Legendary singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen has passed
2016 has claimed another legend as word arrives that singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen has passed away at age 82. The tragic news was just shared via the artist’s official Facebook page.
It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away. We have lost one of music’s most revered and prolific visionaries.
A memorial will take place in Los Angeles at a later date. The family requests privacy during their time of grief.
Originally planning to become a novelist, Canadian native Leonard Cohen rose to prominence as a musician in the 1960s, releasing his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, in 1967. Cohen would continue to find success throughout the decades and just released a final studio album, You Want It Darker, last month. You can listen to the title track in the player at the bottom of this page.
Although Leonard Cohen has had quite a few memorable hits, his most popular song is “Hallelujah,” the top track on the B side to his 1984 album Various Positions. “Hallelujah” has famously been covered by John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke and many more.
Leonard Cohen’s music has also been featured time and again on the big screen, inspiring directors ranging from Werner Herzog to Zack Snyder to Rainer Werner Fassbinder. It is arguably with Robert Altman’s 1971 western McCabe & Mrs. Miller, however, that Cohen leaves his biggest celluloid mark. Starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, McCabe and Mrs. Miller features three Leonard Cohen songs: “The Stranger Song,” “Sisters of Mercy” and “Winter Lady.” The film just received a 4K digital restoration and was made available on Blu-ray for the first time last month via The Criterion Collection.
Let us know your favorite Leonard Cohen memory in the comments below.
(Photo Credit: WENN.com)
