Leonard Cohen

Community biography from

A singer-songwriter more than equal of Bob Dylan in his use of language and his ability to tranlate the timeless themes of great literature into great music, Leonard Cohen parlayed unsurpassed lyrical skills and a distinctive disposition into a brilliant, if fitful, career. Born in Montreal in 1934, Cohen published poetry and prose before striking out as a composer and performer; in fact, he was in his mid-30s before he made his recording debut. That debut, simply titled Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968), was the most acclaimed of his career, although Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and I'm Your Man (1988) were also hugely praised. Everyone from Johnny Cash to R.E.M. covered Cohen, and he developed a cult following that spanned generations and genres.