Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen died on Thursday. He was 82. The announcement was made on his 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,” the post said. A memorial will be held for him in Los Angeles, though the date has not been disclosed.
Cohen had in August marked the death of his long-time muse Marianne Ihlen with an emotional letter, in which he had said that he will “follow [her] very soon”. The letter had read, “Well Marianne, it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine.” On October 21, Cohen released his final studio album, You Want It Darker.
Cohen’s work gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, and he is often compared to other evocative songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell. He wrote songs on a wide range of subjects, from love and joy to war, spirituality and depression. He was known for his characteristic nylon guitar sound. He also wrote songs for artists like James Taylor and Willie Nelson.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the United States, and also into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Cohen also received Canada’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada.
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