Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen (full name – Leonard Norman Cohen) was born in Montreal, Canada. His father died when Leonard was 9 years old, and the boy lived with his mother who encouraged him in his literary career. Being a teenager, Leonard wrote mostly poems and novels. In 1947 he organized a band called The Buckskin Boys, but at that moment poetry was still more important for him than music. Gradually he published several books of poetry: Let Us Compare Mythologies (1956) and The Spice Box of Earth (1961) and novels The Favorite Game (1963) and Beautiful Losers (1966). In late 60's Cohen started writing songs again, while this music was closely connected with his poems. One of the first compositions he wrote was Susanne performed by Judy Collins, an outstanding folksinger of that time. Susanne was included in her album In My Life. It was Judy Collins who persuaded Leonard to perform his songs. For the first time it happened in 1967 at the Newport Folk Festival, then Cohen had two concerts in New York City and on television in the show Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen. John Hammond, a famous producer, saw Cohen performing his songs and was enchanted by his voice and his songs. Hammond helped Cohen to record The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967). The album immediately became a real hit.

Cohen's next creation Songs from a Room (1969) was less commercially successful, but such songs as Bird on the Wire and The Story of Isaac were very popular. In 1970 Leonard Cohen performed at the Isle of Wight festival in England, and this fact indisputably proved the success he gained. Leonard's third album, Songs of Love and Hate (1971), was warmly received by the audience and increased a number of his fans. The most popular tracks were Joan of Arc, Dress Rehearsal Rag, and Famous Blue Raincoat. Cohen's creations were now so well-known that director Robert Altman used his music in his feature film McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971). Album Live Songs, recorded in Berlin in 1972, was highly praised for Cohen's writing and unique voice. The song Please Don't Pass Me By was conceded to be the best one here. From 1971 to 1973 Cohen gave plenty of concerts in the United States and Europe. His new album New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974) was recorded together with pianist and arranger John Lissauer. Not very popular album Death of a Ladies' Man (1977) was followed by a smash-hit Recent Songs (1979). The next creation Various Positions (1984) was recorded together with Jennifer Warnes and included world-known Dance Me to the End of Love. In 1985 Cohen wrote and directed film I Am a Hotel.

Leonard's next album I'm Your Man (1988) was very successful mostly due to the fact that shortly before its release Jennifer Warnes recorded her album with Cohen's writing. The works The Future (1992) and Cohen Live (1994) were mostly based on his tours over Europe. Leonard Cohen spent late 90's in a Buddhist retreat in California and reappeared as a musician only in 1999 with albums Ten New Songs (2001) and Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 (2001). In 2004, when Cohen turned 70, he released Dear Heather – the creation that caused heated discussions between critics. In 2006 he continued his career being a co-author and a producer of the album Blue Alert (2006) together with his former background singer Anjani Thomas. The decades of success, his captivating writing and unique voice made Leonard Cohen a legend in the world of music. The Collection, a beautiful five CD box containing digitally remastered editions of a quintet of seminal Cohen albums, was released in 2008.