minimalist sound. In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional Recent Songs, which blended his acoustic style with jazz, East Asian, and Mediterranean influences. Cohen's most famous song, "Hallelujah," was first released on his studio album Various Positions in 1984. I'm Your Man in 1988 marked Cohen's turn to synthesized productions. In 1992, Cohen released its follow-up, The Future, which had dark lyrics and references to political and social unrest. Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of Ten New Songs, a major hit in Canada and Europe. His 11th album, Dear Heather, followed in 2004. In 2005, Cohen discovered that his manager had stolen most of his money and sold his publishing rights, prompting a return to touring to recoup his losses. Following a successful string of tours between 2008 and 2013, he released three albums in the final years of his life: Old Ideas (2012), Popular Problems (2014), and You Want It Darker (2016), the last of which was released three weeks before his death. A posthumous album, Thanks for the Dance, was released in November 2019, his fifteenth and final studio album.
Read more or edit on Wikipedia