Very sad news as it’s been confirmed by Leonard Cohen‘s official Facebook page that the prolific singer/songwriter/poet/artist has passed away at the age of 82. No cause of death was given.
Cohen began recording music in the late 60’s and continued writing and releasing music as the years went on. Just three weeks ago, Cohen released You Want it Darker, his fourteenth studio album. He also authored several books of poetry and two novels, “The Favorite Game” and “Beautiful Losers”.
In 2008, Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and throughout the years he was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Grammy’s, Meteor Music Awards, Juno Awards, and more. His music was featured in a wide array of films, including Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers, the TV show “Scrubs”, Watchmen, and “True Detective”, among many others.
Cohen is perhaps best known for his song 1984 single “Hallelujah”, which was popularized by a cover from Jeff Buckley. Since Rufus Wainwright’s cover was featured in Shrek, the song has gone on to achieve even more recognition and popularity, with over 300 cover versions known.
There are few people who leave behind such a legacy upon their passing. Cohen was more than just a musician, he was the voice for countless people and his music and words touched millions. We send out deepest condolences to his family during their time of grief.