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Leonard Cohen music biography continued...

Cohn was born September 21, 1934 in Montreal, Canada and became an internationally recognized poet and novelist before turning to music in his thirties. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), announced him as an undeniable major talent. It includes such Leonard Cohen songs as "Suzanne," "Sisters of Mercy," "So Long, Marianne" and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Good," all now longstanding classics. Songs From a Room (1969), which includes his classic song, "Bird on the Wire," and Songs of Love and Hate (1971), followed providing whatever proof anyone may have required that that the greatness of his debut was not a fluke. (All three albums are reissued in April, 2007). In the 70s Cohen moved away from his folk roots and experimented with songs that contained greater orchestrations and even, at time synthesizers. It was during this period that he recorded "Hallelujah," which would become one of his best loved and most covered songs.
As the 80s evolved, Cohen reached a whole new audience with his music and brought those who were nostalgic about his early work back to the fold. During this time, he released two consecutive albums, I'm Your Man (1988) and The Future (1992), that not only rank among the finest of his career, but that perfectly capture the anxiety about relationships in the AIDs era. Since that time, Cohen has released Ten New Songs (2001) and Dear Heather (2004), as well as Blue Alert (2006), solidifying his place in the pantheon of contemporary songwriters. Today, Cohen continues to produce compelling work, while enjoying the accolades that deservedly come to artists who have achieved his legendary status. Documentaries, awards, tribute albums and the ongoing parade of artists eager to record his songs all acknowledge the peerless contribution to the modern musical lexicon. Few may claim to really know what drives Leonard Cohen, but far fewer can find anyone who surpasses him in terms of staying power and sheer brilliance.