Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen was the archetypal sensitive singer-songwriter of the 1960s. Remarkably, he experienced renewed critical and commercial success in the 1980s, with only minor changes to his minimalist interpretive style. He was born on September 21, 1934, in Montreal, Canada. In 1955, he earned a degree in English literature from McGill University and began postgraduate studies at Columbia University. However, he soon returned to Montreal, where he worked in his family's garment business while continuing to write poetry. He began his career as a writer. "The Favourite Game" (1963) was his first novel, which was adapted into a film in 2003. His most famous work is the 1966 novel "Beautiful Losers." His writing career yielded eight poetry collections and two novels. He transitioned into music by reciting his lyrics accompanied by a jazz ensemble. After Judy Collins found success recording his composition "Suzanne," he decided to try his hand as a troubadour. His appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1967 led to his highly successful debut album "Songs Of Leonard Cohen" (Columbia, 1968). Other landmark works in his career include "Various Positions" in 1985 and "I'm Your Man" in 1988 (featuring Jennifer Warnes on vocals), which earned him a new, wide circle of fans, as well as the contemplative and critical "The Future" in 1992. Unsurprisingly, a significant part of Cohen's success as a songwriter is due to his lyrics, which incorporate the same type of romanticism as his literary work: a blend of erotic and religious elements, grappling with unfulfilled desires, and profound confessions. A closer look at his entire body of work reveals the troubadour with bittersweet melodies and captivating lines, as well as the late stylist of the '80s and '90s, with the well-earned ease of experience. All these characteristics are invaluable glimpses of Cohen's unique personal songwriting and indelible traces of the stature of that unique coexistence of music, poetry, and life proposition, which, for many, once justified a new musical world. Shortly before his death, he released his 14th album, "You Want It Darker." He passed away on November 7, 2016, at the age of 82.