Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon (January 24, 1947 - September 7, 2003), born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a rock and roll musician and songwriter. He was noted for his offbeat, sardonic view of life which was reflected in his dark, sometimes humorous songs, which often incorporated political or historical themes.
After a failed early solo career, Zevon spent time as a session musician (notably as piano player for the Everly Brothers) and jingle composer. In the mid-70s, he moved to Los Angeles and became associated with the then-burgeoning West coast music scene, including collaborations with Jackson Browne, who would produce and promote Zevon's self-titled major-label debut, and Linda Ronstadt, who would record several early Zevon songs including a hit version of "Poor Poor Pitiful Me".
In 1978 Zevon released his breakthrough album, Excitable Boy, to critical acclaim and popular success. Several tracks from this album received heavy FM airplay and the single release "Werewolves of London", which featured a relatively lighthearted version of Zevon's signature macabre outlook, was a top-ten hit.
For the next 20 years Zevon would continue to record and release albums sporadically and with varying levels of success, while fighting personal demons including an acknowledged battle with alcoholism.
In interviews, Zevon described a lifelong phobia of doctors and seldom received medical assessment. In 2002, after a long period of untreated illness and pain, Zevon was encouraged by his dentist to see a doctor; when he did so he was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma (a form of lung cancer). He then began recording his final album, The Wind, with guest appearances from close friends including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmidt, Joe Walsh, David Lindley, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmylou Harris, and others.
On October 30, 2002, Zevon was featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the only guest for the entire hour. Zevon performed several songs and spoke in length about his illness. Zevon was a frequent guest and occasional substitute bandleader on Letterman's television shows since Late Night first aired in 1982.
Zevon had previously stated that his illness was expected to be terminal within months after the diagnosis in the Fall of 2002; however he lived to see the release of The Wind on August 28, 2003 and the birth of twin grandsons in June of 2003.
Zevon died at his home on September 7, 2003. The Wind was certified gold (sales in excess of 500,000 copies) by the RIAA in December 2003, & Zevon received 5 posthumous Grammy nominations (including Song Of The Year for "Keep Me In Your Heart").
Discography
External Links
Zevon official site http://www.warrenzevon.com
Referenced By
1947 | 1947 in music | 1968 in music | 1976 (music) | 1976 in music | 1977 in music | 1979 in music | 2002 in television | 2003 | 2003 in memoriam | 2003 in music | 24 January | 24th January | 7 September | 7th September | As of 2003 | Bonnie Raitt | Bonnie Riatt | Deaths in 2003 | Eagles | Elektra Records | Excitable Boy | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album | Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal | Grammy Awards of 2004 | January 24 | January 24th | List Of All Music Videos By Year | List of cancer patients | List of famous cancer patients | List of famous people who have suffered from or died of cancer | List of music videos by year | List of rock and roll albums in the 1970s | List of songs about bipolar disorder | List of songs by name: A | List of songs by name: B | List of songs by name: C | List of songs by name: D | List of songs by name: E | List of songs by name: F | List of songs by name: G | List of songs by name: H | List of songs by name: I | List of songs by name: J | List of songs by name: K | List of songs by name: L | List of songs by name: M | List of songs by name: N | List of songs by name: O | List of songs by name: P | List of songs by name: Q | List of songs by name: R | List of songs by name: S | List of songs by name: T | List of songs by name: V | List of songs by name: W | List of songs by name: Y | Protest song | Screamin' Jay Hawkins | Screamin Jay Hawkins | Screaming Jay Hawkins | September 7 | September 7th | Soho | Soho, London, England | T-Bone Burnett | TBone Burnett | T Bone Burnett | The Eagles | Warren Zevon (album) | Werewolves of London
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